Some form of exercise is required for everyone to keep healthy and fit. For seniors, however, it can be slightly more difficult to squeeze in some form of physical activity due to the fact that most senior citizens aren’t as fit as they used to be.
If you are looking for the best exercise for seniors that you can try for yourself or on your loved one, here are a few easy exercises to keep them fit and healthy.
- The best kind of exercise for the seniors includes those which do not require too much strength and flexibility, but rather those which focus more on stretches and relaxation techniques. Seniors can opt for walking, light jogging, water aerobics, tai chi, yoga and some forms of dancing (ballroom dancing, square dancing, etc.)
- One of the most common impairments that come with age is losing one’s sense of balance. There is a type of exercise for seniors that allows them to slowly regain their sense of balance. This can include exercises such as yoga and tai chi. Exercises like Single Limb Stance can greatly help improve a sense of balance. To perform this exercise, hold on to a chair and lift one leg slightly, and balance your entire weight on the other leg. Repeat with the next leg.
- An exercise for seniors for improving their muscle tone and flexibility, such as against-the-wall half-squats, can be very helpful. Perform this stance by standing with your back against the wall, bend your knees down as if you are about to sit on a high chair. Hold this position for a few seconds and return to normal stance.
- Yoga poses such as the “tree pose” (standing straight with your hands high above your head, bend one leg and rest it on your other leg calf) and “warrior pose” (get into a lunge position with your arms outstretched, parallel to the ground) can help seniors improve their overall sense of balance, flexibility as well as posture.
- Since certain exercises might be difficult for seniors to perform due to age-related issues, the same exercises performed in a water body like a pool can be extremely beneficial.