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- Getting older has a lot of positive sides to it.
- If you exercise for 20-30 minutes daily, you can look forward to a good general condition for years to come.
- A simple self-test shows you how well your personal fitness is.
Getting older has a lot of positive sides to it. They say with age comes maturity, inner peace. However, the speed with which we experience our lives decreases as well. In order to stay mobile and fit for as long as possible, activity is the best method and this at any age. Movement remains one of the fundamental pillars of fulfilled aging for older people as well – and guarantees fitness even for those who are much older.
A dive roll over the mat, a jump over three steps – activities that are maybe still easy to do at 45, but often cause problems as you get older. Movements become slower with age, our mobility adjusts to these circumstances. This is normal and a part of life.
A small mistake, a trip, a fall – maybe not a problem when you are younger – often lead to injuries for older people. “Young seniors”, people around 60 years of age, suffer most commonly from a break in the radius bone when they fall. For older people, this leads to injuries to the shoulder joint or to a break in the upper arm. However, the environment in which older people move also plays a role when it comes to falls. Classic tripping hazards at home include exposed cables, carpet edges, smooth floors, bathtubs or inadequate lighting. However, there is a cure-all that guarantees mobility and fitness in old age: Movement and activity prevent falls and contribute to solid footing.
Efficient prevention of small uncertainties includes, for example, endurance training, moderate walking, climbing stairs, Nordic walking or jogging. Dancing does not only promote endurance, coordination and a feeling for rhythm, but rather also contributes to being able to catch yourself if a fall imminent. Moderate weight training parallel to this is recommendable, because humans lose muscle strength with age.
Particularly Asian kinesitherapy includes countless programs that improve soft training, coordination and mobility. Tai Chi has been researched the most. Studies show that regular training reinforces our physical perception and our balance. Another benefit: after Tai Chi training, there are hardly any sore muscles or muscle tenseness, because the programs consist of slow movements and there is no overload on the joints. This is similar with Qi Gong: However, you need stable posture for this training. A lot of movements are done with slightly bent knees, which strengthens the hamstrings and the back extensor. On the other hand, exercises with slightly bent knees may be very difficult, which is why you should have your joints and muscle strength examined before you start training.
Yoga is similar to Qi Gong and it is offered in many difference facets. Physicians give their unlimited support for this as well. However, caution is advices if your muscular system is weak, because the stretching exercises typical for yoga must be executed with caution and patience. However, yoga has a strong effect on the core muscles.
A simple self-test shows you how well your personal fitness is. Try to stand as long as possible on one leg. Can you do this without stopping? Then nothing is in the way of starting training.
Weight training keeps you young, because with age we lose muscular strength, however, we need this in order to tighten the muscular system and for a firm footing. Whether in the weight room with the help of weight bands or with Thera-Band – professional instructions are important so that there are no injuries. It is best to do strength and endurance training each three times a week, on the 7th day coordination and balance training are ideal. If you exercise for 20-30 minutes daily, you can look forward to a good general condition for years to come. Furthermore, soft movement also has a good effect on breathing, vessels and the cardiovascular system.
The big secret is in enjoying movement. Movement training in a group also has an extremely positive effect – those who laugh together and share experiences have a bigger incentive to move as well. And when the zest for life has finally reached the soul, it is a great, personal success.
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