1. Learn to Dance – A Popular Way for Seniors to Stay Active
Don’t grow old thinking about all the things you used to do or could have done. Why not learn to dance or brush up on some old skills. Dancing offers variety and fun all while keeping the heart rate up and cholesterol down. With multiple dance instructors across the Vancouver area there is no time to stand still. Find Us at Home can even help arrange lessons and transportation.
2. Get a Dog
Dogs need exercise, it’s a fact of life. Adopting a new dog into the family is a great way to encourage a more active lifestyle. Walking is every dogs dream and even short walks done consistently can have a big impact on your health.
3. Take some Yoga Classes
Yoga may seem more of a stretch than an actual exercise but, anyone who has tried yoga may be surprised to learn how physically demanding and difficult it can be. Yoga is a great way to stay healthy and social at the same time.
Make sure to find a yoga class for beginners or seniors. Many senior centers and assisted living facilities offer these classes as part of their recreational programs.
4. Strengthen muscles
A generally accepted side effect of aging is muscle loss and deterioration. This may seem to be an inevitability of growing older but, it is possible to fight and slow this process significantly. Lifting weights and doing other muscle building activities can drastically reduce and even negate the link between age and atrophy.
Joining a gym is a great source of motivation and great way to meet new people. Joining a gym isn’t the only way to exercise and anyone can improve their fitness level from home! Very little equipment is necessary and basic exercises can be performed with very light weights and or resistance bands. A set of two-pound dumbbells can be found on Amazon for less than $10 dollars and a set of resistance bands can be purchased for around $20.
One of the side effects of aging is the loss of strength. While this may seem inevitable, in reality seniors can reduce the impact by continuing to build muscle. Strength training can be done at home with very little equipment. Buy a pair of one- and two-pound weights or find lightweight items around the house and start with a few basic exercises.
Start out with basic mobility exercises using weights and or bands. As the weights become easier slowly progress to heavier weights and or more resistance bands. As the exercises become easier slowly began adding new exercises to your routine.
5. Go for a Swim
Swimming is a great way to improve mobility with low-impact exercise. Swimming allows those with limited mobility a low impact option to increase mobility. Many gyms include access to a pool as well as aerobic classes. Aerobic classes are a fun and effective way to increase mobility and strength with incredibly low impact on the body.
Aerobic classes offer a great way to exercise in the pool without having to swim or do laps. Laps are also an excellent way to improve and maintain fitness. Water aerobics is a great option for those who can’t take a traditional exercise class as it mimics traditional classes in most senses while having the added benefits of increased resistance from the water with decreased impact on bones and joints.
6. Play Racquetball
Most commercial gyms offer a variety of exercise options for any fitness level. If the choices above, don’t appeal to you or you like something a little more physically demanding and competitive racquetball is a popular choice. If you are thinking of joining a gym to play racquetball but don’t want to pay for all the features you won’t use, most of the time you won’t have to. People don’t realize that most gyms have racquetball memberships for members only wishing to utilize the racquetball courts.
While there are many other options for maintaining or building a healthy and active lifestyle these six options give a solid foundation for creating a healthier and happier life.