A healthy lifestyle must include regular physical activity. Due to the increased vulnerability associated with age, this form of physical activity is perfect for assisting seniors in enhancing their health and maintaining their independence. Many individuals have trouble exercising because they don’t know how to make it a regular part of their lives, and sometimes they see it as not so fun. 

So how do we encourage our elderly to be physically fit? 

  1. Help them find easy strategies to make exercising joyful and entertaining!

Some folks like hardcore workouts such as going to different gyms, however, some find this type of exercise to be tedious, especially the elderly. Making exercise fun and interesting is the key to staying with it. Use your imagination. Do activities you like, but hurry up—exercise in all four areas: endurance, strength, balance, and flexibility. The diversity keeps things fresh! To keep your interest alive, try doing some new hobbies.

  1. Encourage them to set a convenient time and commit to it!

If it is a handy part of your day, you are more likely to exercise. Try working out early in the morning. Combine physical activity with existing work, such as walking the dog or completing domestic tasks. If you can’t find 30 minutes to exercise, split it into three 10-minute chunks. Add extra 10-minute sessions as you advance until you reach your goal! Whatever is more comfortable and convenient for you as long as you commit to doing it every day. 

Simplest exercise which can be done in 30 minutes. 

1. Chair Yoga

Who says yoga can’t be done while sitting? Whoever said this is definitely WRONG.  Strength, mobility, balance, and flexibility are all important characteristics of senior health that may be improved by chair yoga’s low-impact style of exercise. Chair yoga is a gentler alternative to traditional yoga that may be practiced by anybody with limited mobility.

In addition to this, research has revealed that older persons who practice chair yoga see improvements in their mental health. Chair yoga practitioners who practice the discipline on a consistent basis report higher levels of happiness, better quality sleep, and fewer cases of clinical depression.

2. Aqua Aerobics

Remember the ladies wearing leotards, with matching tights and huge colorful belts for maximum impact? You are imagining it right. It’s aerobics from the 1980s. Jane Fonda and Richard Simmons are mostly credited with being the ones who popularized aerobics in the 1980s through the use of exercise videotapes and teaching programs. 

This time, we do it in water. Since the buoyancy of the water places less stress on your joints, exercising in the water is perfect for people who live with arthritis and other kinds of joint discomfort. In addition to this, water offers its own natural resistance, which negates the necessity for the use of weights during strength training. Strength training, flexibility training, and balance training may all be accomplished with water aerobics while putting very little strain on your body.

3. Sit and Stand

Who would have guessed that something as easy as sitting down and standing back up might count as a workout for older people.

Simple as this!

  1. Set your feet shoulder-width apart and sit on a stable, firm chair or surface with back support.
  2. Push your feet into the ground and stand up straight.
  3. Slowly move down to a sitting position (you can use your hands on the chair if needed).
  4. Do it 10 times in a row.

4. Shoulder Blade Squeeze

Shoulder motion even when standing still might be considered exercise. This exercise, known as the Shoulder Blade Squeeze, requires the performer to bring their shoulder blades together and squeeze them. Daily tasks like pushing, tugging, and holding are much easier with the help of this exercise since it strengthens the shoulders and upper body. Additionally, it is recommended to help correct “rounded” shoulders and enhance general posture.

Stress and tension are more likely to accumulate in the shoulders and upper neck when the shoulders are rounded. This exercise targets the muscles responsible for maintaining our shoulders in the correct position, which can prevent unnecessary wear and tear on the joints and rotator cuff imbalances or dysfunction.

Motivational Strategies

In reality, the enthusiasm we have in the initial few months of an exercise practice often fades in the face of setbacks like illness, injury, or even just the interruption of our schedule. Let’s have a look at some strategies for keeping ourselves inspired in the face of adversity.

Goal Strategy

Instead of focusing on a long-term goal like weight reduction, focus on a series of shorter-term ones like boosting your mood and energy levels and decreasing your stress levels.

Treat Yourself

Give yourself a treat whenever you finish a workout, accomplish a new fitness goal, or just make it to the gym on a day when you were tempted to skip your routine. Pick a treat, like a long soak in the tub or a cup of your favorite coffee, that you won’t be able to enjoy until after you’ve worked out.

Use Reminders

Record everything.

Not only can keeping track of your actions in writing or with an app help keep you accountable, but it also serves as a helpful reminder of your successes along the way.

Find Your Tribe

Find a support system. When you exercise with a friend or family member, you might serve as each other’s source of encouragement and motivation. Having a workout buddy may help hold you accountable for your program while also making it more fun. If you do decide to play a sport, having a partner can give you some healthy rivalry for you to enjoy. You might also wish to do it in the company of others if you decide to start dancing.

Let’s Help Our Senior Stay Away From These Exercises!

Most standard fitness routines are not designed with seniors in mind. Those who are younger and trying to quickly bulk up or lose weight may benefit from these common routines, but those who are older and have joint discomfort, atrophied muscles, poor posture, or balance concerns may be harmed by them.

❌ Dumbbell or weighted squats

❌ Crunches around the abdomen

❌ High-intensity interval training

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