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9 Great Ways for Seniors to Stay Fit
Exercise & Fitness

9 Great Ways for Seniors to Stay Fit

by Kimberly Johnson
written by Kimberly Johnson

 
Today’s new exercise trends seem better suited for millennials than seniors. It’s hard to find motivation when new workouts are so daunting. But you don’t have to jump on the train of virtual boxing or hardcore parkour to stay fit. There are plenty of old-school ways to break a sweat in your golden years. 9 Great Ways for Seniors to Stay Fit
So don’t worry about trying to catch on to the next fitness fad. Whether you try one or you sample them all, these nine classic workout activities will have you feeling more energized than ever.

Take to Exercise Like a Fish to Water

Working out in a pool is a great way to mix up your daily routine. Water workouts offer the added benefit of water resistance to kick your exercise routine up a notch.

  • This low impact workout easy on the joints, making swimming a senior’s best friend. Take advantage of the pool at your gym or the local YMCA to swim laps three days a week. Pro tip: a swimming cap will help keep your hair dry while adding some aerodynamics to your stroke.
  • Aqua Aerobics. Break up the days of swimming laps with fun and engaging aerobics classes. Held in the shallow end of a pool, aqua aerobics uses the resistance of the water and your own body weight to tone and strengthen muscles. Pro tip: take a class with a friend for twice the fun. 9 Great Ways for Seniors to Stay Fit
  • Water Polo. Not for the faint of heart, Water Polo is the water sport version of Soccer. It’s a high intensity, high cardio workout that will keep you moving through the water the whole time. Pro tip: look into classes or amateur leagues in your area to get started.

Stay Fit Inside and Outdoors

Whether you hit the great outdoors during the summer or make use of the treadmill during the winter, you won’t have to sacrifice your workout days with these activities.

  • Universally beneficial for any age, walking is the easiest way to stay active. Take a turn around the block, or grab a friend for an hour of powerwalking. Pro tip: invest in a good pair of walking shoes to keep your feet and body supported while you move.
  • While you’re not aspiring to be the next Usain Bolt, running is still exercise seniors can take advantage of. Try your next run “off-road”—unpaved trails are easier on the feet and knees than running on pavement. Pro tip: have an expert assess your form the next time you’re at a running shoes store. 9 Great Ways for Seniors to Stay Fit
  • Hopping on a bike is a great cardio boost, and the perfect time to get the wind in your hair. Map out your route and take a leisurely ride or do a couple laps for more intensity. Pro tip: always wear your helmet when cycling outdoors.

Bring Your Mind and Body Into Harmony

Not all exercise means you have to sweat it out. Balance your workout days with gentle stretching and mindful movement.

  • Fine-tune your Downward Facing Dog while quieting your mind. With different styles and levels of yoga, seniors can tailor their practice to fit their needs that day. Pro tip: look for gentle yoga classes for a solid introduction to the practice.
  • Granted, meditation is not a physical workout, but the mental benefits make adding this practice into your routine well worth your time. Calming your mind lowers stress levels and boosts feelings of rejuvenation. Pro tip: try meditating before your normal workout to bring extra focus to what you’re working on that day.
  • Tai Chi. A rhythmical, almost dance-like form of martial arts, Tai Chi is promoted as a moving meditation. With slow controlled movement, Tai Chi is great for seniors looking for a more accessible starting point to exercise. Pro tip: take a class outdoors for a breath of fresh air.

Love the New You with Old-School Moves

Forget worrying about trying to beat the computer in virtual boxing. You’ll be rocking your way to a new you with any of these nine effective workouts. Get ready to break a sweat well into the best years of your life. 9 Great Ways for Seniors to Stay Fit
By Sonja Wright
Bio: Sonja Wright is a writer for Alert1, a personal safety and technology firm dedicated to helping seniors live safely and independently. A graduate of San Francisco State University, Sonja has an extreme weakness for yarn and the fiber arts. She unevenly divides her time between yoga, dance, and petting her cats.

9 Great Ways for Seniors to Stay Fit

9 Great Ways for Seniors to Stay Fit 9 Great Ways for Seniors to Stay Fit 9 Great Ways for Seniors to Stay Fit 9 Great Ways for Seniors to Stay Fit

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Exercise & Fitness

Seniors, How Fit Are You, Really?

by Jeff Dailey
written by Jeff Dailey

Here are 4 tests to measure strength, balance and flexibility can help you set fitness goals. Seniors, How Fit Are You, Really?

How much effort would it take for you to go from sitting on the floor to standing up? Determining how easily you could do it can help predict how long you’ll live, according to a study by Brazilian researchers. How Fit Are You, Really?
Researchers had 2,000 men and women between the ages of 51 and 80 stand from the floor with no support (the Sitting Rising Test, or SRT) and scored them on a scale of zero to 10. Points were deducted for using a hand, knee or body part. Those with scores below eight had higher mortality rates six years after the study, compared to those with scores between eight and ten.
Investigators suggest that the flexibility and strength required for the SRT might reflect the ability to perform a wide range of daily activities, such as bending over to pick up a paper or a pair of glasses from under a table.
While it makes intuitive sense that maintaining strength, balance and flexibility as we age can prolong longevity, as the SRT study suggests, not all of us keep up with our workouts. Seniors, How Fit Are You, Really?
“As we progress into our 50s and 60s we tend to challenge ourselves less and less,” says Mark Nutting, fitness director of SACO Sport & Fitness in Saco, Maine. Seniors, How Fit Are You, Really?
Not all of us have a team of Brazilian researchers on hand to guide us through the SRT. But here are four simple, at-home tests to help you recognize fitness issues you could improve. (Check with your doctor before trying these or any other exercise.)
1. For Balance: The Sharpened Romberg Test
This two-part test assesses static balance by standing with a reduced base of support (one foot in front of the other) and removing visual sensory information (eyes closed), says Jessica Matthews, certified personal trainer and assistant professor at Miramar College in San Diego, California. Seniors, How Fit Are You, Really?

  • Stand with one foot in front of the other (heel to toes) and your arms folded across your chest with the palms touching opposite shoulders (stand near a wall or other stable object if you’re unsure of your balance capabilities).
  • Close your eyes and count to see how long you can stand without losing your stability. “Good postural control is based on holding this position and maintaining balance without excessive swaying for 30 seconds or more,” says Matthews.

If you can’t make it to 30 seconds, consider workouts to build your balance. More than one in three people age 65 or older falls each year, according to the National Institutes of Health, making balance an important part of any exercise program.
3. For Aerobic Fitness: The Rockport One-Mile Walk Test
This test predicts aerobic fitness by using heart rate response in determining VO2 max — the maximum amount of oxygen your body can use during exercise. Choose a calm day outdoors or use a treadmill for this test.

  • Walk one mile on flat ground as quickly as safely possible.
  • Immediately upon finishing, check your heart rate (count your heartbeats per minute) and record this number. Determine your VO2 max using this calculator. How did you rate?

If you fell short, look for ways to increase your cardiovascular fitness through walking, biking, swimming or another aerobic activity. Strive for 30 minutes a day, five days a week.
4. For Muscular Strength and Endurance: The Push-Up Test
Before doing this test, first perform a short warm-up of walking for five to 10 minutes. Then…

  • Position yourself on the floor on your hands and knees, with your body straight and on your knees (a modified push-up) or up on your toes. Hands should be positioned directly under shoulders.
  • Lower yourself towards the floor until your chest nearly touches the ground, then push yourself back up to the starting position, exhaling as you push back up. Record the number and check your scores here.

If you rated below average, try to improve your score by striving for an additional repetition each week as part of your strength training, two to three times a week.
For Flexibility: The Sit and Reach Test
The sit and reach test measures the flexibility of the lower back and hamstring (backs of the leg) muscles. Tightness in these areas can lead to lower back pain. Warm up by walking or biking for five to 10 minutes. Then…

  • Place a yardstick on the floor with the zero closest to you. Tape the yardstick in place at the 15-inch mark.
  • Sit on the floor with the yardstick between your legs, feet approximately 12 inches apart and heels even with the tape at the 15-inch mark.
  • Place one hand over the other, with the tips of your two middle fingers on top of each other.
  • Slowly stretch forward, without bouncing, and slide your fingertips as far as possible along the yardstick. Record this number. Repeat three times.

Check your score here. If you rated low, regular stretching after your workouts can help increase flexibility.
“To know whether or not you need to improve in a specific area requires measuring it to find a baseline,” says Nutting. “Only then can you see if the work you’re doing has the desired results.”
By Linda Melone. Next Avenue contributor Linda Melone is a California-based freelance writer specializing in health, fitness and wellness for women over 50.
Seniors, How Fit Are You, Really? Seniors, How Fit Are You, Really? Seniors, How Fit Are You, Really? Seniors, How Fit Are You, Really? Seniors, How Fit Are You, Really? Seniors, How Fit Are You, Really?

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Starting an Exercise Program
Exercise & Fitness

How To Get Started on an Exercise Program

by Jeff Dailey
written by Jeff Dailey

Often the most difficult part of exercising is just getting yourself started. It’s a question of commitment and motivation. How To Get Started on an Exercise Program
First you need to decide – for your own reasons, and not anyone else’s – that you want to exercise. Most seniors are motivated when they realize that exercise will help them maintain a healthy lifestyle, become more mobile and remain independent. Then make a commitment to yourself that you will exercise on a regular basis. Once exercise becomes a habit, it’s easier to motivate yourself every day.
Setting aside a certain time every day for exercising will make it part of your routine and make it more difficult for you to avoid when the time comes each day. Write your activities down on your schedule – or enter them into your online calendar – so you’ll feel like you’ve made a true commitment.
Setting goals can also help you stay motivated. Include a list of your activities and how much time you will spend on them each day you exercise. Review your goals weekly vs. your actual performance to make sure you’re staying on track – and make adjustments, as needed.

Taking a Reasonable Approach

Don’t ask your body to do too much too soon or you may become frustrated or develop an injury. Take it slow. Go at your own pace. Keep your expectations realistic. That’s how you’ll start to gain a sense of accomplishment and start achieving a better fitness level! Later you can ask more from your body as you add time to your exercise schedule and add distance, weight or repetitions to your physical activities.
Consider doing your exercising in the morning. Studies show that people stick with an exercise plan better when they do it in the morning. Not only do you get it out of the way, but you don’t have it “hanging over your head” for most of the day.

Selecting Your Exercise Activities

Consider what types of activities you enjoy – and make those your personal exercise program. If you do activities you like, you’ll be much more likely to stick with them! If you don’t like swimming, don’t swim. If you like walking, walk! That’s pretty simple.
Don’t believe that you can only do traditional exercising – like jogging, swimming or aerobics – to have a positive impact on your health. Think outside the box about what you like to do! Less-traditional exercise activities are just fine – dancing, hiking, gardening and walking the dog. Even doing household chores provides moderate physical activity, while providing the wonderful side benefit of a clean house! Inside the house, you can vacuum the carpets, scour the bathtub, wash windows or clean out your closet. Outdoors, there are a lot of choices too – mowing the lawn, trimming shrubs, planting a vegetable garden or washing the car.
Taking a class can also help you stay on a regular schedule. Options include yoga, aerobics, swimming, and more. Or you can join a hiking club or square dance group. Another idea is to schedule a regular time with a friend to do your exercising – that will also keep you on track!
NOTE: Always talk with your doctor before beginning an exercise program. Every type of exercise is not appropriate for all people, especially if you have high blood pressure, heart disease or diabetes. And it’s important that you start slowly with any physical activity.
How To Get Started on an Exercise Program How To Get Started on an Exercise Program How To Get Started on an Exercise Program How To Get Started on an Exercise Program How To Get Started on an Exercise Program How To Get Started on an Exercise Program

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Fighting The Pain To Enjoy The Game
Exercise & Fitness

Fighting The Pain To Enjoy The Game

by Jeff Dailey
written by Jeff Dailey

Fighting The Pain To Enjoy The Game

Fighting The Pain To Enjoy The GameStaying in the game is often a physical challenge for those who suffer from hip and knee pain. According to the American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons, many Americans exercise by staying active in their favorite hobbies, such as biking, skiing and tennis. But even if you remain active, there’s always a chance of experiencing some type of physical pain during your life.
“Hip and knee pain is not uncommon for people with active lifestyles,” says Rufus W. Gore, M.D., orthopedic surgeon at John F. Kennedy Memorial Hospital. “Patients need to be more aware of the type and level of pain they are experiencing to prevent further damage.”
Hip and knee pain is usually the result of overuse or poor form during physical activity. Poor form can include not warming up or cooling down, and inadequate stretching. Excess weight can also contribute to hip and knee pain.
Preparing the body for hobbies and sports is important for anyone at any age, but it is especially important for seniors. You should always warm-up with slow, rhythmic activities such as walking, and gradually increase the intensity of your warm-up until your pulse rate, respiration rate and body temperature are slightly elevated. Doing easy stretching exercises before moving on to main activities may also help reduce hip and knee pain.
Some cases of knee pain respond well to self-care measures. According to the American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons, a common method used by orthopedic surgeons to treat mild knee injuries is RICE. That stands for: rest, ice, compression and elevation. Rest the knee by staying off it or walking only with crutches. Apply ice to control swelling. Use a compressive elastic bandage applied snugly but loosely enough so that it does not cause pain. Finally, keep the knee elevated.
Physical activity remains a critical component to helping improve the quality of life for patients. The benefits of participating in an active lifestyle may include:

  • Longer, healthier life;
  • Stronger bones;
  • Reduced joint and muscle pain;
  • Improved mobility and balance;
  • Lower percentage of falls and serious injuries, such as hip fractures; and
  • Slower loss of muscle mass.

Article provided to the La Quinta Chamber of Commerce – GEM Publication March 2006 page 14.
http://www.lqchamber.com/pdf/gem_mar06.pdf

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Muscle Deterioration
Exercise & Fitness

Programs to Get Fit after 65

by Jeff Dailey
written by Jeff Dailey

Programs to Get Fit after 65

It’s Never Too Late, Experts Say

Getting Fit after 65America’s aging population is posing special challenges, fitness experts say, because it is difficult to design effective workout routines for people with such a wide range of abilities. Programs to Get Fit after 65
For one 70-year-old, the goal may be to run a marathon, for another it’s getting out of a chair.
“If you are teaching 10-year-olds, it’s perfectly reasonable to do an activity that everybody would participate in,” said Dr. Wojtek Chodzko-Zajko, an expert on aging with the American College of Sports Medicine. “But 20 80-year-olds could be as different as chalk and cheese.”
Some baby boomer could be athletic, he explained, while others would be unable to get out of bed.
There are now more Americans age 65 and older than at any other time in U.S. history, according to Census Bureau figures. Some 40 million people age 65 and over lived in the United States in 2010, accounting for 13 percent of the total population. The older population grew from 3 million in 1900 to 40 million in 2010.
Older adults should be doing aerobic activity to help maintain body weight, strengthening exercises to develop and maintain muscle mass, and some type of flexibility training, according to Dr. James Graves, Dean of the College of Health at the University of Utah.
Physical activity can reduce the risk of diseases such as diabetes, hypertension and osteoporosis, he said, as well as improve the quality of life by maintaining functional capacity, such as the ability to climb stairs, open doors, and carry groceries.
“A very healthy 70-year-old can safely participate in high-intensity activity while a frail 60-year-old needs to lower the intensity,” said Graves. “My recommendation is to work with a personal trainer or group leader who has knowledge and qualifications to work with the elderly.”
Mary Ann Wilson is the creator and host of the “Sit and Be Fit,” a senior fitness program that has aired on U.S. public television since 1987.
The majority of her viewers are women over 65. For that population, she said, the goal of exercise is health and well-being, not physical prowess.
“Gravity has been working on them for 70 years,” said Wilson, a registered nurse who specialized in geriatrics. “Gravity is not our friend after many years of pulling our heads, shoulders and upper torsos forward and down.”
The 30-minute class includes warm-up, circulation and strength segments, a finger segment (for stiffness), standing for balance, and final relaxation.
Posture, breathing, balance, cognitive functioning and reaction time are among the most important — and neglected — components of elder fitness, she said.
“Focusing on gait is really important because as we age our gait changes,” said Wilson.
Karen Peterson, author of “Move with Balance: Healthy Aging Activities for Brain and Body,” stresses a mind-body approach in workouts with seniors.
“In our society it seems people don’t really like to do things unless they’re good at it already,” said Peterson, a kinesiologist based in Maui. “But what the brain likes is to be challenged.”
Her exercises include tossing a bean bag to improve reaction time, walking a figure-eight pattern for balance, as well as eye stretches, jaw relaxers, childhood games and cognitive challenges to keep body and mind alert.
“We take balance exercises and add conversation or math problems,” she said. “The concept is to always progress, always get more challenging.”
To tackle the isolation and diversity of the older population, Peterson initiated a mentoring program in which the fitter seniors work with the frailer.
“Some partners will become friends,” she said. “They’ll get really turned on.”
Experts agree that it’s never too late to do something. “Exercise is effective even in the most frail individual,” Wilson said. “If they can wiggle their toes, they can exercise.”
NewsMax / Thomson/Reuters
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