Welcome to Straight Up-Chiro Chat.

Since the start of Winter, we’ve been talking about how Summer bodies are made in the chilly months. Winter is on its way out, but that doesn’t mean you need to be. The best way to stay young is to exercise. It’s important at every age. It keeps you, your heart, and your mind healthy. It builds strength and suppleness, which is extremely important when you’re older. A healthy mind includes one that will help you maintain balance, so the likelihood of you falling is greatly reduced. A fall in your more mature years is dangerous. 

But can you do the same exercises now that you used to do in your 20s? That’s a good question. There are some exercises that, yes, you can still do, and some that you shouldn’t. We’re looking at both today.

As we said last time, age only matters if you’re a cheese. But age does matter if you’re trying to deadlift a small elephant. Wisdom plays a large part in the exercises you can do, and those you shouldn’t do, when you reach the more mature stage of life. The majority of the workouts available online or at the gym are for young adults.  This group is either trying to shed weight in a hurry or bulk up. And sometimes both.

Admittedly in different ways. Unless, as a more mature adult over 65 years old, you are already very fit and strong, these exercises may put an unhealthy strain on you. Older adults with joint pain, atrophied muscles, posture problems, or issues with balance should not attempt the following exercises.

10 Exercises older adults should avoid

• Abdominal crunches
• Bench press
• Deadlift
• High-intensity interval training
• Leg press
• Long-distance running
• Power clean
• Rock climbing
• Squats with dumbbells or weights
• Upright row

Is it so bad to be unfit, and a little ‘cuddly’, when you are in the grandparenting stage of life? Even if you’re not a grandparent?

Here are 5 reasons why staying fit and healthy is so important as you age

7 Exercises that are great for seniors

• Body Weight Workouts

It only takes 2 -3 weeks for muscle loss to begin, even if you are a trained athlete. Years of inactivity mean your muscle loss can be severe. While muscles can be rebuilt, it takes time. In the interim, muscle loss can be debilitating. It can result in hormone problems, make it harder to metabolise protein, as well as other issues. Body weight workouts are one of the best ways to counteract this. It’s also far more affordable than the gym. All you need are workout clothes and a mat to soften the impact on the floor.

• Chair Yoga

This low-impact form of exercise improves balance, flexibility, mobility, and muscle strength. Chair yoga puts less stress on muscles, joints, and bones than other forms of yoga. As with all exercises, chair yoga improves your mental health. It results in better quality sleep, reduces depression, and gives you a general sense of well-being.

• Dumbbell Strength Training

Strength training has many benefits. It improves your metabolism, helps you control glucose, and enables you to strengthen and build isolated muscle groups. You will be more able to manage your weight. Dumbbell strength training alleviates the symptoms of back pain, depression, diabetes, and osteoporosis. Performed with the right precautions, dumbbells also improve your balance and flexibility.

• Pilates

Joseph Hubertus Pilates designed and refined his resistance training form of exercise, from 1920 onwards. This low-impact form of exercise pays attention to alignment, breathing, concentration, and core strength exercises. Mats, Pilates balls, and other accessories are used to build strength without the stress that high-impact exercises can put on the body. Pilates improves balance, develops core strength, and increases flexibility – a bonus for seniors.

• Resistance Band Workouts

The stretchy strips of rubber also known as Thera Bands, add resistance to workouts with less stress on your body than weights. And it’s much cheaper as well. The user-friendly exercises can be done at home and are great for beginners. They are ideal for seniors as they strengthen your core, and improve your posture, mobility, and your balance.

• Walking

If you want a healthy lifestyle, a way to strengthen your muscles, and lower your risk of heart disease, stroke, diabetes, and colon cancer, then walking is an excellent option. For a senior, it’s the cheapest, easiest and often the most enjoyable form of exercise. Having a dog helps, as Fido loves to walk and needs to be walked. Best of all, you can get out of the house, have some fresh air, and walk with friends at the same time. For healthy people, 10,000 steps a day is recommended to get the most benefit. It’s been found that walking 10,000 steps a day lowers the possibility of mortality over ten years by 46%. But you can start small, increasing your distance as and when it suits you. Not to mention changing your route as well. You can’t do that at the gym.

• Water Aerobics

Water aerobics improves your balance, flexibility, and strength. Its best feature is that while you are working out, there is minimal stress on your body. The buoyancy of the water makes this form of exerciser ideal for anyone with arthritis and other forms of joint pain. if you do water aerobics you won’t need weights as water naturally provides gentle resistance.

As a senior, it’s important to ensure that you are starting all exercise regimes from a position of strength. And that means having your spine properly aligned. Your chiropractor can examine you and put any aspects of a misaligned spine to right very quickly. You’ll feel better too, and far more enthusiastic about your new fitness plans.

Call us today and book your appointment or to book online!

Yours in health,
Dr. Monica and Helen