Guest Blog Post by Andrew Fox

With the increase in age, people become more prone to several health diseases. Joint problems like inflammation and muscle cramps are common among senior citizens. So, if you want to avoid these problems, you need to perform some exercises regularly. For selecting the best exercises, adults need to ask professionals and then check with their doctors before performing them. However, having said that, in this article we will discuss general exercises, including stretching and flexibility activities that can be performed by the majority of elderly people.

We have listed five exercises through which senior citizens can maintain strength, flexibility and live healthier for longer. Are you ready to stay active and independent? Perform the following exercises on a regular basis:

Stretching
Stretching is one of the best exercises for senior citizens. According to your preference, you can perform shoulder stretches, chest stretches, ankle stretches, calf stretch or all. All stretching exercises offer a great range of motion and provide the ability to move different joints easily in various daily life activities. Out of static and dynamic stretching, the former is considered as the safer exercise for elderly people.

With stretching, you can avoid back pain and improve arthritis. Perhaps, the best aspect of stretching is that it can be performed anywhere and at any time. According to professionals, adults should perform stretching 2-3 times in a week. However, if you want to increase your flexibility at a faster rate, you could perform stretching for 4-5 days in a week. Before starting a particular stretch, you should perform a proper warm-up and avoid bouncing and back bending during stretching.

Walking/Jogging
So, moving to cardio exercises like walking is a wonderful choice. I guess there is no doctor that says walking is bad for senior citizens. You can build your upper as well as lower body muscles and improve your range of motion. According to your choice, you can shift pressure on your various body muscles and perform activities. In comparison to other risky exercises, walking is a risk-free and pressure-free activity. In addition to keeping arthritis pain at bay, regular walking helps you avoid blood pressure and diabetes. It is up to whether you want to perform walking in the morning, afternoon or evening. By including a 10-minute brisk walk in your lifestyle daily routine, you can stay healthy and keep your body fit for light activity.

Swimming
Here is another cardio activity for enhancing strength and flexibility. Being a low-impact exercise, swimming offers lower risk of injuries. You do not need to put excessive stress or strain on joints, muscles, and bones for performing various swimming strokes. By performing this activity regularly, you can maintain bone density and prevent osteoporosis. Enhanced muscle coordination, reduced muscle soreness, improved body posture and lesser back pain are common benefits of spending time in the water. Plus, it’s a great way for you to spent time with your grand children and make wonderful memories.

If you want to start swimming, the breaststroke is a good stroke to start with. With swimming, you can improve your flexibility in your legs, hips, necks and also in your legs. Whether you feel discomfort or suffer from joint pain, you can perform swimming. Remember to consult your doctor before you undertake swimming regularly.

Dance
All you wonderful grandma’s out there, this one’s for you!

With dances, you can work all body muscles especially the thighs, hamstrings and glutes. Whether you choose hip-hop, freestyle or salsa, you can improve muscle strength and better your health, not to mention have lots of fun and make some friends. And, when the time, you can surprise the entire family at your grandson or granddaughter’s wedding with your moves. They’ll love you for it. So, get out there and lean to shake a leg.

With the above amazing exercises, all you beautiful grandparents can improve your strength, flexibility and live healthier for longer. By including, some light stretching, walking and/or swimming, all you grandad’s out there can become fitter and be more active and spend more play time with your grand kids or friends. And, with some light dancing, all you can charming grandma’s can spark new life into your relationships and bring cheer and jot into the family. Don’t let your age hold you back, just get out there and live with energy and joy.

About the Author
Andrew Fox is the founder and CEO at Aim Workout. As a passionate fitness professional and triathlete, there is no adventure he won’t embark on. From mountain biking, deep sea diving, rock climbing and cycling to boxing and mixed martial arts, Andrew has a penchant for the wild and extreme.