Keep The Body Young: A Senior’s Guide To Exercise

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There are so many exercise programs available for any age and level of fitness, that there is really no excuse not to get started today. However, there are some general guidelines for seniors when they do start some form of exercise.

Seniors may find exercise more beneficial than younger people do. Moderate exercise helps loosen joints and warm the muscles, which may keep ailments such as arthritis at bay. It will keep you active. Those seniors that are confined to a wheelchair can still exercise their limbs. Exercise prevents muscle wasting, helps maintain bone density, improves circulation, and helps you maintain your independence.

20 minutes of exercise three times a week is the recommended amount for seniors, from the age of 65 and above. However, there is no generic amount that applies to everyone. While 20 minutes every day may be good for some seniors, twenty minutes over a period of a week is better for others. and thus are perhaps better equipped to decide what form your exercise plan should take.

Even if you choose not to exercise every day, you should at least walk around the house or around the yard a couple of times just to stay mobile. Some seniors give up their freedom as soon as movement becomes too painful by resolving not to move or to remain in bed. This is exactly the opposite of the attitude you should take.

Swimming and walking are perfect activities for seniors. Both gently exercise the muscles without using too much energy, and they can be as gentle or as strenuous as you wish to make them. As a result, you can tailor your exercise plans to either your long-term needs or how you are feeling from day to day.

Regular exercise will maintain your strength, flexibility and endurance, as well as enhancing your body’s ability to fight off disease and disability. Never be afraid to exercise. It will not make your ailments any worse than they already are unless you push yourself too hard.

The main thing that seniors should remember when they are undertaking physical activity is to be sensible. It is easy to push yourself too hard without building up your stamina and endurance first, but everything should progress nice and slowly. Physical fitness does not happen overnight, especially if you have been inactive for a period of time before you begin to get fit. Learn to walk before you can run, as the proverb says, and you won’t go wrong.

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