With the current pandemic taking place, we’re all stuck at home being lazy. Let’s stop this and start exercising! Exercise is for all ages, even if you’re 50 years or older! But it’s essential to take some precautions when doing so.
As we age, we lose muscle mass, which is one of the main reasons we feel less energetic as we get older. Exercise can help rebuild lost muscle as well as give us more energy! Exercise can help stop, delay, and even improve severe illnesses like high blood pressure, diabetes, heart disease, arthritis, and osteoporosis. It can also help your brain stay sharp!
Here are some great home exercises that 50-year-olds and older can do!
- Low impact exercise with less pounding and jumping is more helpful to your joints. Walking is a simple yet very effective way to exercise! It can build your stamina, strengthen lower body muscles, and help fight bone diseases. It’s easy to work walking into your schedule, and you can go on a solo walk or make it a group activity.
- Dancing – whatever kind does not matter! Dancing can help with endurance, strengthening your muscles, and improve on your balance. Balance training is essential after the age of 50, as it can prevent falls. Dancing can burn a lot of calories as it gets you to move your body in all directions. Learning new moves has also been shown to be good for the brain
- Strength training: Lifting the weight, using work out machines, resistance bands, or doing exercises with your own body (like sit-ups and push-ups), you are building strength, muscle mass, and increasing your flexibility.
- Yoga: Actively holding a series of poses allows stretch and strengthening of muscles. Yoga can help lower your heart rate and blood pressure, as well as relieve anxiety and depression. Check out our yoga blog on our webpage for more information!
As you start your journey with some home exercises, it’s essential to start slow. Begin with around 10-15 minutes and gradually increase how long you exercise and how often. Your doctor can suggest ways to adapt sports and exercise, or better alternatives, based on the limitations of any medical conditions you might have.
“Eat Healthily, Stay Fit, and Live Well Over 50 in Pictures.” Edited by Sabrina Felson, MD, WebMD, WebMD, 24 June 2018, www.webmd.com/healthy-aging/stay-active-18/slideshow-live-well-over-50.
Austin Spine & Wellness Center Text or Call (512) 501-1770
