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EXERCISING WHEN YOU’RE OVER 50

Staying active in your 50s and beyond can be the best gift you give to yourself.

Exercise can enhance your energy levels, keep you at a healthy weight, and even possibly reduce some of the symptoms associated with aging. Exercise can be good for your brain and emotional state as well as your body. Whether you’re looking to maintain your current weight or to feel more energetic and healthy overall, there are numerous ways to stay active when you’re over 50.

We recommend that you speak with your health practitioner prior to starting any new exercise routine or making changes to your current one.

Prevent illnesses and diseases

Regular exercise has been linked to a reduced risk or delayed development of many illnesses and diseases, as well as providing benefits for those with chronic conditions, including:

Heart disease and stroke
Joint and muscle pain
Type 2 diabetes
Alzheimer’s
Lung cancer
Colon cancer

Studies found that those who are fit are more likely to live longer and delay the onset of illnesses, with the most aerobically fit people typically developing chronic conditions in only the last five years of their life rather than the last 10, 15, or 20 years.

Boost brain and emotional health

Exercise is well known for having a positive impact on stress levels by boosting mood and raising the level of endorphins in your body. It’s also good for your brain because it is associated with reducing the risk of memory loss, dementia, cognitive decline and depression.

Exercise enhances your strength and flexibility, which supports better coordination and balance. By being physically fit, you could stay mobile and independent for longer.

Make it well-rounded

Change it up if you are getting bored of your regular routine. Some people are under the impression that they should stick to ‘seniors-only’ exercises, but if you are capable of safely doing more strenuous forms of exercise, you should do what you feel comfortable with.

Experts suggest that a well-rounded fitness routine incorporates three elements: aerobic activity, strength training, and stretching.

Aerobic activity – Aim for at least three or four 20-minute sessions of aerobic exercise each week, whether it’s jogging, walking, swimming, dance, or some other type of activity that gets your heart pumping.

Strength training – Strength training helps you retain or build muscle density and reduce the risk of back injury. Start with hand weights and do eight easy repetitions and build up to 12 reps. This will help you both build strength and strengthen your posture.

Stretching – Incorporate stretching and warm ups into your routine to build joint flexibility and reduce the risk of injury or strain. Try yoga, tai chi, or pilates movements as safe stretching exercises for standalone or pre-workout warm-up.

In general, there are no activities that are strictly off bounds to those over 50 as everyone is different and what you should avoid depends on your fitness level and whether you have any specific conditions. However, there are some exercises you might want to think twice about integrating into your program. For example, leg extension machine workouts can put a lot of strain on the knees, pull-downs or pull-ups behind the head stress the shoulders, and plyometric or jump-training movements can strain various other parts of the body.

Sourced from www.seniors.com.au

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