Boomers, The Aging Process And Exercise
With all the talk about boomers and their ascent into retirement, there is also a lot of attention given of late as to what that will mean when they enter into their ‘golden years’ as it pertains to fitness.
One thing that is a fact: realizing that the aging process cannot be avoided, many boomers are doing something about it by hitting the gym.
In order to delay the ravages that the aging process can exact on the body, boomers are turning to exercise in all its forms as a means to delay the impact that aging has on the body. They see what has happened to their parents and grandparents and want to avoid that happening to them for as long as possible. From the aches and pains associated with aging to debilitating diseases that can cripple, boomers are looking to exercise and diet to fight the battle of aging, and not only remain ‘young at heart’ but also young in mind and body.
The following 5 exercises can go a long way in helping boomers successfully negotiate their senior years with grace and strength.
- 1. Cardio
This does not include being frightened by a horror flick at the movies while chowing down on a big tub of extra buttered popcorn! What it does call for is at least 30 minutes of moderate cardio exercise each day, including brisk walking, running, swimming, biking, or working your heart to an exercise video. If 30 minutes is too long for your busy day, try to break it into three 10 minute bouts of exercise throughout the day. Any workout that can get the heart the exercise it needs is a good thing. However, for the best benefit, more is better, so don’t sell this exercise short.
2. Strength training
Obviously, as we age, our muscles are shrinking and losing the ability to provide the strength necessary to perform our daily functions. This can be minimized through strength training. It is a scientific fact that, even though our bodies are aging, the “memory” of our muscles can be reset and we can gain back at least some of what was lost due to the aging process. There is also the fact that aging boomers are experiencing higher cases of diabetes due in part to lower muscle mass. Strength training is essential to help regulate glucose metabolism by increasing muscle mass to offset both fat accumulation and the resulting diseases such as diabetes.
It is vital to work those muscles twice a week for 30 to 45 minutes by doing exercises such as push ups, bicep curls, triceps extensions, modified squats and lunges. You can also employ resistance bands to accomplish these exercises. They are lightweight, inexpensive and easy to have with you wherever you are.
It is also necessary that you allow 24 to 48 hours to rest between strength training. Your muscles need time to rest, heal and bounce back for the next round of exercise. Just as you don’t want to overextend yourself by requiring your body to perform as if you were still in your youth, you don’t want to over-exercise your muscles to the point of injuries either.
3. Flexibility training
With advancing age, there is also a reduced level of flexibility in older people. Since we tend to lose our ability to balance due to changes in connective tissues in the body, regular stretching can help, even as little as five to 10 minutes a day. Start the day by doing some overhead circle motions with the arms, along with a good overall stretch, making sure not to overstretch. In fact, a good time to do this is after a shower, since the body will be warmed up and less susceptible to injury. It is also vital to end the day with stretching exercises, especially the calf muscles and hamstrings in the leg area.
4. Balance training
Because we see in older adults a loss of balance, which results in more falls, there is a real need to compensate in ways other than relying simply on canes and walkers. There is no reason to resign ourselves to the inevitable when we can still do something about it as it pertains to balance. Some of the ways of improving our balance as we age include standing on one leg and holding that position for about ten seconds. Another balancing technique is to stand on your tippy toes and hold that position for five to ten seconds. Both of these exercises are quite simple and cost nothing more than a bit of our time. Done on a daily basis, these two exercises alone can make quite the difference when it comes to our balance.
5. Core training
When people age, they tend to ignore the importance of keeping their stomach muscles strong. The result of this all too often is a bad back. The fact is, by not keeping the ab muscles strong, the body is not able to sufficiently support the upper torso. This being the case, some simple abdominal exercises can go a long way in giving the aging body the support it needs to keep the back in good condition.
Lie on your back and place your feet under a piece of furniture. Lift your back slightly off the floor and hold this position for a count of five. Start with 10 reps a day and work your way to a higher number of reps to really strengthen this area of your body. Keep in mind: crunches are the key here; there is no need to perform a full sit up. In fact, by trying to prove that you still can, you could cause more harm than good!
Concentrate on ‘feeling the burn’ in the abdominal area. This will not only result in your stomach muscles getting strong, but remaining strong to help minimize the potential of a lower back injury.
And, if at all possible: lose the fat!
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