Over 60? These are the 7 best exercises to do (2023)

If you're over the age of 60, regular exercise is one of the most important ways to maintain a healthy lifestyle.

Not only thatreduce the risk of heart disease, osteoporosis and diabetes, but it also prevents fatal injuries and makes you feel more confident and capable.

regular trainingit will help you do more of what you love.

This can include spending time with family and pursuing hobbies without feeling restricted by your body.

For many seniors, exercise seems difficult.

For this reason, senior training is designed to maintain function without fatigue.

Light activities also count in your training plan.

So all you have to do is take the first step and quickly create an exercise routine that you can stick with.

There are many exercises for people over 60, but let's start with the benefits.

The health benefits of physical activity in older adults

Unfortunately, as we age, we lose muscle and bone mass.

Older people who lead healthy, active lifestyles live longer, have fewer illnesses, and perform better.

Conversely, a sedentary lifestyle increases the risk of osteoporosis, dementia, heart disease, diabetes, and premature death.

If you have a chronic condition, here are some of the benefits of exercise you can expect.

More independence for seniors

older than they dobalance exercisesand incorporate strength training into their program are less likely to depend on others (1).

Autonomy in old age is defined as the ability to perform activities of daily living without help.

These include walking, eating, showering, getting up, or using the bathroom, according to Harvard Medical School (2).

When you train to get stronger and work on balance, you'll not only live longer, but you'll have happier, more independent years into old age.

Better balance for seniors

Exercise is one of the best ways to reduce the risk of heart disease.

Regular aerobic activity also helps promote healthy brain aging by improving memory and attention span (6).

Exercise can also prevent severe muscle wasting.

Diseases like Alzheimer's, depression, type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and arthritis are prevented when you incorporate exercise into a healthy lifestyle.

Prevent life-changing chronic diseases

Exercise is one of the best ways to reduce the risk of heart disease.

Regular aerobic activity also promotes healthy brain aging by improving memory and alertness.

Exercise can also prevent severe muscle wasting.

Diseases like Alzheimer's, depression, type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and arthritis are prevented when you incorporate exercise into your healthy lifestyle.

The 7 Best Exercises for Older Adults

So what kind of exercise should you be doing when you're over 60?

A good exercise program for seniors should help you do your daily activities better.

This includes shopping, climbing stairs, crossing the street, babysitting, gardening, and whatever else you need to do with less stress.

if you dobody weight exercisesor resistance training, an active lifestyle will help you achieve this.

Here are the best exercises for people over 60.

1. Step by step

The step by step is not as easy as it seems. Step-ups involve coordination, leg strength, core stability, and balance.

You need core stability and hamstring strength to move up and forward.

The muscles involved in the step-up include the calves, hip flexors, tibialis anterior (front of the leg), quadriceps, abs, lower back, and glutes.

An added bonus to this exercise is its ability to reduce back pain by improving your core strength.

How to do this exercise:

• Find a box to climb. Depending on your skill level, choose something that isn't too challenging but more difficult than climbing a ladder.
• Start with your feet together, then lift your right foot onto the platform. Make sure you are stable in this position before proceeding to the next step.
• Step onto the platform and bring both feet together.
• Take a step back so that your left foot is back on the ground, and then bring your right foot back to the ground.
• Repeat for the other side

We recommend doing five sets of six reps so you can maintain rep quality.

Count one second going up and one second going down.

As you progress, use dumbbells and free weights to add resistance, or increase the height of the box for more intensity.

2. lunge

lungesHelp with strength training by strengthening your quads, glutes, and hamstrings.

If you like to walk or play sports like boules, golf or tennis, this is a great exercise to strengthen your legs and improve their performance as you age.

Lunges also help strengthen the muscles needed to sit and stand, so you can do it with less stress on your joints.

How to run:

• Start with your feet shoulder-width apart on a flat surface.
• Take a big step forward to stand in a split pose
• Lower your back knee to the ground while keeping your back straight and your eyes level. You can stretch your arms out to the sides for more balance, or place your hands on your hips.
• Push the floor away from you to return to your split position.

Perform three sets of pyramids with this exercise. Begin with a set of twelve repetitions, then ten, and end with eight.

This exercise improves muscle strength and endurance at the same time. Add dumbbells for added resistance.

3. Squats

Squats are possibly the best exercise to maintain strength and prevent injury.

Because it targets so many muscle groups, it also stimulates the cardiovascular system.

While challenging, the good news is that it's in almost every personal trainer's training toolkit for a reason.

It is important to do this exercise incorrect waySo be sure to follow these instructions.

How to run:

• Separate your feet shoulder width apart
• Extend your hands in front of you, level with the floor.
• Making sure your feet are flat on the floor, lower your hips as far as they will go while bending your hips and knees at the same time.
• return to the starting position

To master this exercise, start with three sets of ten repetitions and give yourself plenty of time to work your way down and up.

Depending on your mobility, you may need to adjust the width of your foot.

If you don't have a personal trainer, you can watch videos online on how to stay in shape with this exercise.

4. Incline Row

The bent over row is one of the best ways to strengthen your lower back, abs, hamstrings, glutes, upper back, and arms.

It can also help improve spinal mobility in the thoracic spine.

This exercise requires weights and a lot of hip mobility.

The bent over row is a natural way to imitate many everyday activities that require bending over.

To run the curved row:

• Begin by standing with your feet shoulder-width apart.
• With two light dumbbells in each hand, slowly lean forward at the hips.
• Pull your elbows back to lift the weight toward your chest.
• Keep your back very straight as you lift the weight up and down.

This exercise can be done with three sets of ten repetitions or with pyramid sets of twelve, ten and eight repetitions.

5. Leg press

The leg press is a great addition to your training program.

Typically, a leg press can use more weight than a squat, making it the best exercise for brute leg strength.

You'll improve your ability to get up from chairs or up stairs with a leg press as your quads get stronger.

How to run:

• Adjust the weight on the leg press to the desired level
• Place your feet shoulder-width apart or more on the machine deck
• Most leg press machines have a knob that you have to turn to unlock the platform so you can press it. Be sure to unlock it before performing the lift and lock it again after the last repetition.
• Slowly lower the weight until it feels uncomfortable, then slide the weight back
• Perform three sets of ten repetitions each to maximize muscle strength.

6. Chest pressure

The chest press is a great exercise for beginners to strengthen the chest muscles.

The chest press strengthens the pectorals, which are among the largest muscles in the upper body.

They also strengthen the anterior deltoids, the front part of the shoulder muscles.

Because these muscles are so large, they also use a lot of oxygen, so exercising them can improve your heart health.

The chest press is relatively easy to perform.

To see how:

• Adjust the chest machine to the desired position
• Choose Weight/Resistance
• Place your hands firmly on the handle and stretch your back against the backrest.
• Without interfering with your posture, slide the handles forward and keep your shoulder blades engaged.

Perform three sets of ten repetitions in a controlled movement to improve chest strength and endurance.

7. Planks

An iron is an effective methodBasic exercise for seniors.. This static movement helps build core strength and stability without straining your back.

WhileplanksIt's primarily an abdominal and core workout, it also targets the shoulders, glutes, and hips.

It's a full body workout in just 30 seconds.

To make a plank:

• Begin by kneeling on a mat. Place your forearms on the mat and keep your elbows bent at a 90-degree angle.
• Extend your legs fully back.
• Support your body and support your body with your forearms and toes. Keep your back and spine straight.
• Hold the position for 30-45 seconds and return to the starting position.

8. Don't forget cardio

Cardiovascular training is a great way to strengthen your heart.

A complete exercise program should include strength training and aerobic activity to maximize heart health.

Some people may think of cardio as strenuous sessions on a treadmill or elliptical machine, but cardio can be light or vigorous stress-reducing activities.

Running counts too.

An additional benefit of cardiovascular exercise is better sleep, which reduces the risk of depression and Alzheimer's.

Cardio can be both a low and high impact form of exercise. High-impact exercises are the best for strengthening joints, but they're not for everyone.

Walking is a natural way to improve heart and brain health.

The Centers for Disease Control physical activity guidelines recommend at least 150 minutes of brisk walking per week for older adults, or 75 minutes per week for more vigorous activities such as jogging (7).

Other forms of cardio include water aerobics, use of aerobic machines, walking, bicycling, stair climbing, and mountaineering.

As long as you are standing up and getting your heart rate up, you can enjoy it.Benefits of aerobic activityin just 30 minutes a day, five times a week.

Conclusion – sports over 60

Physical activity takes many forms. When choosing exercise for an older adult, look for a healthy combination of balance, strength, and cardiovascular exercises.

Benefits include less back and joint pain, stronger hips and knees, better coordination and balance, easier daily activities, and better overall health.Top 10 Resistance Band Exercises You Can Do At Home

References:

1. Copeland, Jennifer L., et al. "Sedentary time in older adults: a critical review of measurement, health associations, and interventions". British Journal of Sports Medicine, BMJ Publishing Group Ltd and British Association of Sport and Exercise Medicine, November 1, 2017, bjsm.bmj.com/content/51/21/1539.
2. Howard E. LeWine, MD. "Walking, another exercise, helps seniors stay mobile and independent." Harvard Health, October 13, 2020, www.health.harvard.edu/blog/walking-exercise-helps-seniors-stay-mobile-independent-201405287173.
3. CENTERS FOR DISEASE CONTROL AND PREVENTION. "Costs are falling for seniors." Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, July 9, 2020, www.cdc.gov/homeandrecreationalsafety/falls/data/fallcost.html.
4. WHO. "falls." World Health Organization, World Health Organization, www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/falls.
5. El-Khoury, Fabienne, et al. "The effect of exercise programs for fall prevention on fall-related injuries in community-dwelling older adults: systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials." The BMJ, British Medical Journal Publishing Group, October 29 (zorafestival.org) 2013, www.bmj.com/content/347/bmj.f6234.
6. Fetch, Jennifer. “Exercise helps older people stay fit and remember better.” National Center for Health Research, February 16, 2018, www.center4research.org/exercise-older-people/.
7. CENTERS FOR DISEASE CONTROL AND PREVENTION. “How much physical activity do older adults need?” Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, February 11, 2021, www.cdc.gov/physicalactivity/basics/older_adults/index.htm.