Whether you've turned 50 or are just about to turn 50, it's important to be aware of the challenges and rewards of staying in good physical shape that come along with it. As a 55-year-old tennis player and Pilates fanatic, I'm no stranger to longer recovery times, unruly muscles and injuries, of which I've had my share.
When I turned 18, my tennis friends gave me a basket full of first aid supplies: ice packs, ointments, bandages and painkillers. Little did I know that I would actually use them all up within the next ten years!
I did not intend to reduce the number of tennis trainings and competitions as I grew older. But I still noticed that it became harder for me to run after the ball, and that I often suffered from muscle and ligament sprains. I've learned the hard way that the older you get, the more focus and creativity it takes to stay in shape.
The good news is that the benefits of being fit after 50 are well worth the effort.
What should workouts be like after 50 years?
Most of us know intuitively that exercise is beneficial, but once you find the right workout routine, it's critical to stick to it. Jordan D. Metzel, a sports physician who specializes in endurance training, says that instead of prescribing a specific training regimen, he encourages his patients to find what works for them personally. “The ideal exercise for you is actually what you do!” Experts say that you can get the most benefit from your workouts by doing 150 minutes a week moderately or 75 minutes a week vigorously. If you are just starting to exercise, first check your health and consult with your doctor, but otherwise everyone can remain active and feel good as they age.
Here are 10 facts about exercising after 50 that may help you rethink your approach to health and weight loss.
Fitness for the elderly: useful or not?
Therefore, the first step to new achievements should be a consultation with the attending physician, and perhaps with specialists.
A competent specialist will not only determine the useful level of exercise, but will also give additional recommendations on maintaining health. For example, he may advise you to purchase compression hosiery, which will improve venous circulation and help reduce stress on your legs.
If you have a history of chronic diseases, heart attack or stroke, then exercise is also necessary, but only according to an individual program and under the supervision of a doctor.
Age reduces the body's adaptive capabilities, and this can manifest itself under conditions of physical activity. There are sports that can negatively affect health, especially if we are talking about people who did not exercise regularly or took a long break.
Build muscle to avoid injury.
Adults over 20 years old lose 2 to 3 kg of muscle mass during each of the following decades. Recent studies have shown that most of the muscle loss associated with age is actually caused by physical inactivity. Fortunately, resistance training can reverse this process by increasing the size of muscle fibers. Strength training increases bone mass and density, protecting against osteoporosis, a disease that makes bones more fragile and prone to fracture. The American Journal of Medicine recently reported that people with higher muscle mass index live longer. So go out and pump up your muscles!
Expert opinion
Retirees should try to devote 150 minutes to sports and aerobic exercise every week. At least twice a week you need to do strength training that works the main muscle groups.
Examples of moderate aerobic activity:
- a ride on the bicycle;
- volleyball;
- walking;
- water gymnastics;
- doubles tennis.
Another option is a combination of moderate and increased aerobic exercise. Example: Two half-hour runs plus 30 minutes of brisk walking equals 150 minutes of moderate aerobic activity and core strength training twice a week or more. This training scheme is optimal for maintaining the health of people from 19 to 64 years old. For older people, other forms of physical activity are suitable.
Do stretching exercises to maintain flexibility.
On days when you're recovering from intense workouts, enjoy exercise that keeps your body flexible. Ruthie Fraser, structural integration specialist and author of Stack Your Bones, emphasizes that stretching is extremely important. “ As we age, we become shorter, so it is useful to do this exercise every day: place a roller under your shoulders and stretch your back on it, increasing the flexibility of your shoulders and spine
" Aging doesn't have to be painful; if you're strong and flexible, you'll always feel like you're 35 or even 20!
Squash
This is an indoor sport that is great for maintaining the health of older people. It is played with rackets and a hollow rubber ball. Essentially, this is an analogue of tennis. The goal of the game is to hit the wall with the ball in such a way that the opponent cannot parry the blow.
In just half an hour of play, the body burns an average of 500 calories. You will have to run and jump after the ball, which means your joints will get a quality workout that is good for your health. Sport effectively reduces the risk of type 2 diabetes. Because it requires two or four people to play, squash is a social game. Pensioners can play with friends or meet new acquaintances with common interests.
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Exercising improves memory.
As a corporate health and fitness program developer, Debi Conoscenti is excited about new research that links physical activity to improved memory and cognitive recovery. Earlier studies of yoga and cycling also show this connection. One study found that regular aerobic exercise appears to increase the size of the hippocampus, an area of the brain involved in word memory and learning. Moreover, cardio exercise “stimulates the growth of new blood vessels in the brain and even the formation and maintenance of new brain cells.” So, when you keep yourself in good shape, not only does your muscle function improve, but your brain function improves as well!
Swimming
Water is 800 times denser than air, so the exercise allows you to burn calories and build muscle mass. Muscles work more actively in water, the heart and lungs also work more energetically to pump blood and supply oxygen to organs and limbs. This improves cardiovascular health.
Older people often suffer from arthritis. Swimming is ideal for them: water holds 90% of their weight. This means that movements cause less discomfort in sore joints, maintaining muscle tone. Since swimming is a pleasant activity, it improves your mood. By visiting the pool regularly, you can make friends who also enjoy water sports. Here you can engage in other healthy activities, such as water polo or aqua aerobics.
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Pullover
This exercise strengthens the pectoral muscles, back, upper shoulder girdle and develops the collar area.
Lie on your back on the sofa so that your hands, when you lower them behind your head, are completely above the empty space. Take the position as for the previous exercise: knees bent, lower back pressed against the sofa, hands with dumbbells above your chest. Connect your fists and do not open them until the end of the exercise. Bend your elbows slightly so that they feel soft. Without bending further, lower both hands behind your head as deeply as possible and return to the starting position.
Perform 15 times, rest and repeat 15 more times.
Expert advice - how to improve your classes
Starting any kind of training in old age is not easy, especially if you weren’t “friendly” with sports before. There are several tricks that will help you adapt to your activities and make them an integral part of your life.
- Find like-minded people. These could be your peers, neighbors or acquaintances from the exercise therapy group. If there are none, then try to involve your grandchildren in the activities: sign up for the pool with them, play tennis and chess, go skiing in winter.
- Don't let yourself be lazy: make a training plan and follow it strictly.
- Buy a pool or gym membership, buy Nordic walking poles, a bicycle or ski equipment. If you feel sorry for the money you spent, then in the future you will try to ensure that it does not go to waste.
- Diversify your workouts, alternate different types of loads, don’t get hung up on one thing.
- Choose activities that suit the season. For example, don't try to jog on an icy path in winter. You could fall on ice and be seriously injured. But playing table tennis indoors is suitable for any time of year.
Sometimes exercise can include walking the dog, playing with the grandchildren on the playground, or even just going to the store. Working in the garden can also be beneficial, but only with proper organization. It is important to work less inclined, not lift heavy objects and stay in the shade.
Whatever sport you choose, remember that you can’t just rush into it, just like in any other business. You need to approach training systematically, regulating the duration and intensity of physical activity, and carefully “listening” to your body. If the loads are excessive for him, he will definitely give a signal.
Preferred sports
There are certain sports that are best suited for older people. They take into account their priority needs, problems, and possible risks. Let's look at some of these activities.
Swimming
Swimming and water aerobics in the pool are best suited for patients with pathologies of the musculoskeletal system (arthrosis, osteochondrosis) and elderly people with osteoporosis. In water, body weight decreases, so the load on the joints and spine is reduced. Even complex movements are easier, and the risk of damaging articular cartilage is close to zero. Swimming also trains the cardiovascular and respiratory systems well, and strengthens the immune system.
Yoga
Yoga involves mainly static loads, so it is optimal for people with heart disease, for whom cardio training is contraindicated. Yoga asanas are varied, some are too complex even for young healthy people. For this reason, training with an instructor is recommended for older people. He will select useful and safe exercises and check that they are performed correctly.
Peculiarities!
Yoga involves not only physical training, but also spiritual improvement. This is a whole teaching that helps people get out of depression, find meaning in life, and changes their attitude towards the world around them to a more positive one.
Physiotherapy
Physical therapy is very diverse. Exercise therapy doctors select specific training complexes depending on what health problems worry the patient the most. Regular exercise therapy is an excellent way to maintain the body in a healthy state for a long time and slow down the progression of age-related pathologies. Exercise therapy is indicated even for people who are forced to remain in bed or semi-bed rest, but in such cases the help of relatives is required.
Nordic walking with poles
Nordic walking involves moving on flat or rough terrain with special poles, due to which the shoulder girdle is also actively involved in the movements. Such training pursues several goals at once: strengthens the musculoskeletal system, heart, lungs, and improves immunity. In addition, they have a general strengthening effect on the body, since they are carried out in the fresh air.
Advice!
Nordic walking requires special training. Just picking up a stick and going for a walk around the area is not enough. First, work with an instructor to help you master the correct Nordic walking technique.
Cross-country skiing
An alternative to Nordic walking in the winter months is skiing. In winter, it is especially dangerous for older people to go outside due to the high risk of falls and fractures. When skiing at a slow pace, the risk of falling is minimal. However, if you are skiing for the first time, you will have to spend time learning to avoid injuries. For skiing, choose flat terrain with plenty of snow.
Chess
Chess is a very useful sport for older people. This game helps you keep your thinking clear. When playing chess, both hemispheres of the brain are involved, the cerebral cortex is actively functioning, providing analysis, synthesis, and memorization of information. Chess has no contraindications and is suitable even for people of advanced age. However, keep in mind that chess does not replace physical training. They complement and enhance each other's effect.
Table tennis
This is a low-impact, dynamic game - a real find for older people. It not only strengthens the musculoskeletal system, but also improves coordination of movements, vision, and trains the heart. However, table tennis seems easy only at first glance. It requires the coordinated work of many muscle groups, so at first it is important not to get too carried away with the game and not to overdo it.
Jogging or jogging
Jogging at a slow pace is considered an excellent cardio workout. It is also significant that it is held in the fresh air. However, in case of severe heart failure and severe osteoarthritis of the joints of the lower extremities, this sport is contraindicated. Conveniently, no special equipment is required for jogging. You just need to choose high-quality sports shoes that fit well and absorb every step.
Biking
Cycling stimulates the functioning of the vestibular apparatus, organs of vision and hearing, trains the leg muscles, and maintains joint mobility for a long time. A bicycle can be used simply for pleasure trips or for a useful pastime, using it to get to a store, cottage, post office, market, etc. People with memory and attention problems should be careful. They should not ride their bikes onto the roadway or go far from home.
Lying dumbbell flyes
This exercise adds volume and elasticity to the pectoral and shoulder muscles.
Lying on your back, bend your legs and place your feet on the floor so that your lower back is pressed to the floor. Raise the dumbbells above your chest. Bend your elbows slightly and spread your arms out to the sides with your elbows down so that your elbows touch the floor first, and a little later your hands almost touch. The hands should not fall below the elbows at all stages of the movement, and do not lift the lower back off the floor. Return to the starting position: raise your hands and elbows, and then bring your arms straight above you.
Repeat 25-30 times.
General recommendations
For older men and women, exercise training is of utmost importance. They are helping:
- Strengthen the muscle frame;
- Improve coordination of movements;
- Increase mobility of the musculoskeletal system;
- Stimulate the intellectual functioning of the brain;
- Increase the tolerance of the heart and blood vessels to physical work;
- Strengthen immunity;
- Regulate the functioning of the digestive tract;
- Make breathing more efficient;
- Stabilize weight;
- Normalize sleep;
- Improve psycho-emotional state;
- Reduce the risk of developing certain diseases of internal organs and the nervous system.
To achieve all your goals, you need to train systematically, following some rules:
- Increase the load gradually. Start with the simplest tasks. Allow no more than 10 minutes to complete them. Then, every 5 days, increase the duration of classes and the number of exercises.
- Monitor your condition during physical activity. Measure your blood pressure, count your breathing and heart rate before and after exercise. The rate of increase in indicators and the speed of their return to initial values for older people are determined by the doctor individually depending on the state of the cardiovascular and respiratory systems.
- Choose classes that suit your strengths, don’t chase records. Keep in mind that if you have diseases of the heart, spine, or joints, many types of exercise are contraindicated.
- The emotional component is also important. Choose enjoyable activities that you will enjoy.
- Properly distribute your loads throughout the day. In the morning, do simple warm-up exercises. Set aside daytime for the most stressful work. In the evening, you can limit yourself to a walk in the fresh air.
- Preface each workout with breathing exercises and a short warm-up to warm up all muscle groups.
- It is better to take the first lessons under the guidance of an instructor.
Often older people are embarrassed to play sports in the gym. In such cases, it is better to attend group training for people of a similar age category or sign up for individual classes.
Important!
Before starting any exercise, consult your doctor first. Depending on the identified health problems, he will recommend suitable types of physical activity, and also determine the optimal frequency and duration of exercise.
