Marsh columns: Exercises for 65 and up

Published 12:00 am Sunday, February 15, 2009

Q. Can you give exercises for people over 65 plus?
A.Absolutely! Let’s first look at the importance of exercising, especially for our older active adults. As they age, especially past 60, everyone has some sort of ailment like osteoarthritis, osteoporosis, joint irritation, lack of flexibility, disappearance of strength.
Experts recommend a two-part exercise program: Aerobic exercise (walking or bicycling, Nordic track, elliptical machine, swimming, etc.) to condition your heart and cardiovascular system, and strength training exercises (weightlifting, calisthenics) to build muscle and cut fat.
You need to ease into an exercise routine gradually and safely. Light exercises will not aggravate “aging” ailments. Actually, you will see that exercising will reduce them.
And how about looking at the social benefits of exercising? Lots of older active adults can reap social benefits from exercising like meeting new friends as they do different activities. Experts also note (you know those experts ó they know everything!) that exercisers enjoy a better quality of life.
I FULLY agree! I see it every day of the week at our YMCA, our wonderful, active older adults doing things I hope to be doing when I am that age!
I see the older adults who start to exercise get more active, walk better, walk straighter, get stronger … It is NEVER too late to start!
Many of the age-related declines are often tied to the assumption that as you age you are supposed to become more sedentary and uninterested in your surroundings.
I don’t buy it! Because guess what?If you believe that, you will become more sedentary, stop challenging yourself ó your metabolism will slow down even more, you will gain weight, lose muscle and become even more inactive. See the vicious cycle?
It is true ó when you don’t use it, you lose it!
Now, a very doable exercise routine for our beginners 65-plus can be:
Three days a week:
Start with one set and work yourself up to two or three sets of 15-25 reps.
– Cardio for 20 minutes (can be water exercise, walking, recumbent bike). If you can only do 5 minutes THAT IS OK! Work yourself up to 20 minutes.
– From chair, sit and stand up and sit down again. Make sure you don’t “bang” down on the chair.
– From chair, extend your legs all the way up and let them come down without touching the floor.
– On side on floor (or bed) side leg raises. Do each side.
– On your back on the floor or the bed, bend knees ó bring knees to chest and return.
– In standing position with hands on wall ó push-ups against wall. The farther you stand away from the wall the harder.
– Stretching: hold two times 15 seconds or one time 30 seconds
– By wall put one hand on wall walk as close as you can to the wall with extended arm.
– Reach one arm up high to the ceiling; make sure you do other arm, too.
– Sit on chair, one leg bent, one extended ó reach towards your extended leg and hold. Switch legs.
– From chair, reach up with arm and bring it over to other side (slightly bent but don’t fall over!).
– Stand, try to reach your hands behind your back (keep trying if you can’t). When you can join hands, gently extend arms up.
When you comfortably can do these exercises, I would love for you to start with weights. So stay tuned for next week for a 65-plus weightlifting program.
Good luck and don’t give up!
Contact Ester Marsh at 704-636-0111 or emarsh@rowanymca.com.