10 Fitness Tips For The Senior Citizen

Remember when exercise for people over 55 meant shuffleboard, golf or ballroom dancing? Not anymore. Staying fit is now just as important for men and women in the over 55 group as it is for anyone else. In fact, it may be even more important. Today we are out walking, jogging, running or bicycling. Now that I am over 55, there are a few things I need to think about when it comes to starting a workout problem that I never thought about before. First, I started with endurance exercises that condition my heart, lungs and blood vessels. Not only are endurance exercises good for my overall conditioning, but they help me relax. I started with walking and moved on to jogging or running as my conditioning improved. Next, I moved on to muscle strengthening exercises. These are important for good posture. Calisthenics are good muscle strengthening exercises. A third type of exercise I incorporated into my daily routine are stretching exercises to improve joint mobility. Stretching exercises also help prevent or relieve aches and pains.

Before I started my over 55 physical conditioning program, I got a list of ten steps and I stuck to them:

1. Talk to Your Doctor: I was sure to check with my doctor before beginning a new exercise program. Any time you suddenly increase your level of physical activity, it's good to check with your doctor and make sure that everything is working properly beforehand.

2. Take It Slow: When I began my new exercise program, I made sure to start slowly, using a comfortable pace and increasing my exertion level gradually. You have to walk before you run.

3. Know Your Limits: I use self-testing methods to determine my safety limit for exertion and I make sure to stay within it. Overexercising is both dangerous and unnecessary. Watch for warning signs like sleep problems or fatigue the day after a workout to figure out if you're overdoing it.

4. Exercise Regularly: At a minimum, I know I need to exercise three times a week. I don't overdo it either. You should NOT be working out more than five times a week. Your body needs the rest and recuperation time.

5. Exercise at a Rate Within Your Capacity: We older people generally see the most benefit from exercise at 40-60% of maximum capacity. This is especially true when we begin an exercise program. Exercise for a longer period (sixty minutes or more) at a lower intensity. Eventually you can derive as much benefit from just twenty minutes of more intense work.

6. Warm Up Before You Work Out: I always warm up before I work out in order to protect my muscles, ligaments, and joints. I begin every session with exercises that gradually increase blood flow, and thereby increase the temperature of the local tissue and of the body. I stretch thoroughly before I start my workout. If I am going out for a jog, I make sure to keep the pace slow and easy for the first ten minutes or so. This gradual start prevents aches, pains, and injuries. Both muscles and connective tissues are most easily injured when they're cold.

7. Cool Down After a Workout: To me, a cool down is just as important as a warm up. I gradually transition from vigorous exercise back to rest. The circulatory system needs to readjust; the reflexes that open up the circulation during vigorous activity don't reverse quickly when exercise stops. If you abruptly stop strenuous effort and go straight to complete inactivity, your muscles, which normally pump blood back to the heart, are turned off. The circulation system can't rely on auxiliary help from the muscles to get blood to the heart. With less blood available, the heart beats more weakly, and blood pressure drops. In some people the drop can be so dramatic that the flow of blood to the brain slows, and they pass out. Usually two to three minutes of walking after I jog is enough to slow me down.

8. Don't Head for the Shower Immediately: This was a new one for me. A hot shower opens up the circulation, just as vigorous activity does. I no wait just a few minutes-like five or ten-before jumping into the shower after a workout. Also, when I do shower, I take a warm shower rather than a hot one.

9. Never Compete in Conditioning: I find it's always more fun to have a workout buddy to push you along. Be careful, though. When you exercise with other people, don't put yourself on their pace. I always try hard to maintain my own pace. My workout partner may be in better condition than I am. I only want to compete with myself, not with others, when I am in the conditioning phase of a new exercise program. Overexertion creates adrenaline which could make my heart work less efficiently.

10. Never Exercise When You're Sick: When you exercise, you are pushing your body towards it's full potential. When you are sick, even with just a slight cold, your system is compromised. The challenge of fighting sickness and exercising, at the same time, may be too much for my body. I will not get physical benefits out of exercising when I are sick. In fact, I might slow down my conditioning progress and delay my recovery from the illness. I wait until my energy is back to normal to start exercising again. Focus your energy on fighting your sickness by getting plenty of rest and following your doctor's orders.

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