4 Building Blocks to Keep You Active and Fit at Any Age
It's so important for you to be active during your senior years - not only to keep you as healthy as possible, but to maintain your independence. That's the most important thing for most people as they age - keeping their independence and not being forced into an assisted living space.
The building blocks of fitness for seniors are simple and if you begin following them no matter what your age, you'll reap many benefits. The trick is to find activities that you enjoy and you'll stick to. Even on days you don't feel like exercising, it's important that you find ways to move and keep your energy level up.
Below are the key building blocks to keeping fit as you age:
Flexibility - To keep up with your grandchildren and enjoy life to the max, you've got to maintain your flexibility and full range-of-motion. Being able to lifting your arms over your head to reach for things and able to bend to tie your shoes are just a couple of reasons to maintain your flexibility. Try Yoga stretching exercises and Tai Chi classes to keep muscles and joints flexible.
Strength - Maintaining a certain amount of strength is very important preventing bone loss, improving your balance to prevent falls and building muscle. Such daily activities such as opening jars and carrying groceries are all functions of how much strength you have. Resistance bands, weights or machines which focus on strength training are great to build your strength.
Balance - This building block is very necessary to prevent falls which can take away your independence in an instant. Maintain confidence in your balance by practicing good posture. Try stretching and balancing with Tai Chi and Yoga.
Endurance - Build your endurance by engaging in cardio-building exercises. A good amount of aerobic exercise such as walking at a brisk pace, swimming, dancing, climbing stairs and hiking can help your heart pump faster. When you build your endurance, you'll also decrease fatigue and have more energy for the things you want to do.
These building blocks to fitness are appropriate for anyone, including children - but become especially important to build on as you age. You can find senior fitness classes such as walking, water aerobics, Tai Chi, Qi Gong and Yoga classes online that are near your home. Most places offer discounts for seniors.
The key is to remain active, no matter which stage you are in life. Even if you're wheelchair bound, you can participate in chair exercises. If you only have a small amount of mobility, be creative and find ways to exercise when you're cleaning house or running errands.
Don't forget mental exercises when building your fitness. Your mental acuity is another important factor in maintaining your independence and enjoying life to the fullest.
John Rivers, an Independent Team Beachbody Coach, and his wife Beth enjoy helping individuals reach their health and fitness goals. Their unique support style through social media is a very integral part of their accountability model. Find more info at HomeWorkoutsWork.com or sign up to Join their "private" Facebook group. "Friend" John today to start reaching "YOUR" goals.
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