[For Seniors] A Collection of Simple Exercise Programs Suitable for Beginners
For those aged 65 and over, it is recommended to engage in at least 40 minutes of physical activity every day, regardless of intensity.
However, 70% of people aged 65 and over are not meeting the recommended amount of exercise.
Not exercising can shorten healthy life expectancy.
It also increases the risk of conditions such as diabetes, heart disease, cancer, and depression.
That said, suddenly starting high-intensity exercise can be taxing on the body.
In this article, we’ll introduce an exercise program that even beginners can do without overexertion.
Use it as a guide to help you live a healthy and enjoyable life for years to come.
- Recommended Indoor Exercises for Seniors
- For seniors: Leg-strengthening exercises you can do without overexertion.
- [Today's Recommendation] Gentle Health Exercises for Seniors
- For seniors: Enjoyable exercises done while seated, accessible for wheelchair users.
- [For Seniors] Stretching Exercises: Easy and Safe to Do
- For Seniors: Fun and Lively Exercise Recreation
- [For Seniors] Easy and Fun Core Training
- For Seniors: Back-Strengthening Exercises, Calisthenics, and Stretches—Workouts Women Can Do Without Strain
- [For Seniors] Balance-Training Exercises: Preventing Falls
- [For Seniors] Recommended Easy Strength Training
- [For Seniors] Core Training: Recommended Simple Rehabilitation
- [For Seniors] A Fun Sports Day! Recreational Activities You Can Do Safely
- [For Seniors] Improve Your Body Concerns! A Summary of Exercises for Urinary Leakage
[For Older Adults] A Collection of Simple Exercise Programs That Even Beginners Can Do (101–110)
leg swing exercise
Leg-swing exercises are easy to do while standing or sitting, so they’re highly recommended.
They’re important for strengthening the lower body and improving balance.
In particular, they help older adults prevent falls and walk more steadily, so it’s best to make them a daily habit.
In fact, just swinging your legs 10 times can cut the risk of becoming bedridden by half—more than even walking 10,000 steps.
You can do this exercise either standing or lying down, so older adults can continue without strain.
It’s a relaxing activity you can enjoy while watching TV, making it suitable for just about anyone.
Ankle flexibility exercises
If your stride is short and you take quick, tiny steps when you walk, your ankles might be stiff.
So this time, we’ll introduce stretches to loosen up the ankle area.
First, use a desk or the back of a chair to stretch your calves.
Do it slowly on both sides, without overexerting yourself.
Next, focus on the ankles.
While holding onto the back of a chair as before, lift your toes as if stretching your calves, then tilt your foot to the side.
You should feel the muscles around your ankle stretching.
You can get a similar effect by placing your foot on a chair and pressing down as if you were stepping on a car’s accelerator.
To get your ankles working, it’s also important to support your body by moving it forward and backward while actively moving your toes and heels.
These exercises are simple, but you can expect results if you keep at them.
Neck strength training
They say the head weighs more than 5 kilograms.
Your neck supports that heavy head every day, and when it can no longer keep up, you start to develop a hunched posture.
Being hunched also means your balance is off.
That can lead to falls, so let’s strengthen the neck muscles through training to better support the head.
Place both hands on a chair and lift and lower your head.
Then, in the same position, turn your neck to the side and to the back.
Move your neck slowly and adjust the number of repetitions to match the pace of older adults.
Simple back exercises you can do while sitting
When people hear the word “training,” they may imagine something that puts a strain on the body and shy away from it.
This is a simple back exercise, done while seated, that I especially recommend for those who have a negative image of training.
The method is to sit and lean your upper body slightly forward, then hold that position.
With correct posture, even this alone engages your back muscles.
It’s also important to use your arms properly to keep your forward-leaning posture straight.
In conclusion
If you already have a chronic condition, suddenly starting high-intensity exercise can actually put a strain on your body. Exercise is often thought to improve only stamina and muscle strength, but it has also been shown that in older adults, memory can improve immediately after more than 10 minutes of physical activity. Try starting with activities that are manageable for your body and work your way up.