Even if you haven’t prioritized exercise in the past, it’s never too late to get fit! The key is to work with an experienced health care provider and find the activities that fit your skills, interests, and health.
Benefits of Exercise for Older Adults
Even though age often causes older adults to slow down, an active lifestyle is more important than ever to support your health. Not only does physical activity contribute to longevity, but it helps you feel good and enjoy some of your favorite hobbies.
It’s been said that maintaining activity as an older adult will add years to your life, and life to your years. Benefits include more energy, heart health, preventing lifestyle-related illness, improved sleep, weight management, memory loss prevention, and more.
Best Exercise Activities
Where should you go if you are ready to start exercising? Here are a few of the most popular activities for retirees:
- Yoga: Balance and stability are key to prevent falls and improve mobility. Yoga offers a low-impact solution that is gentle on the joints and an effective way to build muscle and flexibility at the same time. Try a variation of balancing classes, such as yoga, Tai Chi, and Qi Gong.
- Running: The rhythmic motions of running will get your heart pumping. Pay attention to how you feel to determine the right intensity and length of the cardio session. Other healthy alternatives to running include stair climbing, cycling, and hiking.
- Rec Sports: Joining the right sports league gives you the benefit of pairing physical activity with social interactions. Find a group of people who enjoy the same activities, such as golfing, bowling, and more.
- Strength Training: Repetitive motion with resistance or weight is important for building muscle, which helps to improve reaction times and movement in daily living. Additionally, strength training is key to prevent bone loss. Find a strength training class at a local gym or rec center. Or, you can buy a few weights to use at home.
- Swimming: Do you find that most activities put too much stress on your joints, which causes pain? Consider the option to get your heart rate up with swimming or water aerobics.
