Exercise for Seniors

At any age, you can benefit from regular exercise. You don't need to be gym fanatic - walking twenty to thirty minutes every day and engaging in some type of weight training or strength-building exercise at least three times per week will improve your endurance, strengthen muscles, build bone mass, reduce flab, and bring on an enhanced sense of well-being psychologically and physiologically through endorphin (natural opioids) release. All you need to do is get started and stick with it.

Of course you should consult a doctor if you have been sedentary, are over age fifty, or have any risk factors for (or a history of) heart disease, stroke or diabetes. Once you get a medical go-ahead, here are some tips to ensure success.

Enjoy it

Pick an activity you really enjoy. Maybe it's walking the dog, playing tennis, golf, jogging - it doesn't really matter what you do so long as it's vigorous enough to make your heart beat faster and pump a little harder and exercise all your large muscles. If you enjoy the activity you're more likely to stick with it. Vary It!

Vary your routines. Doing the same thing day after day can be boring and may also increase the risk of injury. So try walking one day, swimming or cycling the next, and so forth.

Share It!

Consider exercising with a partner or group; this can increase motivation and enjoyment.

Combine It!

Combine strength training with your aerobic exercise. You can work out with free weights, resistance machines, elastic bands, or surgical tubing. Weight training preserves and builds bone muscle tissue at any age; it also improves balance and agility. It can also lessen joint and back pain.

Consult a Pro!

To get started, consider consulting a pro - this may be a physical therapist or exercise physiologist if you have arthritis or another limiting medical problem. Most gyms employ personal trainers who can show you the proper way to use various exercise machines and help design a regimen to meet your specific goals.