Four Kinds of Sports Suitable for the Elderly

As you get older, you should learn to pay attention to your physical and mental health. Dr. Clove hopes to recommend some simple and easy-to-learn exercise programs through this article, so as to keep the physical and mental state of the elderly at its peak forever.

As you get older, you lack more exercise.

In China, people over the age of 60 are defined as the elderly. Although China does not have statistics on how many elderly people can persist in exercising, referring to data from the United States, only 32% of the elderly over the age of 67 currently persist in exercising every day.

The elderly are easily troubled by health problems. The more common health problems of the elderly include obesity, dyspepsia, stroke, diabetes, hyperlipidemia, hypertension, fatigue, high mental stress, etc.

Physical exercise is a good way to solve these health problems. Physical exercise can promote physical health and make people full of enthusiasm for life.

Although it is understood that physical exercise can promote health, many elderly people cannot do it. As they get older, they sometimes feel listless, and then they are more reluctant to exercise, creating a vicious circle.

Due to lack of exercise, the elderly often suffer from physical decline, resistance decline, flexibility decline and even mental imbalance, which are regarded as important indicators of physical and mental health.

Several Benefits of Physical Exercise

In order to keep healthy, the elderly should form some healthy habits, which can help them to be healthier and happier. You can keep the balance of body, mind and emotion by learning some sports tutorials for the elderly. Specifically, there are the following benefits:

    Promoting physical health; Strengthen muscle strength; Improving cardiovascular system function; Improve athletic skills; Prevention of obesity, diabetes and cardiovascular diseases; Increase the flexibility of the body.

Sports suitable for the elderly

1. Aerobic Exercise

Aerobic exercise is a rhythmic exercise and has a warm-up effect. There are many aerobic exercises suitable for the elderly, such as fast walking, jogging, dancing, etc., which can strengthen the body.

These exercises can enhance respiratory exercise, provide sufficient oxygen to the body, promote blood circulation, reduce blood pressure, reduce palpitations, and help to develop a healthy state of mind.

Focus on three aerobic exercises:

As the initial stage of physical exercise, walking is the most suitable way for the elderly. Walking every morning and evening can keep people healthy.

The elderly can make a walking plan according to their own situation and choose the walking speed and distance suitable for them. This will help burn excess fat in the body, make the body more flexible and even improve people’s mental outlook.

(2) Swimming

Swimming is another sport that can treat a variety of senile diseases. It also has the effects of relieving stress, relieving muscle pain and promoting physical health.

(3) Square Dance (< < Click to view more details about Square Dance)

The popular square dance in recent years is also a very good sport, which can expand social interaction while exercising. However, we should remind you to do what you can and pay attention to the rhythm.

Step 2: Body Flexibility Exercise

As the elderly get older, the muscles will become tight and the range of exercise will gradually decrease. Therefore, physical flexibility exercises help the elderly to increase the range of exercise, maintain better physical flexibility and relax their mind.

(1) Stretching

Stretch your muscles slowly. And maintain normal breathing while performing each movement, while focusing on stretching exercises. This will help the elderly relax their body and spirit at the same time.

(2) Taijiquan

Taijiquan is a traditional sport in our country. It exercises through some complete sets of movements and rhythmic breathing.

After a period of practice, Taijiquan can effectively improve the heart and lung function, exercise the flexibility and coordination ability of the body, and relieve osteoporosis and body pain. Moreover, many people feel inner peace in the process of practice. Anxiety and uneasiness can be obviously relieved, which is conducive to mental health.

Some people worry that Taijiquan will hurt their knees. In fact, for people who do not have joint problems, Motion standard Taijiquan, don’t jump around, the impact on the joint is not big, also won’t aggravate the burden of the knee joint that has hyperosteogeny. On the contrary, it is because of certain stimulation to bone, under the assistance of correct nutrition, it can also alleviate the problem of osteoporosis. But the original knee has problems, it is suggested that exercise should be carried out under the guidance of doctors.

3. Light weightlifting exercises

Elderly people can try lighter dumbbells to do some light weightlifting exercises. This will help increase vitality and promote metabolism.

Step 4: Endurance exercises

Some endurance exercises, such as cycling, climbing stairs, walking and swimming, can improve the endurance of the elderly. After a period of exercise, with the improvement of one’s endurance, one can gradually prolong the exercise time.

What needs to be reminded is that when doing endurance exercises, the elderly should gradually and slowly increase the amount of exercise and not exercise too much at once.

Some Precautions

    Regular exercise, at least 30 minutes each time; Increase the amount of exercise step by step; Wear comfortable sportswear and sneakers when exercising; Monitoring blood sugar and blood pressure; Consult your doctor before starting any type of exercise.

These small skills will help the elderly to achieve their sports goals and complete more comprehensive self-development of body, mind and spirit.

Pay attention to the health of the elderly and create a better tomorrow.

Responsible Editor: Fei Fei