Keeping an active lifestyle is important at any age. However, there are some exercises that are a little too hard on seniors or people with compromised health. Low impact exercises are a great way to stay fit without putting too much pressure on your body. On the positive side, a lot of these exercises don’t require a gym membership. All of these exercises are fairly easy and all you need is the open outdoors.
1. Gardening
For those that like staying near their home, planting a garden is a great way to get your daily exercise. It may not seem like it, but gardening can be quite a strenuous activity. There is a lot of bending, squatting, and pulling. Gardening also has visible results when your garden comes together. This is great for those that don’t like “exercising just to exercise.” You will be working out your muscles and having too much fun to realize that you’re actually exercising.
2. Walking
Obviously, walking is one of the best low impact exercises for all age groups. It requires very little planning and can be done every day. It’s easy on the joints and it’s a very natural exercise. Even if someone needs medical walkers, it’s still possible to have a decent walking routine. Instead of taking the car to the grocery store, try walking instead. Make sure you have comfortable shoes to make your walk more comfortable. Wearing shoes that aren’t good for walking will do a number on your feet. It’s also nice just to walk on a paved sidewalk through a park or somewhere you can enjoy nature.
3. Swimming
Swimming is a great exercise for improving your endurance and flexibility. Exercising in water also has a very low risk of injury. Even something as simple as going under and holding your breath is a great way to improve your endurance.
4. Water Aerobics
This is the stereotypical senior citizen exercise. However, it’s for a good reason. You don’t need to be able to swim, so this may be a preferable exercise for those that don’t know how to swim. Doing exercises in the water is beneficial because the water resistance strengthens your muscles. This is also great for pregnant women or anyone who needs a low impact exercise.
5. Biking
Riding a bike is a lot easier on the joints than one may imagine. Not only is a great exercise, but it also helps the environment and is a great way to get around. Maybe you could forgo your car altogether and ride a bike everywhere. You don’t have to be a serious biker to enjoy a bike ride now and then. Just hop on a bike and ride up and down the street or around a park.
6. Golf
Not only is golf a great way to exercise, but it’s also a great way to socialize and meet new people. Walking the golf course improves your endurance and swinging the club is a good way to strengthen your muscles. While golf has a reputation of being a man’s sport, the health benefits aren’t sexist. Women get all the same benefits that men will get. If walking the course is too strenuous, you can always opt for the gold cart and still enjoy some of the benefits of golfing.
All in all, there are many different exercises that are available to seniors and those with less than perfect health. It is very important that you check with your doctor before starting a new exercise regimen. However, these exercises are low impact and very easy to do on a daily basis.