As we grow older, physical and mental exercise are important to keep our bodies functioning well. For everyone from teenagers to seniors, keeping your mind and body sharp will lead to an improved quality of life. Whether you’re new to fitness or regularly exercise, the following exercises are easy for anyone to learn!
Physical Exercise
When planning your physical exercise, they can be divided into four categories. Try to achieve at least one exercise from each of the four categories to keep a well-rounded exercise regimen. The four exercise categories are:
- Aerobic
- Strength
- Balance
- Flexibility
Light Weight Lifting – Strength Exercises
Gentle strength exercises are wonderful for seniors and can be done a few times a week. Light weight lifting will lead to strengthened muscles and improved overall fitness. Always start your exercises with small weights such as three or five pound dumbbells. Some exercises to perform with the dumbbells are bicep curls, chest presses and squats.
Here’s a quick look at proper bicep curl technique:
Aerobic Exercises
Aerobic exercises are exercises that increase your breathing and heart rate while building up your endurance. Walking, cycling, swimming are some popular aerobic exercises.
Balance Exercises
Balance exercises help to strengthen your core and can help prevent falls. Some easy to do balance exercises are back leg raises, side leg raises, leg swings, standing on one leg, and walking heel to toe.
Flexibility Exercises
Flexibility exercises help to stretch the muscles and keep the body limber.
Tai Chi achieves aerobic, balance and flexibility exercises all at the same time. Tai Chi can help to get your blood pumping while you keep your body flexible and maintain your sense of balance. Tai Chi is slow moving, easy on the joints and low impact – making it a great fit for seniors. Learning Tai Chi is a lot like learning synchronized dancing and it can be an excellent way to keep your mind sharp. Tai Chi is a great exercise whether you’re with a group of friends or are exercising solo. You can even find groups online who practice together in parks around town.
Here is a great video to help get you started with basic Tai Chi moves:
Mental Exercise
It is important to keep the mind sharp while you maintain your physical well-being. Mental exercises are a good way to stimulate your brain and keep it functioning at a high level.
Learn a New Language
Learning a new language has many benefits as a mental exercise. When you learn a new language, the brain starts to make new neural connections which help to keep it refreshed and alert. Furthermore, studies show that a rich vocabulary helps reduce the risk for cognitive decline. Fun apps like DuoLingo make it easy to learn new languages from your phone or iPad.
