I heard you are done sleeping on your problems and ready to make a change.
Congratulations, that’s the first step towards a drastic change.
Arthritis and excruciating joint pain can be the biggest culprit behind major diseases. And why wouldn’t it? One thing leads to another, and you end up being a couch potato in your 50s.
However, there is still a way to fix that.
By simply mastering aerobics for seniors over 50, you can get the freedom you’ve been craving for and live your retirement life the way you always wanted to live.
However, it can be quite daunting to find suitable aerobics which will help you in the long run, not get you on bed rest after you’ve burned yourself out.
Therefore, I decided to put on my research hat and went on the mission to bring you the best (and safe) aerobics for seniors to help you gain your lost youth in no time.
So, let’s get started!
Why is Aerobics Important For Seniors?
While many seniors prefer only to move around to stay fit, there are many other ways you can keep your body in excellent condition. Here’s why you should give aerobics a shot:
Better Healing: healing becomes a crucial part as you age. Here, regular exercise for seniors has the potential to heal by 25%. This way, your body will be better equipped to fight off illnesses and infections in no time.
Prevention of diseases: According to the National Institute of Aging, with regular exercise you can delay or even prevent severe diseases like osteoporosis, cancer, and diabetes.
Increased balance: as we age, our bones weaken. And your imbalanced posture can lead to a number of injuries like broken hips. Therefore, sticking to a proper aerobics routine will not only help you gain balance but also strengthen your bones to take on the regular hassle of everyday life.
Improved brain functionality: Our mind and body are more closely linked than we think. This means having a healthy body is equivalent to having a healthy brain. Regular physical activity is known to boost cognitive health and reduce the chances of developing Alzheimer’s disease by 50%. Now that’s a solid motive to hit the gym.
Improved quality of life: Now we all saw this coming. When you start to take care of yourself and focus on improving health, you inevitably improve the quality of your life. And let’s not forget the great impact aerobics have on your depression and elevating mood in general.
However, the secret to gaining all these perks lies in consistency. Sure, you don’t have to push harder than you can handle, but simply forcing yourself to get out of the couch and move can do wonders to your body.
Here are some of the aerobics for seniors over 50 you can try today!
1. Chair yoga
Unlike conventional yoga, chair yoga helps to improve strength, flexibility, and mobility without putting pressure on your joints. As this is a low-impact form of aerobics, it is highly accessible for seniors of any age.
That’s not it; chair yoga is also known to improve quality sleep, lower depression, and help you feel content with yourself.
The catch? You have to be committed to it. But, once you start to consider aerobics a part of your life rather than something you do for a short period of time, it will make it a lot easier to stick to your goals and gain unmatched results.
A few chair yoga exercises include:
- Seated cat stretch
- Seated mountain pose
- Twist
- Overhead stretch
- Seated cow stretch
- Seated circles
- Sun Salutation arm
2. Aqua Jogging
Aqua jogging is the most effective way to keep you active and safe at the same thing. It pumps your heart right, allows better nutrient absorption, and is easy to stick to. The best part? It is the #1 recommended aerobics for seniors.
All you have to do is walk back and forth in the water. Yup, it’s that simple.
If you want to go the extra mile (figuratively), you can even jog or march in the place. This will make sure you always have something challenging to get your muscles and joints moving.
Originally, aqua jogging was meant to improve your heart rate without making your workout intense.
Therefore, many seniors prefer to start with aqua jogging to stay consistent and feel a sense of belonging to the fitness community.
3. Arm Curls
Exercise may not be your top priority after retirement. Let’s face it; you have everything planned out except for hitting the gym. For this exercise, stand in your pool with weights. Now, hold the weights in front of you with arms facing out.
After that, curl the weights up and back until you can’t take the weight anymore. Although weights aren’t necessary, it’s great to add extra resistance. You can also do this exercise with palms facing toward you instead of facing out.
You can do this exercise at least thrice a week and relieve pain from arthritis pain. If possible, try to incorporate multiple water aerobic exercises in one session, so it’s easier to cover your entire body every day. This is crucial to add variation to your workout and speed up the process of weight loss.
4. Resistance band workouts
Resistance bands workout is an excellent way for beginners to kickstart their fitness journey. They are user-friendly and accessible. In fact, resistance band workouts are gaining more popularity for their cheaper up-front costs and benefits. It
You can also amp up your workout routine by simply adding weights and resistance bands together to have good endurance exercise. Another thing that many people like to do with resistance training is to incorporate it with other workouts. This includes using resistance bands during yoga, align or swimming.
The result? You will have strengthened core muscles, improved balance, and better mobility.
Therefore, I recommend investing in good resistance bands *<<insert affiliate link* that can help you add variety to your workouts. This will also help you improve muscle strength and make kneeling, reaching, and stooping easier.
Here are some of the workouts you can do with your resistance band:
- Triceps press
- Bicep curls
- Flye
- Glute bridge
- Leg press
- Lateral raise
- Band pull apart
5. Pilates
Pilates is a relatively new game in the field. It is a popular low-impact workout that works to improve alignment, breathing, concentration, balance, and core strength. Most seniors also prefer to do chair pilates which is a slightly less complex version of conventional pilates. Besides, people struggling with knee pain can make better use of chair pilates.
The best thing about Pilates is that you can always customize the intensity of your workouts.
This way you can easily begin with the lowest intensity and gradually build-up to keep challenging your body. Not too much, though.
Read till the end of this guide to find out what you seniors should avoid in aerobics.
Besides that, here are some of the workouts you can do as pilates:
- Side circles
- Mermaid movement
- Food slides
- Leg circle
- Step-ups
- Toe taps
- Side bend preparation
6. Walking
Walking is certainly the most effective and safe way to exercise. However, for seniors, it is more complex than others. Therefore, speed and distance depend on your physical health. However, it is suggested to walk 10,000 steps every day to maintain a healthy body. Those who are struggling with joint pain can take help from their doctors and stick to relatively fewer steps.
Here, walking is great for keeping you active, but it is a great way to lower the risk of diabetes, colon cancer, heart diseases, and promote an overall healthy lifestyle. The goal of walking is to make it your choice for the last resort.
If you are unable to stick to a strict workout routine at first, take baby steps and start walking. This way, you can sleep in peace thinking you have accomplished something different and valuable every day.
Who would want to leave the comfort of their home and go for a walk, right?
I understand that.
Here are some of the ways you can incorporate more walking into your life:
- Go to your nearest grocery by walk
- Take your dog for a walk (or cat if that’s your thing)
- Listen to an audiobook during walks
- Go for a stroll through a park
- Find a partner and have a caudal talk while walking
7. Flutter Kicking
Flutter kicking is a fun and effective way to stay healthy. You can do this with or without a kickboard. If you are going for the kickboard method, hold it out in front of you and flutter kick to help you move forward.
If not, go for a front float with your head above the war. If you don’t want to move around you can hold onto the side of the pool and flutter kick in one position. Remember not to tire yourself too quickly as it can lead to burnout and may discourage you to continue your fitness routine.
Therefore, take frequent breaks if you have to. But try to set goals for each workout and ace them. Regardless of how long they take.
8. Low Impact
You must have noticed that it mentioned low-impact many times in this guide. So what is low impact, anyway?
Low impact is beginner-friendly workouts that keep your blood and heart pumping without overworking your joints. This is a great starting point for seniors or injured people to improve healing in no time.
9. Aerobics Dance
Can’t be bothered with tiring aerobic workouts? Well, make fitness a breeze by opting for aerobics dance.
This is ideally a fun, non-threatening, and popular way for seniors to get back the lost youth and enjoy their retirement life to the fullest. Not just that, as many aerobics dance studios are packed with other fitness enthusiasts, it will be a great way to socialize and improve the quality of your life.
Reportedly, dancing does more good than just physical wellbeing. Due to planning, learning, and doing various dance steps, you also improve memory and reduce the chances of depression. Here, socializing can play a crucial role in improving cognitive functioning and keeping your brain sharp.
Thus, I recommend hitting the dance studio at least thrice a week coupled with a few resistance training like resistance bands or arm curls to add variety to your workout.
Exercises Seniors Should Avoid
Most popular workouts are not ideal for people over 65. Although they do wonders for young adults looking to bulk up or shed solid pounds in a hurry, they can put excess strain on your joints and lead to other balance and posture problems.
Therefore, it is necessary to be knowledgeable about your health condition, fitness level, and workouts to ensure you always take a healthy approach to your fitness.
Here are some of the workouts seniors over 65 should avoid:
- Squats with dumbbells or weights
- Power clean
- Bench press
- Upright row
- Deadlift
- High-intensity interval training
- Long-distance running
- Rock climbing
- Leg press
- Crunches
- Squats
So, What’s Next?
Now that you are aware of the best aerobics for seniors over 50, it’s time to create a plan and stick to it. Setting daily, weekly, and monthly milestones will not only push you harder to achieve your goals but can also give you a sense of accomplishment.
Remember, your goal is to add physical activity to your regular life. So start slow, take small footsteps and slowly make aerobics a part of your life. This will make sure to prevent injuries, reduce additional joint stress and make you more likely to stay consistent.
So here’s what I want you to do.
First, shortlist some of your favorite workouts from the list above and take them to your doctor. Consult them about the intensity, duration, and additional factors you can add to make it effective. After that, create a schedule for your workouts and aim to stick to it.
It’s okay if you fail a few times. It’s okay if you feel tired after a few minutes. The goal is to keep moving. So move with anything you get. Don’t feel like going pilates for the day, take your dog for a walk. Once you master this mindset, it will be quite liberating to have control over your life.
Good luck!
