After the age of 50, muscle strength declines by 15% per decade but if you start to keep fit now, you can halt or slow that deterioration

High blood pressure, high body fat levels, osteoporosis, slower coordination and balance are some of the health problems people struggle with as they get older. All of these problems can be prevented or their impact reduced by being physically active. Life can be made a lot easier and joyful through improvement in strength, balance and mobility.
Exercise is a vital tool that can benefit both body and soul at any age. Even if you have not been active from a young age, exercise will be beneficial to your health. As we get older our muscle size and fibres decrease, especially those needed for fast and big movements. It’s important to exercise the big muscle groups such as your quadriceps, hamstrings, calves and most importantly your core muscles. Your abdominal muscles, otherwise known as your core muscles, regulate and stabilise your whole body. Strength training, flexibility, balance and endurance are all important for a healthy and strong body.

When we choose exercises to maintain our muscle strength it is important to take our bones into consideration as well. Bone is living tissue just like muscle and it needs to be exercised to become stronger and denser. Impact training is needed for bones to extract minerals such as calcium from our daily food and supplements in order to build bone and become stronger. Impact training or weight bearing exercises can include tennis, walking, dancing and stair climbing. If you have not been running from a young age it is better not to choose running as a new weight-bearing exercise.

Some strength training is good to add to your impact training. Strength training doesn’t mean body building – simply exercise muscle groups with a light weight and slowly increase the weight. All muscle groups, such as your legs, arms, shoulders and back, need strength-training exercises at least twice a week. Remember that strength training makes use of very controlled and slow movement.

Strong bones are no good if you are not flexible. Being able to bend and rotate your joints helps to prevent injuring yourself. Flexibility exercises can be done on their own or as part of a warm-up routine. Yoga is a fantastic option for flexibility as it stretches not only your muscles but also your joints. As we age, our joints stiffen, which can lead to decreased range of motion and subsequent injury. Stretching before all types of exercise is of great importance to prepare the body for either strength or endurance training.

Here are some simple yet effective exercises that you can try at home:

Shoulder shrugs
Holding a light weight in each hand, hang your arms at your sides. Stand with feet hip-width apart. Pull both shoulders up to your ears and release. Repeat 10 times.

Calf raises
Stand with feet hip-width apart and resting your hands on a chair’s back for stability. Slowly push yourself up on your toes and come down again. Repeat 10 times.

Chair squats
Still holding on to your chair, but placing the chair at your side, place your opposite hand on your hip for balance and squat slowly down and slowly back up again. Repeat 10 times.

Back flies
Holding a light weight or just making a fist with your hands, straighten both arms above your head. You should be able to see your hands without tilting your head. Bring your hands down to your shoulders and then to your sides. Bring your hands up again to your shoulders and lift again in the air. Try to keep your posture straight and abdominals contracted. Repeat 10 times.

Safety Tips
ϖ    Consult your physician before starting any new exercise programme
ϖ    Start slowly and build up your level of activity
ϖ    Drink lots of water
ϖ    Don’t hold your breath while doing any movement
ϖ    Avoid jerky and rapid movements
ϖ    Avoid heavy lifting
ϖ    Be aware of obstacles around you
ϖ    Stretch after all exercises
ϖ    Wear comfortable clothing

Remember, ageing is a privilege, but it is our responsibility to keep our bodies healthy and strong for as long as we can.


Information provided by Healthy U Limited