Leading a fulfilling life as you hit your senior years means different things to different people, but it involves staying active and healthy for most of us. That starts with regular exercise.
However, as you have probably found, your body can betray you as the decades pass. Aching knees from walking up the stairs or a sore back after carrying the groceries are stark reminders of our aging bodies.
That’s why senior exercise needs to be adapted. Here are some of the best low-impact exercises to try in your later years.
Gentle Exercises for Seniors: A Walk or Hike
A steady walk is gentle on the body but excellent for cardiovascular fitness, making it ideal for senior health.
If you live in an independent community, you may find organized walking events you can book, which will get you out into nature and socializing with others. But you can also incorporate walking into your daily routine, such as:
- Creating a longer walking route to somewhere you visit every day
- Meeting up with a friend for a walk in the park
- Using a step counter to hit a walking goal each day
Walking also helps you maintain strength and balance in your leg muscles. Keeping those muscles strong can help protect you from joint pain or balancing issues as you age.
Low Impact Senior Workouts: Swimming
Taking a dip in the sea or a cool pool can immediately wash away the aches and pains, making it a fantastic exercise to incorporate into your weekly routine in your senior years.
It’s a low impact because your whole body is supported and suspended in the water, so you can work those muscles without worrying about creaking knee joints. That’s something that could be particularly beneficial if you have arthritis.
The great thing about swimming is that while you get a full-body workout, it’s easy to adapt to your level of fitness. For more competitive swimming, fast laps might be your favorite option.
For those with less experience in the water or with health issues, some gentle movements in the shallow end can be just as impactful.
Senior Fitness Routines of Chair Yoga
Yoga can often feel like too much of a challenge if you are in your senior years and lack flexibility in your body. That’s why chair yoga is the perfect solution. It combines all the benefits of traditional yoga, such as:
- Improved flexibility
- Muscle strength
- Improved back strength and easing back pain
- Improved circulation
The low-impact option of a chair for support helps adapt yoga for seniors. You can sit in the chair, which makes it accessible for everyone, even those with limited mobility.
If you are worried about your balance, you can also use the chair for extra support, which helps prevent injury or falls.
The breathing element of yoga makes it a support tool for those with mental health challenges. Learning breathing techniques from the safety and support of a chair can help you relax and lower your heart rate.
Stationary Cycling and Older Adult Health Benefits
We’ve all seen those high-impact spinning classes where hopping onto a stationary bike seems like the most strenuous option. But not all stationary cycling has to be like this.
With advanced and comfortable equipment, you can tailor it to your fitness level. Most modern gyms have ample cycling equipment, so if you have this in your senior living community, it could be an excellent low-impact option.
Cycling is easy and gentle enough on the body’s joints that it is recommended for anyone with issues like arthritis.
Cycling is excellent for heart health and stamina, so adding it to your weekly routine will help you experience plenty of benefits. It’s also a sensible alternative if you’ve reached the point in your life where you don’t feel like going on long bike rides on busy roads.
Tai Chi
Tai chi may be a martial art, but you don’t need to worry about combat. It’s a peaceful and spiritual exercise that concentrates the mind and body on slow, deliberate movements. Regular practice can help improve your balance and flexibility.
If you suffer from stress, you should add tai chi to your list of tools to reduce it. Tai chi’s breathing and slow-moving nature help lower stress signals in the body and improve mental clarity, with similar benefits you’d expect from regular mindfulness sessions.
Tai chi can also be the perfect opportunity to meet like-minded people and develop a strong social network in your senior years. Why not book an early morning tai chi session with a friend and arrange to go to brunch afterward?
Water Aerobics
If you love the idea of exercising in water but aren’t a fan of swimming, there is a superb low-impact alternative that offers much the same benefits.
Water aerobics is as it sounds: aerobic movements carried out in the shallow end of a pool. It suits all mobility levels. The water is a natural support tool and will protect your body and joints, allowing you to move freely and work on:
- Balance
- Flexibility
- Cardiovascular health
- Muscle strength
It’s also a fun and sociable activity perfect for trying with friends, especially in an outdoor pool on a sunny summer’s day. So it can boost your mental wellbeing too.
Exercise Tips for the Elderly: Pilates for Core Strength
Pilates offers many of the same benefits to the body as yoga. It can support you with:
- Better balance
- Improved flexibility
- Core strength
- Improved posture
Improving your core strength can strengthen the back and help protect your joints, so pilates is not only low-impact but also helps your body do more strenuous activity.
Since it’s a group activity, pilates is another example of a fitness class that doubles as a social point in your weekly calendar. A professional instructor can guide you through the movements.
The Best Low Impact Exercises
Staying fit shouldn’t be a chore. It should be fun. So, always choose a routine where you can do something you love. This list of the best low-impact exercises for seniors is the ideal starting point.
Aston Gardens at The Courtyard is a senior living community designed to offer a rich and enjoyable senior lifestyle where health and vitality take center stage. Find out more about our amenities here.
