Low Impact Exercises for Seniors: Boost Fitness and Wellbeing

Working out isn't all about breaking a sweat in the gym with 200 lbs on your back. The image of the health-conscious gym enthusiast is often enough to persuade many of us to forgo the idea of exercise altogether. Fortunately, there are other methods for keeping trim and active without having to take things quite so seriously.

We've put this article together to outline some of the best low-impact exercises for seniors, many of which feel more like an opportunity to socialize than anything else. If you're curious about low-impact exercise in particular, read on to find out more!

The Influence of Movement and Exercise

Our bodies respond to what we ask of them and what we put them through. The level of adaptability our bodies are capable of is truly astonishing, to the point of beggaring belief. It seems we're capable of becoming adept at any physical feat so long as we make it a part of our routine.

Over time, our bodies strengthen in many ways specific to what we ask of them so that we can perform tasks with greater ease and efficiency. Many of the abilities and attributes that we think of as innate or genetic aren't set in stone. If we're not good at a particular task or series of movements, it doesn't take long for our bodies to change so that we might improve at performing them.

The key to inducing these positive changes is to practice the movements we lack competency in performing. Unfortunately, the opposite is also true, in that avoiding certain movements serves only to gradually lull our bodies into a state of incapable complacency. This gradual change is always in a state of flux, however, and can be directed purposefully once understood.

Low-Impact Senior Workouts

High-intensity workouts are viewed as the gold standard when it comes to shaping an athletic body capable of doing whatever we ask of it, but people often take this too far. Working ourselves to exhaustion doesn't necessarily correlate with increased physical ability in terms of the effort expended. If lifting heavier weights as frequently as possible created the most muscle mass, fanatical gym goers would all be enormous, for example.

The truth of the matter is that rest and recuperation are the most important factors to get right while seeking to improve physical ability alongside optimal nutrition. It's during periods of recuperation that our bodies build upon themselves so that they might be better suited to the various exertions we expect them to perform. We only have so much energy to expend, after all, and if it's all used up on repetitive actions, there won't be any energy left for positive adaptation.

This is good news for seniors, as repetitive strenuous movements are a particularly bad idea for bodies that aren't as swift to recuperate as they once were. Fortunately, that sort of thing isn't necessary at all to encourage positive physical change, making low-impact exercises for seniors not only preferable but ideal.

Gentle Exercises for Elderly Folk

If the goal is to improve quality of life in general, looking after our bodies is probably the best thing we can do. Doing so is blessedly simple, as it requires only that we use them in accordance with the hobbies and interests we wish to continue participating in. It's really that simple!

In terms of easy senior workouts, you might be surprised how low-impact some of the most effective activities are. Our senior's health benefits greatly from each, despite their relative simplicity.

Walking

Our bodies are perfectly designed for walking long distances over a range of varied terrains, and they react incredibly positively to doing so. Many of us view walking as effortless in comparison to other physical activities, but it's not so easy that our bodies don't take notice and take pains to improve.

Walking strengthens the body from head to toe, as well as helping to improve balance and stamina. Going for a walk every day is really all we need in terms of bodily maintenance, but is often overlooked as useless due to how simple and accessible it is. If you're curious, go for a walk every day and you'll be noticeably lighter on your feet after only a few days!

Dancing

Dancing encapsulates all the benefits of walking, but more so. Our seniors enjoy group dance sessions not because they're enjoying strengthening their bodies but because it's simply good fun. The fact it's incredibly beneficial for physical health, in general, is a neat side effect of socializing and enjoying the music together.

Balance is a particularly important aspect of physical ability to nurture in old age, and dancing is among the very best activities to this end. The additional movements required by dancing are perfect for developing adept weight distribution and help tremendously in securing a firm foundation for everyday life.

Swimming

A trip to the local pool is always something our residents look forward to. Again, it's seen as a social endeavor and an enjoyable activity rather than a serious attempt at shoring up physical deficiencies. Swimming is gentle on joints while offering a unique way to bolster stamina and activate a range of muscles that might otherwise never see much use.

The adage of "Use it or lose it!" is firmly rooted in the basic cause and effect our bodies seem to operate under. All that's required for maintaining the use of our bodies is, in the end, using them. While this may seem overly simplified, exercise and general health advice is made overly complicated, more often than not.

Our Favorite Low-Impact Exercises for Seniors

Old age is no excuse to let our bodies stagnate, a fact many of our residents prove time and time again. Our senior fitness tips have improved many of our resident's quality of life through nothing but a little gentle encouragement to join in with the various activities available to them.

Low-impact exercises for seniors enable our residents to improve their quality of life while enjoying themselves in the process. If this sounds too good to be true, you only need to stop by and see for yourself.

If you've got any questions regarding our approach to a healthy lifestyle and how our seniors benefit from our philosophies, don't hesitate to reach out! We'd love to hear from you.