7 Resistance Exercises to Do as You Get Older
Getting older doesn’t mean you have to stop being active. Even as we age, our bodies continue to produce new and youthful cells. The key is to continue challenging your body with activities that will keep it active and limber. Here are seven fantastic exercises that you can do even if you’re over the age of 50.
Biking
Biking is an excellent cardiovascular exercise that will help keep you limber and energetic. Biking is also surprisingly good for your joints. Your joints are made up of muscles and cartilage, two materials that can wear down over time. When you bike, you increase your cartilage volume, which keeps your joints healthier as you age. Biking also increases muscle mass in your joints, which makes it easier for you to control pressure on your joints when you’re in a heated argument with your spouse. Biking isn’t just great for your joints and muscles, it’s also a great stress reliever. Whether you do it for exercise or just to clear your head, biking is a great option for all ages. You can bike indoors or outdoors, on a stationary bike, on a road or even on a treadmill.
Jumping Jacks
Jumping Jacks are an excellent lower body exercise that will boost your strength and flexibility as you age. The best part about jumping jack exercises is that you can do them anywhere with just your body as resistance. That means you can do jumping jack exercises while you’re sitting at your desk, waiting in line at the grocery store or cleaning your house. There are a few different jumping jack exercises you can try, but the one that’s best for older people is simply jumping up and down with your arms outstretched.
Step Up Exercise
If you’re looking for an upper body exercise that will challenge your muscles and increase your strength, try step up exercises. Step up exercises involve stepping up onto a platform or bench and then pushing off the ground with your feet to jump as high as you can. You can step up higher or lower depending on your fitness level, but the key is to keep your knees behind your toes at all times. You can modify step up exercises by holding weights in your hands to increase the resistance and make the exercise more challenging. If you have trouble getting your heart rate up during an exercise session, step up exercises are the perfect addition to your routine. They’re also a great option for people who love to work out because they don’t require any equipment other than a platform.
Squatting
Squatting is an excellent lower body exercise that will boost your strength, build your muscles and increase your flexibility. The beauty about squats is that you can do them anywhere. Whether you’re at home or on vacation, you can easily make squats part of your daily routine. Squats are also a great lower body exercise for people that have joint issues because you can go slowly and with control. If you have issues with your knees, you can modify squats to make them safer for your knees. There are many different squat variations you can try out, such as squatting with a medicine ball, or balance squats, or squatting while holding a weight above your head. No matter what type of squat variation you like, squats are an excellent lower body exercise as you get older. They’re also a great exercise to do especially if you have joint issues.
Weightlifting
If you’re looking for an upper body exercise that will challenge your muscles, build your strength and increase your flexibility, weightlifting is the best option. There are many different forms of weightlifting, including Olympic weightlifting, powerlifting and bodybuilding. Olympic weightlifting is the best option for people that are just getting started with weightlifting because it’s the most basic form of weightlifting.
Dancing
Dancing may seem like a strange choice for an exercise regimen, but it’s actually a fantastic way to increase your cardiovascular fitness. When you’re dancing, your heart rate increases, your muscles are constantly moving and you’re burning calories at a rapid pace. Dancing is an excellent exercise for people of all ages and is a great way to make exercise fun again. If you’re looking for an exercise that’s social, dancing is an excellent choice. You can do any type of dance that gets your heart pumping, from swing dancing to salsa to ballroom dancing. If you’re looking for an aerobic activity that’s fun, dancing is a great option.
Martial Arts
If you’re looking for an exercise regimen that will challenge your mind as much as your body, martial arts is the best option. Martial arts are a great way to develop your self-discipline, improve your self-confidence and build your strength and flexibility.
Conclusion
Building fitness and staying active as you get older doesn’t have to be a struggle. There are many different ways to stay active as you age and some of the best ways are things that you might have never thought of before, like martial arts, dancing and even weightlifting. The important thing is to challenge yourself and don’t be afraid to try something new. Aging is a natural process that comes with new experiences, so embrace them and build exciting new habits into your daily routine.
