Fit at 60: Exercise routines to stay in shape at any age (2023)

The question

There are many men and women over 60 who are trying to build their bodies or just become more active and healthier. Along with maintaining or building a great physique, recovery and proper technique are now even more important.

What is the best workout for people over 60? Be specific.

How does an exercise routine for someone over 60 differ from someone younger?

What are some good dietary supplements for people over 60?

Show your knowledge to the world!

the winners

1. Soundcheck129show profile
2. Steveiron-Bombeshow profile

1st place: Klangtest129

See this author's BodySpaceHere.

There are many men and women over 60 who are trying to build their bodies or just become more active and healthier. Along with maintaining or building a great physique, recovery and proper technique are now even more important.

Exercise is important at any age, and staying active as you age is a great way to promote longer, healthier lives and prevent injury. More and more seniors are participating in a variety of activities from athletics to aerobics, proving that you don't have to be young to play hardball and have fun.

What is the best workout for people over 60?

Of course, older adults participate in different exercises than younger adults and teenagers. While no one wants to be heard saying they can't do something, certain movements are unsuitable for older adults and age needs to be considered.

Before beginning any exercise plan, it is important to consult a doctor who knows your personal medical history. This advice applies to exercise enthusiasts of all ages. However, since older adults are at greater risk for medical problems like osteoporosis and arthritis, this is a crucial first step.

After receiving authorization, one may not be sure where to begin. Luckily she isACSMprovides some general guidelines for exercise programs designed specifically for older adults.

The main recommendation is that you get at least 30 minutes of "moderate physical activity" most days of the week. And while it may seem like an odd priority, strength training should be the main focus as it prevents the loss of bone and muscle mass. In addition, flexibility and functional movements (which mimic everyday activities) are important.

In this sample plan, there are four days of cardiovascular activity and two days of strength training. If you experience discomfort or pain during the activity, stop immediately and seek advice from a trainer or doctor. Also, make sure you have water nearby at all times.

cardiovascular activity

Before beginning the session, it's important to do some stretching to warm up. This reduces the risk of muscle strain and improves flexibility, a key concern of exercise programs for older adults. Remember not to "jump" or overstretch as this will only aggravate the muscles. Some good stretches include: tricep stretches, seated twists, toe taps, standing bicep stretches, and spinal stretches.

Once the track is over, it's time to get the party started! When it comes to cardiovascular activity, it's not the type of exercise itself that's important, but the intensity.

ACSMrecommends working at a level that's "hard enough to get your heart rate up and work up a sweat" but still allows you to "keep a conversation going." This ensures that the body is stimulated, but not so intensely that there is a risk of overexertion.

The activity options are practically limitless: do what you like best. As there are four days of cardio, variety can be built in - this is a great way to keep things fresh, fun and not feel burned out or bored. Some great activities for seniors include:

• aerobic
• Nadar
• Go
• Run
• Cycling (indoors or outdoors)
• water aerobics
• Aerobic
• rowing machine

All of these activities can be made more fun by involving family and friends, or by doing them while reading a book or magazine or watching TV. Before you know it, 30 minutes have passed.

Bodybuilding

Again, stretching is essential before you start exercising. Ensuring joints and muscles move comfortably can help prevent injury, and warming up muscles before exercise makes them less susceptible to strain. Bodybuilding should be done twice a week in sessions of 20 to 45 minutes. In addition, the same moderate intensity should be aimed for.

Since hypertrophy and maximum strength production are unlikely to be goals for people over 60, free weights and muscle specialization won't be necessary. Instead, one or two exercises should be performed for each of the following muscle groups: legs, back, shoulders, arms, chest, and abdomen. Two sets of 8 to 10 repetitions should be sufficient for each exercise. In addition, the focus should be on functional movements.

A training example would look like this:

Tag 1

1

Sumo squats with dumbbells

2 sets, 8-10 reps

(Video) Fit at 58! My Diet + Exercise Routine!

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Click here to print a transcript of soundcheck129's first day of training.

Tag 2

• Push-ups: 2 sets of 8 to 15 repetitions
• Lat Pulldown: 2 sets of 8-10 reps
• Dumbbell lunges: 2 sets of 8-10 reps (for both legs)
• Hyperextensions: 2 sets of 8-10 reps
• Ab Machine: 2 sets of 8-10 reps
• Cable Rows: 2 sets of 8 to 10 reps
• Leg Press: 2 sets of 8 to 10 reps
• Incline Press: 2 sets of 8-10 reps

Click here to print the 129 Sound Check Day 2 Training Log.

To avoid overexertion, strength training should not be performed on consecutive days. As with cardio, bringing friends and family along is a great way to make the experience more enjoyable and more likely to continue.

How is an exercise program different from someone over 60?

Obviously, age matters when it comes to physical activity, especially in a potentially demanding environment like the weight room. An important difference lies in the frequency of training.

While teenagers can handle three days of weightlifting per week with seven days of cardio, for older adults this is unrealistic and likely to result in injury.

Training duration also varies, with older adults training about 1/3 to 1/2 the time that a younger athlete would. Intensity also varies, as more delicate joints and less conditioned lungs and other muscles are potential problems for older adults.

The exercises themselves have some differences. While free weights are often preferred by gym goers and exercise enthusiasts, machines are preferred by older adults.

Using machines will help maintain proper form as the movement will be assisted. Also, the movements of the machine don't rely as heavily on muscle stabilization, which is important since older adults can be a bit deconditioned and the muscles haven't developed enough for complex free weight movements.

Finally, the selection of exercises for seniors is specialized. Functional movements are key, as are exercises that target more than one muscle. Because few lifting exercises are performed, isolation exercises would be ineffective and therefore inappropriate.

What are some good dietary supplements for people over 60?

Although younger athletes should theoretically be healthier, most supplements are aimed at them. However, older adults can find many supplements that meet their needs. Some possibilities are:

multivitamin

multivitaminThey're recommended almost everywhere, and the over-60s are no exception. Because older adults have lower calorie needs than younger athletes, it can be difficult for them to get enough nutrients from their daily meals. A solid multivitamin fills in the gaps and boosts your immune system and overall health.

fish oil

sufficient intake offatty acidsMaintaining good health is important, and a reduced-calorie diet may not have adequate amounts. Fats also protect joints and organs, which are vital to an active lifestyle. Eating healthy fats has also been linked to a reduction in Alzheimer's disease and other mental disorders.[2]

Supplement to joint care

Because well-functioning joints are essential for movement, aSupplement to joint careit is highly recommended. So older adults have decades of gravity wear on their jointstaking glucosamine, a component of cartilage, would be a wise choice.

DHEA

This is a powerful hormone that produces estrogen and testosterone.DHEAIt is often said that its use "reduces the effects of aging", stimulates the immune system, contributes to the development of muscle mass and improves memory. Who couldn't use an addition like this?

Fuentes

1. Physical Activity Guidelines. American College of Sports Medicine, 2007.http://www.acsm.org/
2. The human brain - fats. Franklin Institute, 2004.http://www.fi.edu/learn/brain/fats.html#fatsbuild

2nd Place: Steveiron Pump

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Healthy training (over 60 years)

By the age of 60, the body is no longer able to build large amounts of new muscle. Most of the time, muscle tissue that is already there can increase in size, but the total amount is unlikely to increase. Recovery is also much slower due to reduced nutrient absorption.

The body also begins to fall into a fragile state where joint injuries are common and recovery takes a long time and full recovery is often not possible. Any injury after the age of 60 is likely to be fairly serious.

The main goal of training should be to increase strength and reduce the risk of diseases (especially heart disease). So a workout should just be about getting the blood flowing and building some strength without causing serious injury.

training schedule

The first step in creating an exercise plan when you are over 60 is to understand the condition of your body. A 60-year-old man who has been sedentary his whole life will obviously be in a different situation than a former marathon runner. It's also important to recognize previous joint injuries and try to minimize stress on those joints.

Exercises to avoid:

• I wonder *
• Supino*
• Free weight squats
• own weight
• Pulling or pushing movements behind the head*
• High Impact Cardio oder Plyometrie
• High risk of shoulder injuries

*High risk of shoulder injury.

The best overall workout would be a simple circuit workout that includes lifting movements that allow for easy weight control and reduce the risk of injury.

The general format is to create a full body workout where you transition from one exercise to the next. High rep exercises are also necessary to increase strength and minimize the risk of injury. Since this is a full body workout, try to focus on compound movements that involve many different parts of the body. A workout should look like this:

• 5-minute, low-intensity, low-impact cardiovascular warm-up. Use a recumbent elliptical trainer or walk on a treadmill.

After warming up, begin your workout with a series of compound upper body movements. After that, continue with a lower body movement and finish with some core exercises.

The final part of the workout is getting back on the cardio machines to keep the blood flowing and the calories burned. 10-15 minutes of cardio post-workout is enough. This cardio should be of low to moderate intensity.

Here is the training:

5 minute cardio warm up

upper body

• Dumbbell Bench Press: (rotate arms at end of movement) 10-20 reps
• Push-ups: 10-20 reps
• Triceps Extension: 10-20 reps
• Dumbbell Bicep Curls: 10-20 reps

Note: only complete the loop again if you feel you can handle it.

Click here for a printable upper body workout log from steveironpump.

slow body

• Leg Press: 10-20 reps
• Calf: 10-20 reps
• Leg Extensions: 10-20 reps
• Hamstrings: 10-20 reps

Note: only complete the loop again if you feel you can handle it.

Click here for a printable log of steveironpump's lower body workout.

Center

• Abdominal Ball Exercise: to muscle failure
• Leg raises: to failure

Note: only complete the loop again if you feel you can handle it.

Click here to print a recording of steveironpump's Basic Training.

Post-workout cardio

A workout should not last longer than 45 minutes.

Just do a cycle the first time you train to see where your condition is. The average person will only be able to complete one cycle. If you run out of energy and feel dizzy, stop and rest. Only continue at this point if your body is normal and regulated. Otherwise call it one day and go home.

Try to exercise 2 days a week and walk some of the days between workouts.

What are some good dietary supplements for people over 60?

Glucosamine,MSM,Chondroitinand collagen are good supplements that promote joint health. If you are over 60, you should consume as many of these nutrients as possible to protect your joints. Some supplements contain all four.

Make sure you exercise carefully and don't overexert yourself if you have joint pain or are uncomfortable. At 60 you want to get a good workout while protecting your body.

Supplementing protein shakes is unnecessary and pointless. At this age, the body cannot easily digest and absorb proteins, resulting in excess body wasting and weight gain due to supplementation.