Gentle exercise for seniors

Introduction

The process of aging is inevitable. As the body slowly ages,it gradually loses the ability to perform various moves. Senior citizensdefinitely require certain warm up exercises in order to work out the muscles.These exercises must be carefully tailored so that they handle a lot less strengthand stamina. The body of a senior person cannot just go from stationary toworkout ready without proper warming up. In fact, the same can be said for aperson from any different type of age group. There are a large number of peoplewho tend to indulge in various different types of physical activities, but theyoften ignore the warm ups, which is not a good thing to do. When the body isnot warmed up properly, muscle can easily get strained, and various other typesof injury may also occur.

Warm Up Activities for Seniors

One should always consult the doctor before performing anytype of physical exercise. If a person had recent surgery, warm up exercisesmay actually be rather harmful. When a person experiences any discomfort theexercises need to be ceased. It is also important to breathe normally andslowly. Resting is quite important and it needs to occur after exercising. Slowwalks for no more than 10 minutes are an excellent way of warming up. It isimportant not to brisk walk or jog. Casual walk with arms slightly swinging atthe sides of the body is the most relaxing way of warming up the muscles. Afterthe walking routine, one should climb a short flight of stairs. It is importantnot to exert one’s self. Wall pushups are another excellent warm up routine.One needs to stand in front of a wall, about 2 feet away from it. The palmsneed to be placed on the wall at shoulder height before slowly contracting thearms until the chin touches the wall. After a few seconds, one needs to returnto the original position. Shoulders need to be stretched by raising the armsand touching the shoulder. The shoulder joints then need to be rotated in bothdirections. It is also very important to warm the neck up. The back is probablythe most fragile part of any senior person, so it is of utmost importance towarm it up properly. The same goes for the hands and the legs, as they are commonlyused in most different types of physical exercises.