Exercise for seniors

As we grow older, our body stops being as flexible and healthy as it once was. So, we tend to suffer from muscle and bone pain and experience inability to perform fast movements. Fortunately, certain lifestyle factors can prevent these negative changes from happening. Naturally, we cannot reverse our aging process. However, we can stay physically active and perform stretching exercises, keeping our body in good shape even when we leave our youth far behind.

Before You Start...

You cannot neglect the fact that you are not young anymore. So, you need to consult your doctor before performing any exercises which will be described below. Depending on your physical and health condition, some exercises may not be beneficial for you. Thus, make sure you are healthy enough before engaging into this workout program.

Also, rushing is not an option. Therefore, do the exercises slowly and carefully, never forgetting the warm-up activities and stretching before doing any other sorts of more demanding exercises. These warm-up activities will put your body into the right mood for exercising. So, these are a necessity.

However, do not go overboard with the stretching, since this could lead to muscle pain and tiredness. Rather, know your limits and do not risk crossing them too much.

The Exercises

First of all, you may do some exercises involving your lower back by lying on the floor on your stomach, with your hands positioned sideways. Once you are in this position, do your best to raise your head and legs at the same time, keeping the raised position for a second or two, returning to the initial one. Seven or eight repetitions will suffice.

Alternatively, you may stand straight with your hands up in the air, above the head. Then, you are to bend down so that the hands touch your toes, holding this position for a short while before returning to the initial one, repeating the whole cycle 7 times.

Secondly, you may focus on your hips by lying on the floor, bending your right leg and holding the thigh with both of your hands, pulling it until you feel the stretch affecting the hips. Once again, after holding this pose for a short while, return to the initial one and do the same for the other leg. Also, you can cross your legs at the thighs and pull the ankle of one leg so that you can feel the muscles stretching. Do this by standing straight.

As far as your legs are concerned, you can rotate your ankles, lift your body while standing on the tip of your toes and balancing yourself while bending your legs at the knees.

Finally, you may dedicate some attention to your upper body, stretching overhead with your hands intertwined and raised high or placed in front of your body. Twisting your wrists a bit can be beneficial for them while implementing an exercise ball in your workout routine can improve your overall fitness significantly. Yoga and meditation may also be your options, since these promote relaxation and body control.