That said, engaging in some activities is better than engaging in none. You should aim to do something, your age, weight, ailments, and abilities notwithstanding.
Your goals should be to be as active as possible, engaging in activities that activate your flexibility, balance, strength, and general fitness.
What Is Moderate-Intensity on The Aerobic Front?
These types of activities are the activities that raise your heart rate and breathing just enough to make you break a sweat.
If you can walk but cannot sing when you are engaged in an activity, that is moderate-intensity activity.
Some of the activities classified as moderate-intensity activities include:
- Fast walking,
- Water aerobics,
- Line and ballroom dancing,
- Cycling on level ground or a low gradient hill,
- Playing doubles tennis,
- Canoeing,
- Playing volleyball, and
- Lawn mowing.
Some of the daily routine exertions we engage in do does not count. As such, activities like shopping, housework, and cooking do not count toward your 30-minutes of exercising.
They are not hard enough to break a sweat and raise your heart rate.
As much as you exercise daily, you must also minimize the length of time you spend sitting down: watching TV, listening to music, or doing other activities.
A sedentary life is very harmful to your health. Physical inactivity is a leading cause of many diseases, from circulatory problems to cancer and even psychological disorders.
If you are sitting, standing, or lying down for long periods, you’ll start to feel discomfort. A good practice is to make sure to move your body at least once or twice per hour.
You can walk around or stretch a little to give your body a little energy boost.
What Is Vigorous-Intensity on The Aerobic Front?
Vigorous-intensity activities are the sort of activities that cause you to breathe heavily, hard, and fast while increasing your heart rate a lot.
When carrying out such activities, you will not be capable of saying more than a few words without pausing for breath. If you feel unwell, you should stop.
According to the Australian Physical Activity Guide for Older Australians, it is not recommendable for the elderly to exercise at this level a lot.
If you have lived a life of vigorous exercising or physical activities, you can carry on keeping safety in mind. Importantly, follow the recommended procedure and guidelines.
Different Muscle-Strengthening Exercises for Seniors
Muscle-strengthening exercises get counted as repetitions and sets. A rep is a complete movement of the exercise routine, such as lifting weights or doing a sit-up. A set entails grouping reps.
For the recommended activities, try to carry out 7 to 13 reps for a complete set. Furthermore, try to do a set that targets every muscle group.
However, if you can, do 3 to 4 sets. Try to push on until you feel it is becoming tough to carry on to gain from this type of exercise.
Examples of muscle-strengthening exercises include:
- Moving or carrying heavy loads such as groceries
- Stepping and jumping activities such as dancing
- Heavy gardening, including digging or shoveling
- Exercises that deploy your body weight as resistance weight, including as push-ups or sit-ups
- Lifting weights
- Yoga
For the best outcome, do strength exercises 2 to 3 times every week.
If you are new to training (especially with weights), make sure to enlist the help of a knowledgeable friend or a personal trainer.
They will be able to teach you the proper form to prevent any injuries.
If weight training is not your cup of tea, don’t worry! Senior fitness should be about staying active and having fun. The best way to find something you like is to try new things.
There are many different types of exercises for older adults, so you will find one that you love.
Senior Fitness Safety Tips
Aches and pains are a normal part of the aging process. However, the last thing you want to do is hurt yourself while exercising and trying to get fit.
There are specific exercises you should avoid, while others make great alternatives.
Look at these exercise safety tips for seniors:
Safety First!
Exercise is safe for most people. However, you should chat with your doctor first if you:
- Are over 50 and not physically active
- Possess a health condition like heart disease or diabetes
- Have a health symptom not yet diagnosed
- Have recently undergone a medical procedure
A few additional safety tips include:
- Breathing during strength exercises — it’s natural to want to hold your breath, but don’t; breathe out during exertion, and breathe in as you relax.
- Using all appropriate safety equipment
- Avoiding bending at the waist — you’re likely turning wrong if your back forms a hump shape.
- Remembering to warm up, cool down, and start slow
Exercising with Arthritis
Many older adults have arthritis, which can cause pain when exercising. However, exercise is good for people with arthritis.
