Morning Exercises for the Elderly

The musculoskeletal system naturally deteriorates with age. Muscle, partly due to physical inactivity, atrophies and, as a result, strength decreases. Because bones don’t have to handle as much load, bones become more porous and less dense, making them more susceptible to fractures. In addition, balance and flexibility decrease. When elderly individuals begin their day with exercise, they can significantly limit musculoskeletal system deterioration.

  1. Cardiovascular Endurance

    • FamilyDoctor.org recommends that elderly people get at least 30 minutes of cardiovascular exercise on most days. Walking, biking and swimming are quality exercises for adults who are over the age of 65. MedlinePlus adds that cardiovascular endurance exercise will help elderly individuals improve their heart and circulatory system health and will help them be able to move around longer before getting fatigued. Start each of your morning workouts with your cardio session, which will provide heart benefits and also warm your body up so that it’s ready for strengthening, balance or stretching exercises.

    Strengthening

    • Incorporate strength training after your cardio workout two mornings every week. Lifting weights will help you retain and build muscular strength, which will help you maintain physical function. In addition, you’ll be preventing muscular atrophy, or age-related muscle loss. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, weight training will not only build muscular strength, but will also help maintain bone density and improve balance and coordination. It also is effective at helping reduce the risk of arthritis. Complete two sets of eight to 12 repetitions of each exercise.

    Balance

    • While cardio and weight training will help improve balance, you can further develop your proprioception by doing balance exercises after your cardio workouts two days out of the week. Proprioception is your body’s ability to sense when you’re falling off balance and then to make corrections. Stand in a staggered stance so that the heel of your front foot touches the toes of the back foot. Try to hold this position for 30 seconds, then switch the position of your feet. Another exercise involves standing on one foot and maintaining your balance for 30 seconds at a time, then switching legs. Have a chair close by in case you need to catch yourself. To increase the difficulty of the exercises, close your eyes.

    Stretching

    • Following each of your morning workouts, incorporate five to 10 minutes of static stretching. Stretching will keep your muscles from becoming tight and inflexible. When stretching, get into a position where you feel a mild pull and then hold that position for 30 seconds. Do two sets of each stretch, resting a moment in between each set. Stretch your hamstrings by sitting on the floor with your legs extended and then reaching for your toes. Then, lie all the way back and pull one knee to your chest to stretch your glutes. Keep your shoulders limber by rolling your shoulders and doing arm circles.