Safe Senior Exercises

Exercising for seniors can be a difficult task. Besides loss of strength and stamina, there is the issue of brittle bones. But exercise is needed to help keep our seniors active and healthy.

Walking is a safe exercise for seniors to do, as long as they are not walking in the road or on icy surfaces. Walking brings the heart rate up and allows the blood to flow faster. This in turn speeds up the metabolism to help keep weight off.

Yoga is a safe exercise for seniors and is proven to cure a number of age-related ailments. Meditation is a big help in reducing stress, which in turn can dramatically reduce high blood pressure or high blood sugar levels. With yoga, you are mostly stretching in a slow and meticulous manner, which promotes flexibility in the body.

Lightweight training exercises can be another good and safe exercise for seniors. In conjunction with walking and yoga, lightweight training exercises can promote flexibility and increase the metabolism, thereby reducing stress and weight gain.

Many communities have a public pool and there are aerobics classes in the pool for seniors. Trained aerobics teachers come in and do aerobics in the pool with the seniors. Doing aerobics in the pool dramatically reduces the risk of getting hurt, but allows the seniors to do what they can and use the water as resistance. Using the water as resistance means the senior does not have to hold on to a barbell or strap of any kind.