Injury-Free Physical Fitness For Senior Citizens Made Easy
Physical fitness for senior citizens is more important than ever in today's society. Decades ago, everything was done manually.
Although technology has brought us many incredible things, it has also made us a much more lazy society. No longer do we have to use our bodies to do yard work, clean around the house, or even work on our own car.
There are now gadgets for virtually everything that lets us do it while using minimal body strength.
But negative consequences come with the luxury we've been given. When manual labor is no longer needed and our muscles aren't getting used on a daily basis - they start to weaken. Combine that with the fact that as every year goes by your muscles get weaker and you'll understand why physical fitness for senior citizens is so important.
By strength training you will dramatically reduce your risk of osteoporosis, sore joints and broken bones. Many doctors and health companies try to make you buy Vitamin C and "drink a lot of milk" to overcome these problems, but in reality they simply don't work. Supplements can help in a small way, but strength training has been proven time and time again to have a much more positive effect with muscle, bone and joint problems that most senior citizens face - even arthritis!
Isn't It Dangerous To Exercise As I Get Older?
Unfortunately, many senior citizens are afraid to exercise due to fears of injuring themselves. However, there are a few simple precautions you can take such as:
- Perform low-impact exercises such as pushups, bodyweight squats and other bodyweight exercises.
- If lifting weights, do it for 10 or more reps and keep it at a manageable weight.
- Don't over-exert yourself. Stop or briefly rest if you get uncomfortably tired.
Be smart and think about the injury-potential of each exercise before you perform it.
For example, instead of jogging, consider using stationary exercise bikes. Pro form exercise bikes are a great piece of equipment to try out. The Schwinn 231 recumbent exercise bike is also a great choice to have if you want to keep one in your own home.
Besides the simple precautions you should take, there are a few other things to consider. Physical fitness for senior citizens is a much more delicate situation than physical fitness for younger individuals.
- Take Things Slowly At First - Because of the weakening of bones, joints and muscles you need to take things slowly at first. Don't simply start a program and push yourself to exhaustion. It's also important to go to a doctor who knows your medical history beforehand. They may even be able to help you decide what type of exercise you should be doing.
- Exercise Slowly - You should also perform the actual exercises slowly. Don't make jerky or bouncing movements or you'll risk injuring yourself. The slower you perform the exercise, the less risk you have of getting hurt.
- Warm Up Properly - Warming up is very important to anybody, especially senior citizens. Lack of blood flow as well as tight joints and muscles performing less efficiently are all factors contributing to injuries. By properly warming up before your actual workout, you significantly reduce your risk of getting injured.
Although physical fitness for senior citizens is a bit more complicated due to more things that can possibly go wrong, it's also just as or more important than exercising at a young age. By taking the right precautions and making sure you're exercising correctly, you can enjoy injury-free and pain-relieving exercise for a long time to come.
Jeremy Reeves is a certified personal trainer devoted to helping you get in the best shape of your life. His website - [http://www.fitness-product-reviews.com] - reviews the 4 most effective weight loss products on the market today.
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