Being a senior does not mean that you don’t have to visit the gym. Older people need to strengthen their bodies like everyone else. As they grow older, their bones need to be strengthened, their muscles need to exercise. In addition, they must be balanced so that they can perform their day-to-day chores. As such, they must do various exercises to keep themselves fit and healthy. This article gives a list of exercises that are good for seniors.
They can do upper body exercises for seniors, lower body exercises, strength exercises, core exercises, and more. Read more to know the advantages of best body exercises for seniors.
Seated Upper Body Exercises For Seniors.
Seniors’ bodies are delicate, and they must be careful when they are training to avoid hurting themselves. As much as they strengthen their upper bodies, they must exercise with caution. To avoid hurting themselves, they can exercise while seated. There are many exercises that can be done while seated.
They can use gym equipment to strengthen their upper body. Interestingly, using equipment is not the only effective way to keep your upper body in good shape.
They can do various exercises while seated which have a great impact on their upper body. Below are various upper body exercises for seniors.
Seated Upper Body Exercises For Seniors Without Equipment.
Our seniors might not enjoy going to the gym due to massive equipment. They might not like using equipment for various reasons. But they must exercise to stay strong and healthy. These are the interesting exercises that they can at the comfort of a chair without any additional equipment.
1. Neck Twists.
The neck twists exercise is good for freeing stiff neck joints. It can also be used to relieve neck pain.
2. Seated Backbend.
This exercise is good for improving spine flexibility. It is good for improving breathing. As such, it is good for lowering stress.
3. Seated Punches.
The seated punches are good for agility. In addition, it is good for strengthening arm muscles, chest, shoulders, and core.
4. Shoulder Rolls.
This exercise makes the shoulders more flexible. It is also good for loosening tight muscles around the neck. In addition, it can also lower neck pains.
5. Chair Yoga.
Yoga exercises are good for keeping the mind calm. In addition, chair yoga is good for stretching the upper body muscles. As such it keeps the upper body flexible.
Seated Upper Body Exercises For Seniors With Equipment.
Elderly people can use gym equipment to gain strength. Upper body exercises are good for resuscitating weak muscles. In addition, upper body fitness can lower heart diseases, high blood pressure, strokes and more. The exercises can make it easy for them to stay active as they do day to day activities. Most importantly, they should be in a good posture when they are doing exercises to avoid injuries or hurting themselves.
1. Seated Shoulder Press.
This exercise is good for strengthening the upper body muscles. Moreso, seniors can strengthen their triceps, trapezius, core muscles, and more.
2. Seated Chest Press.
The exercise works the bicep, triceps, and other upper body parts. As such, it keeps the upper body muscles in great shape. In addition, seniors can easily do daily activities such as lifting and pushing things.
3. Tummy Twists.
The exercise works the core. A stronger core makes the body balance easily.
4. Chest Press With Bend.
The chest press with bend exercise is good for strengthening the upper body.
5. Triceps Extension.
This exercise is good for improving the triceps muscles and strength.
Lower Body Exercises For Seniors
Seniors need no keep their bodies flexible so that they can balance. As such, lower body exercises for seniors are essential so as to make them strong to break falls. Older people are susceptible to a lack of balance to break falls. However, when they are active in exercising their lower body, they can manage to break falls. Below are some of the lower body exercises for seniors.
1. Squats (using a chair).
Squats make knees flexible while strengthening thighs. It is also good for keeping muscle mass.
2. Leg Raises.
This exercise is good for strengthening weak muscles around hips, thighs, and lower back. This can make seniors improve their balance.
3. Walking Heel To Toe.
As said before, seniors easily lose balance when they are walking or standing. There they need to do exercises that can make them break falls and slips. The walking heel to toe exercise is good for strengthening legs. Seniors can manage to walk easily without slipping or falling.
4. Toe Lifts.
This exercise is good for improving balance. In addition, it can also strengthen calves, legs, and knees
5. Back Leg Raise.
Seniors can benefit a lot from this easy exercise. The Back leg raise exercise is good for strengthening the lower back. In addition, it makes your legs flexible and the muscle mass can be maintained.
Dumbbell Exercises For Seniors.
Dumbells come in various weights. Seniors can use the lightweight dumbells to lift weights so as improve and maintain muscle mass. The dumbells are also good for strengthening the upper body. Below are some of the dumbbell exercises for seniors.
1. Triceps Extension.
This exercise benefits the arms triceps by strengthening them. It also improves arm joints and builds bone density.
2. Overhead Press.
The exercise targets the shoulders. It is also good for core muscles. The arms get strengthened as well.
3. Front Raise.
The front raise exercise is good for the back muscles. It keeps the spine healthy. As such the elders can stay healthy from back pain and other backbone diseases.
4. Arm Curl.
This exercise keeps the arm joints flexible. In addition, it is also good for arm biceps.
Core Exercises For Seniors.
Almost all the movements done by the body are initiated from the core. As such, your core must stay strong and stable. There are various core exercises for seniors. These exercises can improve core strength. Therefore, with a strong core, seniors can improve their balance and lower risks of getting injured. In addition, core exercises can make their back muscles flexible.
As such, they can do daily activities easily. They can use the stairs, stand up from the chair easily without difficulties.
1. Lat Pulls With Bands.
This exercise keeps seniors lat muscles active. It is good for doing day-to-day business without a hassle. For instance, picking things from the floor and opening the door are the things that we do every day. As such, this exercise is good for strengthening the lat muscles.
2. Leg Lifts.
The exercise is good for improving stability and balance. Older people are in need of staying balanced and stable when walking or doing anything. As such, the leg lists work out their abdomen, thighs and hips. The hips and abdomen can be more flexible by doing these exercises. As much as it targets the abdomen, it can also have an impact on the back muscles.
3. Seated Side Bends.
The seated side bends exercise targets abdominal muscles. As such, the exercise can lengthen the abdominal muscles. The exercises are good for giving the body a balance.
In addition, other benefits of doing seated side bends are improving the thigh muscles, spine flexibility, busting belly fat, and more. As such, seniors should do this exercise to remain fit and healthy.
4. Wall Push-Ups.
Wall push-ups do not only have an impact on your triceps, but they also exercise the core muscles. The push-ups can improve the core muscles such as hips, abs, and back. In addition, this exercise can be easily done by seniors even those who suffer from back pain.
Leg Strengthening Exercises For Seniors.
As people grow; the bone mass increases due to inactivity. Some seniors end up having difficulties with leg, knees and joints. As such, leg strengthening exercises for seniors are good from improving the healthiness of the legs and hips.
1. Aqua Jogging.
Exercise can improve leg muscle strength. As such this can keep the seniors in good shape to move from one point to another without anybody pains. In addition, exercising in water is good for the mood. It improves your mental health.
2. Walking.
Walking is good for keeping seniors healthy from chronic diseases. In addition, walking is good for keeping the bones and muscles stronger.
3. Step-Ups.
This exercise strengthens the lower body especially the legs, thigh muscles, and hips. Furthermore, it improves balance.
4. Ankle Circles.
This exercise is good for relieving the pain around ankle and tendon. In addition, it also helps in loosening the muscles in the tendon and ankle.
5. Calf Exercise.
The calf exercise is good for keeping the calf muscles stronger and flexible. It is an easy exercise that helps the seniors to move easily on stairs.
Strength Exercises For Seniors
Aging has its disadvantages. The muscles become weaker and the bone mass also changes. Therefore, seniors must do strength exercises to remain stronger.
1. Wall Push-Ups.
As discussed above this exercise strengthen the core. It is also good for keeping the chest and triceps stronger. Therefore, it improves the entire upper body muscles.
2. Chair Squats.
Squats are good for strengthening lower body muscles. They can keep the knees, legs and hips in good shape. In addition, chair squats are also good at improving flexibility.
3. Pilates.
This exercise is good at developing core strength. Additionally, it is good for improving flexibility and balance.
4. Side Leg Raise.
This exercise is good for improving muscle endurance. More so, it keeps the hips and glutes in good shape.
Final Thoughts
Seniors need to keep their body in good shape for their health benefits. There are various exercises that they can do. For instance, they can do upper body exercises for seniors to keep their core, shoulders, arms, and abs stronger and fit. Therefore, seated chair press, chair yoga press, chest press with a bend, are some of the exercises that they can do.
For the lower body, they can do exercises such as toe lifts, chair squats to keep he lower body fit. To keep the core in good shape, seniors can do wall push-ups and other exercises. Many adults suffer from leg issues.
As such they should do leg strengthening exercises such as ankle circles, calves exercises, and more. In addition, there are also strength exercises to keep the entire body fit. Some of the strength exercises include pilates, chair squats, wall pushups, and more. Most importantly, seniors’ bodies are delicate; therefore they must do exercises with caution to avoid hurting themselves.
Which workouts do the adults enjoy the most? Why do they like those exercises?