Water is literally the ‘elixir of life’, flushing out toxins and boosting recovery in your muscles.
The fourth fitness rule is probably my favorite — set goals for yourself. These can be simple goals, such as “work out three times a week”, or specific goals, like doing a walk/run race on a certain date. Make sure you pick goals that will challenge you without discouraging you! My latest fitness goal is to run a marathon on February 17th, but I also have smaller goals such as practicing yoga regularly and increasing my flexibility. Picking goals is a great way to stay motivated with your exercise!
Now that we’ve waded through the fitness rules, let’s get started with our work out! This is a simple whole body work-out suitable for both men and women. Remember, do as many repetitions as you’re comfortable with, keep your form good, and aim to increase your reps each time.
For a warm-up, any light cardio activity will help. Try walking in place for 45 seconds. Rest 15 seconds, then repeat. Do this for five minutes. Remember, the goal of a warm-up is literally to ‘warm-up’ your body and get the blood flowing through your muscles. Once your warm-up is done, you can start stretching. Safety is key with stretching — never put yourself at risk for a fall. There are a variety of stretches that you can pick, but try to focus on each muscle group individually. Stretch your legs, arms, and back, holding each stretch for a minute. Make sure you keep breathing through every stretch.
Once your stretching is complete, you can begin with some simple body-weight training. If you need added stability, you can use a chair or railing.
For each exercise listed below, stay within your comfort level. Make sure to retain your balance and use support if you need to.
— Do 20 squats in front of a chair, pausing after the 10th squat to rest for 30 seconds. Make sure that you keep your knees behind your ankles in order to prevent joint damage. If you need additional assistance balancing, hold onto the chair while squatting.
— Using a light-weight object such as a paper-back book or can of soup, do some bicep curls. You can do these while seated or standing. Keep your elbows tucked and light your weight to your chest. Repeat 20 times, resting after the 10th set. Alternate arms.
— Do some toe stands, which help to build lower body strength and balance. Grasping the back of a chair for support, stand up on your tip-toes, then return to a normal standing position. Do this exercise twenty times, pausing for rest after the tenth time.
These three exercises can be done anywhere and will help to build up your strength. To cool down after your work-out, repeat your warm-up routine. Make sure to stretch your muscles again to help with your post-work-out recovery. Most importantly, make sure you drink water in order to re-hydrate!
Working out is proven to have both physical and mental benefits. Throughout this next change in the seasons, seek to implement a simple work-out routine into your schedule a few times a week. Not only will you see muscular improvement, you will also have created an easy stress outlet for yourself. According to WeightAwareness.com,
“Regular physical activity may reduce depression and anxiety and improve mood. Exercising may even be linked with enhancing creativity and imagination.”
The benefits of working out are numerous. Exercising can improve your overall health dramatically.
In addition to exercise, think about incorporating a Medicare Advantage or Medicare Supplement plan to help you keep track of your health and contact one of our experts today at Medicaremall ensure you are getting the healthcare you need.
Now that we’ve established a simple work-out routine and explored the benefits of adopting a work-out regimen, what are your work-out plans for this fall?
Senior Fall Fitness © 2012 MedicareMall.com