5 types of exercises that every senior should do to stay active

It is important to maintain a healthy lifestyle, with healthy eating habits and constant physical activity, especially when you are a senior person. All of this helps maintain good physical and mental health.

What exercises can seniors do?

1. Strength exercises

It is basically about performing movements of large and small muscle groups to improve the quality, tone, and resistance of the muscle. The progression of the weight must be adjusted by a professional and as a variant of this exercise the weight of the body itself, garters or weights can also be used, in what is known as isometric exercises (a type of exercise that involves muscle tension without the need to move from the site).

2. Flexibility exercises

Flexibility exercises help keep the joints active and stimulate muscle lengthening, this to prevent stiffening, shrinkage and to maintain mobility. They can also be done with isometric exercises. Some of them also serve to prepare the body for more dynamic exercises or to close the round of activity, such as yoga, Pilates, or stretching.

3. Aerobic exercises

Aerobic exercises stimulate blood, lymphatic, and respiratory circulation, but should be done under professional supervision. The ideal is to have equipment that measures the heart rate to avoid possible complications. Some examples are: brisk walks, jogging, biking, kinesthesia.

4. Anaerobic exercises

Anaerobic exercises are those that do not need high doses of oxygen in their execution and allow us to consciously work our breathing, which helps to control certain metabolic processes. Generally, it is usually alternated with aerobic exercises to lower the heart and respiratory rate. Some of them are Yoga, slow walks, and tai-chi.

5. Balance exercises

It consists of performing difficult postures and progressing with them, alternating them with each other. In addition, they are often combined with dynamic movements that test the stability of the body. Yoga, tai-chi, and pilates are excellent.

Bonus: Benefits of isometric exercises

Among the benefits of isometric exercises we find:

• You work with your own body, without the need for external elements.
• They are short and intense exercises, which reduces the total training time.
• Allows training focused on strengthening specific parts of our body.
• It is an appropriate and common practice in rehabilitation processes.
• They help correct postural problems, whether it is riding a bike, running, sitting in the office, or standing for long hours.

As you can see, physical activities can combine different types of exercises and you can visit the House for the Elderly in your district to find out what they offer. Remember that all these activities must be carried out under the accompaniment, support, and supervision of specialized personnel to avoid any injury or accident. In addition, the senior must always be hydrated.