There is no doubt a person’s body begins to change more noticeably after reaching a certain age. Whether it’s diminished strength or a lack of overall fitness, if you’re over 50 it’s time to consider a new kind of fitness routine. There is a range of beneficial ways you can exercise to take better care of yourself and ensure you maintain strength and agility.
The important thing to remember is to be careful. Take a measured approach to be sure your workout isn’t to your detriment. Working out in your golden years doesn’t mean hitting the gym every single day in order to see results. Instead, exercising at this age is about targeting key areas of the body.
General Health Tips
It’s important not to rush into an exercise routine or workout plan. Instead, take a deliberate approach and pace yourself. This will help to assure your workouts won’t end up doing more harm than good.
Talk to your doctor
Underlying medical conditions can show up at any time, particularly without warning. That’s why anyone, especially those aged 50 and older should get a medical check-up before starting an exercise routine. A visit to the doctor guarantees everything is in working order and able to cope with the demands of working out.
Your diet matters more than ever
As people age calories are not burned as easily as when younger. Therefore, any exercise program is undertaken in vain if you don’t also follow a proper diet. It’s important to combine your workouts with eating plenty of fresh fruits and vegetables as well as whole grains and lean proteins.
How not to exercise after 50
Hitting the gym hard is the wrong way to approach working out as you age. The facts of life are simple and this means individuals can’t work out at 50 the same way they did at 25. It’s important to start slow, especially if you haven’t spent a lot of time working out over the last few years.
Health Tips for Women
Staying active well into your golden years has a range of physical, mental, and emotional health benefits. It’s important to note some exercises will be more beneficial to you than others, but keeping motivated and tracking your progress is the most important thing.
Check out core-toning exercises
Core strength is one of the first things to go in an older adult. Most women focus on toning their abs in hopes of achieving a flatter belly, but a person’s core actually wraps all the way around the torso. Therefore, the focus of a training session should be on toning many muscles at once. This will make for a more effective workout that will produce results over time.
Don’t shy away from weight training
Women need weight training as much as men do. While many women avoid lifting weights, they are doing themselves a disservice. Over 50, weight training isn’t about building bulk, it’s an exercise used to protect a person’s bone density.
Health tips for men
Strength training is vital to any men’s fitness routine. However, it’s especially important for men over the age of 50. Strength training not only keeps muscles strong, but it also has positive effects on memory and the heart. Therefore, full-body strength training is key.
While older men can still partake in strength and weight training they must do so with care. It’s important to use a smart and measured approach in order to truly reap the vast benefits of these types of exercises without injury.
Exercise your core
The importance of core strength cannot be overestimated. Poor core strength can lead to physical ailments that may be hard for an older person to recover from. There are a variety of ways to train your core, providing you with different and stimulating ways you can work out.
Your overall health
Exercise at any age is encouraged. However, the importance of older individuals continuing to exercise cannot be overstated. Exercise is a great way to boost mental, physical, and emotional health and it is also a good way to prevent injury.
If you have never exercised or it has been years, all is not lost. Getting in a physical workout has never been easier. With gyms all over the suburbs and a brisk walk a good way to exercise, the sky’s the limit no matter your age.