Strength and Stretch for Seniors
Saturday August 2, 2008
My dad is 86 years old and he still goes to the gym. I can't tell you how proud I am of that. His commitment to fitness has inspired me throughout my life. As I see him keeping good muscle tone well into his eighties, I am inspired to do the same. Joseph Pilates, by the way, is another fit octogenarian that comes to mind. It's not so easy though, this fitness and aging thing.
As we age, the old saying, "use it or lose it" becomes even more accurate, because as we age we lose muscle tone and flexibility more quickly, and it is harder to get it back -- though it can be done. Yes, one might have to scale back and modify certain things, but overall, appropriate exercise habits are one of the best insurance policies for longevity that you can have.
While seniors need to build and maintain strength and flexibility, some forms of exercise may be too demanding for aging bodies. Rock climbing, running, distance cycling, heavy weight lifting are some that come to mind. What seniors need are forms of exercise that can be modified to fit their needs, yet have the potential to be challenging enough to keep the body in top form, and be interesting.
Many seniors are finding that Pilates fits the bill as an interesting, modifiable, stretch and strength training perfectly. Yoga, too, is an excellent option for seniors. Both forms of exercise help maintain muscle and flexibility, as well as increase balance skills and the body/mind connection. Read more:
As we age, the old saying, "use it or lose it" becomes even more accurate, because as we age we lose muscle tone and flexibility more quickly, and it is harder to get it back -- though it can be done. Yes, one might have to scale back and modify certain things, but overall, appropriate exercise habits are one of the best insurance policies for longevity that you can have.
While seniors need to build and maintain strength and flexibility, some forms of exercise may be too demanding for aging bodies. Rock climbing, running, distance cycling, heavy weight lifting are some that come to mind. What seniors need are forms of exercise that can be modified to fit their needs, yet have the potential to be challenging enough to keep the body in top form, and be interesting.
Many seniors are finding that Pilates fits the bill as an interesting, modifiable, stretch and strength training perfectly. Yoga, too, is an excellent option for seniors. Both forms of exercise help maintain muscle and flexibility, as well as increase balance skills and the body/mind connection. Read more:
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