{"id":6204,"date":"2015-08-22T07:49:42","date_gmt":"2015-08-22T12:49:42","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.senioradvisor.com\/blog\/?p=6204"},"modified":"2017-09-19T13:53:13","modified_gmt":"2017-09-19T18:53:13","slug":"easy-exercises-for-seniors","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/d30braiqprupoq.cloudfront.net\/blog\/2015\/08\/easy-exercises-for-seniors\/","title":{"rendered":"Easy Exercises for Seniors"},"content":{"rendered":"<h1>Easy Exercises for Seniors<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignright wp-image-6205 size-medium\" src=\"https:\/\/s3.us-west-2.amazonaws.com\/img.prod.aplaceformom.com\/main\/uploads\/sa-blog\/2015\/07\/Easy-Exercises-for-Seniors-350x350.png\" alt=\"Easy Exercises for Seniors: aerobic and strength exercise ideas specifically for older adults\" width=\"350\" height=\"350\" srcset=\"https:\/\/s3.us-west-2.amazonaws.com\/img.prod.aplaceformom.com\/main\/uploads\/sa-blog\/2015\/07\/Easy-Exercises-for-Seniors-350x350.png 350w, https:\/\/s3.us-west-2.amazonaws.com\/img.prod.aplaceformom.com\/main\/uploads\/sa-blog\/2015\/07\/Easy-Exercises-for-Seniors-150x150.png 150w, https:\/\/s3.us-west-2.amazonaws.com\/img.prod.aplaceformom.com\/main\/uploads\/sa-blog\/2015\/07\/Easy-Exercises-for-Seniors-768x768.png 768w, https:\/\/s3.us-west-2.amazonaws.com\/img.prod.aplaceformom.com\/main\/uploads\/sa-blog\/2015\/07\/Easy-Exercises-for-Seniors.png 800w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 350px) 100vw, 350px\" \/><\/h1>\n<p>Doctors agree and statistics show, staying active is good for your mind and body. Even as we age, it\u2019s important to maintain a healthy lifestyle that incorporates physical activity. It can help prevent certain diseases like heart disease, diabetes, and osteoporosis, as well as support mobility and overall independence. Not to mention, exercise can also be a great mood booster\u00a0and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.senioradvisor.com\/blog\/2017\/02\/how-exercising-helps-prevent-senior-depression\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">help fight depression<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommend that<strong> adults 65+ years old get at least 2.5 hours of moderate-intensity aerobic activity a week, or 1 hour and 15 minutes of high-intensity aerobic activity.<\/strong> If these amounts sound daunting, remember that any activity that elevates your heartbeat counts towards these totals \u2013 from a brisk walk to pushing a lawn mower \u2013 and you can get your recommended activity in 10-minute increments throughout your week.<\/p>\n<p>In addition to aerobic exercise, the CDC also recommends <strong>at least two days of strength-building exercises a week for muscles throughout your body<\/strong>. This could include lifting weights, resistance exercises like push-ups or sit-ups, or even daily activities like heavier yard work or low-impact activities that help improve balance and flexibility, like yoga.<\/p>\n<p>If you\u2019re looking for a place to start, try out these activities to meet your weekly quotas!<\/p>\n<h2>Easy Aerobic Exercises for Seniors:<\/h2>\n<p>Start with exercising for at least 10 minutes at a time, and work to build up to 30-minute workouts. You should be breathing harder, but still able to talk. Activities to get your heart pumping include:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.senioradvisor.com\/blog\/2015\/01\/dog-walking-tips\/\">Walking the dog<\/a><\/strong> or taking a brisk walk with a friend or neighbor.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ul>\n<li>Raking leaves or working in your yard.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ul>\n<li><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.senioradvisor.com\/blog\/2015\/07\/water-exercises-for-seniors\/\">Swimming<\/a><\/strong> or taking a water aerobics class at your local YMCA.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ul>\n<li>Dancing or participating in a dance aerobics class like Zumba.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ul>\n<li>Playing with your grandchildren; chase them around <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.senioradvisor.com\/blog\/2015\/06\/playgrounds-for-seniors\/\">the playground<\/a><\/strong> or kick the soccer ball.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ul>\n<li><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.senioradvisor.com\/blog\/2015\/05\/benefits-of-cycling\/\">Riding a bike<\/a><\/strong>, either outdoors or on a stationary cycle.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ul>\n<li>Climbing stairs.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2>Easy Strength Exercises for Seniors:<\/h2>\n<p>Start with two days a week, and build up to more frequent strength sessions. The great news is there are many ways to build strength without having to go to a gym.<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Invest in small hand weights or dumbbells that can be found at your local superstore, or you can even use\u00a0heavier canned items in your pantry. Make sure to work both upper- and lower-body muscles with a <strong><a href=\"http:\/\/weighttraining.about.com\/od\/weighttrainingforgroups\/a\/seniorsbell0708.htm\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">routine like this one<\/a><\/strong>.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ul>\n<li>Try out bodyweight exercises, like push-ups, squats, and sit-ups. For lower impact or if you have difficulty getting down or up off the floor, try modifications like a wall push-up.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ul>\n<li>Participate in heavier outdoor activities, like digging holes or shoveling snow.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ul>\n<li>Combine strength with balance and flexibility by trying out <a href=\"https:\/\/www.senioradvisor.com\/blog\/2014\/09\/top-yoga-poses-for-seniors\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><strong>yoga moves ideal for seniors<\/strong><\/a>. There are also some great YouTube workouts featuring <a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=7e0L-VKvMUU\">Chair Yoga<\/a>, done entirely from a seated position.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/7e0L-VKvMUU\" width=\"560\" height=\"315\" frameborder=\"0\" allowfullscreen=\"allowfullscreen\"><\/iframe><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Utilize resistance bands to target your muscle groups. These rubber tubes with handles are lightweight, easy to use and to store, and can help you target your major muscles groups. This <strong><a href=\"http:\/\/www.sparkpeople.com\/resource\/fitness_articles.asp?id=982\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">20-minute workout<\/a><\/strong> can be done while sitting in a chair.<\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.senioradvisor.com\/blog\/2016\/07\/15-balance-exercises-for-seniors\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Practice balance exercises<\/a> to help prevent falls and injury<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2>Don\u2019t forget to stretch!<\/h2>\n<p>You\u2019ve probably heard that it\u2019s important to spend at least 5 minutes stretching before and after exercising, but for seniors, a dedicated time to stretch 2-3 times a week can make a big difference in mobility and comfort. It\u2019s a good idea to aim to perform stretching exercises 2-3 times a week. Each exercise should be held for 20-30 seconds (take special care not to hold your breath) and repeated 3-5 times. You can find many great examples of <strong><a href=\"http:\/\/eldergym.com\/elderly-flexibility.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">flexibility exercises<\/a><\/strong> online, as well as on YouTube.<\/p>\n<p>As always, it\u2019s very important to check with your doctor before starting a new exercise regime, and to take things slowly, especially if it\u2019s been a while since you\u2019ve exercised regularly. Before you know it, you\u2019ll be in a regular routine and reaping the benefits of being active.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Easy Exercises for Seniors Doctors agree and statistics show, staying active is good for your mind and body. Even as we age, it\u2019s important to maintain a healthy lifestyle that incorporates physical activity. It can help prevent certain diseases like heart disease, diabetes, and osteoporosis, as well as support mobility and overall independence. Not to mention, exercise can also be [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2201,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[200,35],"tags":[44,45],"class_list":{"0":"post-6204","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","6":"category-families-caregivers","7":"category-senior-health-fitness","8":"tag-senior-fitness","9":"tag-senior-health"},"acf":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v23.2 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>Easy Exercises for Seniors<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Doctors agree and statistics show: staying active is good for your mind and body. 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