Gentle Exercises for Seniors: A Beginner Guide
Are you over 50, 60, or 70 and wondering how you can feel good to be able to do all the things you love such as playing with your grandchildren, going for walks with your loved ones, and gardening with ease? Staying active and gentle exercises for seniors everyday to improve your balance, strength, heart health, and flexibility can help you get there.
But should you exercise if you fear getting injured or have arthritis and/or osteoporosis? The answer is yes. Experts say that exercise helps alleviate arthritis, osteoporosis, and can make you stronger to prevent falls which are the top cause of injury among older adults.
I’m a certified personal trainer with additional certifications in Senior Fitness, Fitness Nutrition, and Corrective Exercise and have helped older adults, including my 84-year-old mom, get stronger and healthier to live their best lives. In this blog, I’ll provide a practical guide to gentle exercises to help you get started.
The Benefits of Gentle Exercises
You don’t have to be a marathoner or professional bodybuilder to reap the benefits of exercise. Gentle exercises like walking and stretching can improve your mobility and flexibility, make you feel good by increasing your feel good hormones, such as endorphins, and build strength to improve your balance and prevent falls.
Key Tips for Starting a Gentle Exercise Routine
Here are some tips on getting started:
● Get the green light: Before beginning of senior walking routine, always check with your health care professionals, such as your doctor and physical therapist, to get approval to exercise and receive guidance on the best movements for you.
● Start slowly; Listen to your body and ease into exercise by doing as much as you can. Even moving for 2 minutes on Day 1 is great – this can be your starting point. Maybe on Day 2, you do 2 minutes and 5 seconds. The goal is to build strength gradually.
● Stay Consistent: Small steps add up to big results. Building on our example of 2 minutes on Day 1, by moving everyday, you will build strength and stamina over time. By Day 10, you’ll be amazed to see that moving for 2 minutes is easy!
● Modify when needed: If you can’t do a certain exercise, no problem! Modify it so it’s comfortable for you. In our free workouts, we offer modifications with both seated and standing options so everyone can keep moving!
● Safety first: Make sure your exercise area is safe and free of hazards. Move loose rugs out of the way or tape them down.
● Stay hydrated: As we age, our thirst decreases and exercise can make us sweat, causing more water loss. So keep water nearby and take sips during your workout and throughout the day.
● Smile! The best exercise is the movement that you enjoy. Find what works for you and stay with it!
Gentle Exercises to Try
What kinds of exercises should you do? A well-rounded exercise program at any age includes:
● Stretching to increase mobility and flexibility: Our muscles and joints need to be loosened up to be able to move with ease and do more advanced exercises like strength training and cardiovascular work such as walking. Exercises like Seated Chair Yoga [hyperlink to yes2next chair yoga https://youtu.be/5LKPWQ3G8Aw] and Pilates [hyperlink to yes2next pilates https://youtu.be/aSBLcP5IuGE] are some examples.
● Strength Training: We lose muscle mass about 3–8% per decade after the age of 30 and the rate of decline increases after the age of 60. Equally important is the loss of bone density. After age 50, bone breakdown starts to outpace bone formation. This may accelerate for women due to the decrease in estrogen levels during menopause, leading to osteoporosis, a disease that weakens the bones. But doing strength training that targets all muscle groups can combat these declines. Here’s a 20-minute strength workout to try [insert link to yesnext video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J0vhOvj5Kms]
● Balance and Coordination: Staying steady on your feet and being able to react quickly to a stumble are important to prevent falls, which can severely affect your ability to stay mobile and independent. Balance and coordination exercises such as standing on one foot for 10 seconds and opposite arm and leg movements can help keep you steady. Try out this gentle balance video [insert link to yes2next video https://youtu.be/2BcOw0oCsxA ]
● Low-Impact Cardio: Managing your heart health, blood pressure, and blood sugar levels can all be addressed with low-impact, cardiovascular exercise such as walking, biking, or swimming. The goal is get your heart rate up during exercise to get your heart pumping and blood flowing throughout your body. During an exercise session, aim for a moderate intensity level – you should feel like you can talk but not sing. Try this 10 minute After Eating Walking Workout [insert link to yes2next video: https://youtu.be/pSLGzAUMwBI]
● Relaxation and Breathing: Deep breathing has many benefits including: managing stress, reducing anxiety, stabilizing or lowering blood pressure, sending more oxygen to your body’s organs, and promoting relaxation by calming your nervous system. Try our gentle breathing routine here [insert yes2next video https://youtu.be/2fEHQYBWj1E]
Remember, it’s never too late to start exercising. Set small, doable goals – over time you will see results! By moving as much as you can everyday and doing cardiovascular, balance, strength, and flexibility exercises you will build strength and stamina to live life to its fullest.
We invite you to check out our more than 200 free videos with both seated and standing options that cover all of these areas. [hyperlink to youtube channel home page or website page]
Want one workout that does it all? Here is a link to our 20 Minute All-in-One Workout
