As you get older, maintaining wellness can become more difficult. Eating healthy and getting ample sleep every night are essential to staying fit and avoiding obesity, but you also need to engage in regular physical activity to live a long and healthy life. In fact, the American Heart Association states that the elderly need moderate physical activity for at least 30 minutes five times per week. But many seniors find exercising difficult – it can cause strain on already sore joints and muscles and even lead to falls and injuries.
Many older people find that they just don't have the energy for a brisk workout, and that's where swimming comes into play. Whether you take a few leisurely laps or participate in aquatic aerobics classes, getting in the water and moving around can get your blood moving and heart pumping. While few people realize it (because they're busy having fun!) swimming gently works all of the muscles. Such activities are also low-impact – they're easy on the joints and the water provides added resistance without overheating the body – which means you're at reduced risk of suffering injuries caused by excessive exertion. If you're interested in water workouts, hit the pool and try these simple exercises:
Aquatic kicking
You may remember this movement from when you first learned to swim – it's often one of the techniques used to become familiar with swimming and develop water legs. That's why it's a good exercise to start out with if you haven't been in a pool in a while. Start by grabbing onto the edge of the pool and lifting your feet straight out behind you so that you're floating. Then, just kick. Slashing can be fun and it's a good way to make sure you're lifting your legs enough, but be remember to be respectful of the other people in the pool. The kicking motion can help build strength in the hips, knees and legs, which can, in turn, improve balance.
You may remember this movement from when you first learned to swim – it's often one of the techniques used to become familiar with swimming and develop water legs. That's why it's a good exercise to start out with if you haven't been in a pool in a while. Start by grabbing onto the edge of the pool and lifting your feet straight out behind you so that you're floating. Then, just kick. Slashing can be fun and it's a good way to make sure you're lifting your legs enough, but be remember to be respectful of the other people in the pool. The kicking motion can help build strength in the hips, knees and legs, which can, in turn, improve balance.
Water walking
This technique may seem simple, but walking through water can really get your heart rate up and arouse a sweat. That's because, compared to taking a stroll on land, it requires more effort to lift your legs and swing your arms thanks to the extra weight of the water. For extra resistance, try cupping your hands, which will increase how much weight your arms need to push to move forward.
This technique may seem simple, but walking through water can really get your heart rate up and arouse a sweat. That's because, compared to taking a stroll on land, it requires more effort to lift your legs and swing your arms thanks to the extra weight of the water. For extra resistance, try cupping your hands, which will increase how much weight your arms need to push to move forward.
Along with strengthening your core, which improves stability, flexibility and general wellness, water walking tones the muscles in the biceps and forearms. Many seniors who suffer from stiffness and poor balance turn to this exercise because the smooth movements are easy on the joints and falls generally don't lead to injury, since the water is there to catch you. After your body has become used to walking through water, you may want to increase the difficulty by running through the water. You may find that you can't move very quickly due to the resistance, but it can provide a great workout.
Standing push-ups
When you're ready to focus on the arms during your aquatic workout, head to the side of the pool and use the wall to do a few sets of push-ups. It's best to do these exercises in water that reaches up to your shoulders for optimal resistance. Place your hands on the wall shoulder-width apart and simply bend at the shoulders to push yourself back and forth as though you're doing a regular push-up. As you move, the water will provide pressure against your back, forcing your arms and shoulders to work harder and build muscle strength.
When you're ready to focus on the arms during your aquatic workout, head to the side of the pool and use the wall to do a few sets of push-ups. It's best to do these exercises in water that reaches up to your shoulders for optimal resistance. Place your hands on the wall shoulder-width apart and simply bend at the shoulders to push yourself back and forth as though you're doing a regular push-up. As you move, the water will provide pressure against your back, forcing your arms and shoulders to work harder and build muscle strength.
Water jumping jacks
As one of the most strenuous forms of aerobic training, jumping jacks have immense benefits. They burn calories, strengthen the heart and increase endurance. For a tamer version of this high-impact exercise, take to the water. As with regular jumping jacks, start by standing with your feet together and your arms at your side, then jump while pushing the feet apart and raising the arms so your hands meet above your head. Bring the feet back together and the arms back down to your side, then repeat. You'll find that they're much easier in the pool due to the buoyancy that helps lift you off of the ground, and they're considerably safer.
As one of the most strenuous forms of aerobic training, jumping jacks have immense benefits. They burn calories, strengthen the heart and increase endurance. For a tamer version of this high-impact exercise, take to the water. As with regular jumping jacks, start by standing with your feet together and your arms at your side, then jump while pushing the feet apart and raising the arms so your hands meet above your head. Bring the feet back together and the arms back down to your side, then repeat. You'll find that they're much easier in the pool due to the buoyancy that helps lift you off of the ground, and they're considerably safer.
While these exercises can have immense health benefits, it's important to make sure you're healthy enough to this physical activity. Visit a doctor to get a check-up and figure out a swimming or water aerobics routine that is right for you. Once you begin your workout regime, don't be discouraged if you don't feel soreness that often comes with exercise – some people falsely believe that exercise is not effective is it's not painful and give up before the results reveal themselves.
Source: medicare
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