3 Exercises to Help You Maintain Your Strength as You Age

Taking time to work out regularly has many benefits, especially as you get older. Focusing on anti-aging exercises that improve your strength, balance, and mobility is always a good idea if you want to maintain healthy habits and independence as you reach your golden years. In general, an active lifestyle is one of the best things for healthy aging.

Regular exercise can also help you avoid having to rely on others for help with your daily activities. However, your exercise routine will change to accommodate your changing needs. To find out which anti-aging exercises seniors should focus on to maintain their well-being, we spoke to experts.

Is exercise safe for seniors?

A common misconception among the aging population is that exercise is unsafe and should be avoided. This is untrue and works against the desire of older adults to achieve and maintain optimal health. Fitness is the key to healthy aging, even when it comes to brain fitness.

An unfortunate fact is that aging increases the risk of many diseasesaccording to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Regular physical activity helps reduce the risk of the same conditions, such as type 2 diabetes, heart disease, cancer and dementia.

Physical activity is safe for older adults when done correctly and is necessary for healthy living. The benefits of exercise in the aging population are strongly supported by the CDC, physical therapists, and personal trainers worldwide.

Kevin Robinsonphysiotherapist and professor of orthopedics and kinesiology, shared some general guidelines for safe exercise for the elderly:

• Focus on low-impact activities such as water exercises, recumbent bikes, and elliptical machines.
• Participate SilverSneakers Programswhich are often offered at local gyms. These are usually covered by insurance and are specifically designed for seniors. One advantage of these programs is that you can also make friends, which will help you to be consistent in your attendance.
• Focus on certain muscle groups, such as the glutes, quadriceps, biceps and abs, and know your limits.
• Make stretching and balancing exercises a regular part of your daily exercise program.

The Best Anti-Aging Exercises for Seniors

The best exercises for you will depend on factors such as your current fitness level and medical conditions that may require a limited or modified approach. It is never too late to start a good exercise program.

The CDC recommends the following weekly physical activity for adults 65 and older:

• At least 150 minutes per week of moderate aerobic activity, such as brisk walking, or 75 minutes of vigorous activity, such as jogging.
• Strength training exercises, such as weightlifting, at least two days a week.
• Activities that improve balance, such as balancing on one leg.

Here are some examples of what such an exercise routine might look like for seniors.

1. Moderate cardio

The CDC defines moderate aerobic activityalso known as cardio, as a 5 or 6 on a scale of one (sitting still) to 10 (working hard). Some activities that are light cardio for one person may be moderate cardio for another.

Walking is a common form of moderate cardio, especially popular with older adults. “Walking can be a great activity,” Robinson said. “But many people with arthritis can’t tolerate walking for long distances. This is because the average ground reaction force that goes through the knee is 1.2 to 1.5 times the person’s body weight. So what seems like a minimal-impact activity can be too much.”

Robinson recommends water exercises for patients with arthritis in their legs or feet. “This reduces the forces through the knee by 50% to 75% compared to walking on land,” he said.

Other forms of moderate cardio include walking, running errands or doing certain chores (such as raking leaves), some forms of yoga, cycling, and using an elliptical trainer.

2. Light strength exercises

Erin Stimacpersonal trainer and group fitness instructor, says functional movements are the foundation for maintaining independence, reducing your risk of injury, and improving your overall quality of life. Erin recommends incorporating strength exercises that incorporate essential functional movements:

• Squatting (seated and standing): Squatting exercises are essential for everyday life and contribute to better mobility and stability.
• Bending: Essential for tasks such as picking up objects. Bending exercises strengthen the lower back and promote flexibility.
• Pushing (with body weight or objects): Pushing improves upper body strength and assists activities such as getting up from the ground or lifting objects.
• Pulling (towards the body): This strengthens the back muscles and is crucial for maintaining posture and balance.
• Carrying: Life often requires you to carry objects from one point to another. Decreased grip strength is closely linked to mortalitywhich predicts the risk of premature death better than blood pressure.

Some specific CDC-recommended light strength exercises that may include functional movements include lifting weights, using resistance bands, yard work, body weight exercises such as pull-ups or push-ups, and various yoga poses.

3. Exercises to improve your balance

It is common that Older people have problems with their balanceHowever, good balance reduces the risk of falling.

“To improve your balance, you should do balance exercises for short periods of time throughout the day, rather than 10 to 15 minutes a day,” Robinson says. He recommends the following balance exercises, which you can usually do safely at home:

• Stand on both feet in front of a counter. Let go of the counter to see how long you can maintain your balance without grabbing the counter. Repeat this activity three to five times throughout the day until you have built up to three 45-second periods. Move on to the next exercise once you have achieved this.
• Repeat the balancing exercise above, but this time close your eyes.

Yoga is also a common form of exercise known for Improve balanceaccording to Johns Hopkins Medicine.

Exercises that seniors should avoid

Are there specific exercises that seniors should avoid altogether? According to Stimac, the answer is generally no.

“Contrary to popular belief, there is no reason for older adults to shy away from specific movements,” Stimac said. “The fear of injury should not prevent them from doing strength training. Instead of focusing on limitations, we should explore which movements are appropriate for each individual.”

If you have an illness, condition, or injury that limits your physical fitness, you should always follow your doctor’s guidelines. With proper guidance and modifications, you can still find ways to achieve physical fitness.

Stimac says there is no one-size-fits-all approach and that every aging person deserves a customized program that improves strength and power while taking into account individual needs. “By embracing personalized plans and debunking myths, we are empowering older adults to live active, fulfilling lives,” she said.