[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 for Beginners (21–30)
Hand Therapeutic Exercises: Acquiring Fingertip Movements and Maintaining/Improving Cognitive FunctionNEW!
These are finger exercises that can also help maintain cognitive function.
We’ll introduce seven movements: finger abduction, MP joint flexion, IP joint flexion, thumb adduction, thumb palmar abduction, wrist palmar and dorsal flexion, and composite finger movements.
With actions like opening and closing the fingers, bending the non-thumb fingers from the base and returning them, and touching the thumb to each of the other fingers in sequence, anyone can do them without strain.
Only the wrist palmar/dorsal flexion uses a ball, so please prepare one.
By performing these exercises mindfully, you can enhance hand movement and finger flexibility.
Finger exercisesNEW!
Here’s a gentle “finger exercise” routine to help ease finger pain and stiffness and improve hand strength.
First, keep your elbows tucked to your sides with your palms facing up, and slowly rotate your forearms inward.
Be careful not to let your elbows flare out, as that puts extra strain on your shoulders.
Next, spread your hands from the inside outward, then, with your palms open, bend and straighten only your fingertips to thoroughly loosen the finger muscles and joints.
This helps train the small hand muscles you don’t usually notice and supports your grip strength and fingertip control.
You’ll also feel more stability when using chopsticks or a pen.
Try adding this to your routine to make everyday life more comfortable.
[For older adults] A collection of simple exercise programs (31–40) that even beginners can do
Finger Joint Strengthening StretchesNEW!
When it comes to finger conditions that commonly affect older adults, Heberden’s nodes come to mind.
It’s a disorder where bumps form on the first joint of the fingers.
It is said to be caused by genetic factors and overuse, and because it causes pain in the fingers, it can interfere with daily life.
What we’ll introduce here are stretches that strengthen the finger joints.
They can also help prevent Heberden’s nodes, so if you feel stiffness or strain in your fingers, please give them a try.
First, massage the arm where the fingers are connected.
Then stretch by opening and closing the fingers side to side, and by moving each finger one by one.
Grip strength trainingNEW!
As we age, our muscle strength declines, and our grip strength weakens as well.
When that happens, it becomes hard to open plastic bottles or carry heavy bags, which can interfere with daily life.
So let’s incorporate simple grip-strength training into your routine.
Start by just clenching your hands tightly.
Next, do the same motion but focus on applying force as you open your hands.
After that, keep the motion the same while varying the intensity of the force and the speed.
Perform this in intervals of 20 seconds of training followed by 10 seconds of rest.
Easy with newspaper! Grip strength trainingNEW!
Prepare one full newspaper spread or a single half-size sheet.
First, extend one of your hands, pinch the newspaper around the center with your fingertips, and crumple it into a small ball using only the fingers and wrist of that one hand.
Once done, open the paper back up and repeat the same task with your other hand.
Next, try the same movement with your hands raised overhead, and then again with your hands positioned behind your back.
As you crumple the newspaper repeatedly, it will become softer, so the crumpling itself will gradually get easier.
However, your arms will grow increasingly fatigued as you move them in different directions, so please do this only within a comfortable range.
Sit-to-stand exercise using a chairNEW!
This is a training exercise using chairs that strengthens your legs and glutes.
It directly helps you perform the standing motion with less strain, so give it a try.
First, sit on a chair.
Place another chair facing the same direction in front of you, at a distance where you can touch its backrest with your arms extended.
Grab the front chair with your hands and lean your upper body firmly forward.
Then slowly lift your hips and stand up.
If you stand up with your torso upright, it puts strain on your legs and lower back, so be sure to lean forward well.
Inner thigh exercises needed for standing upNEW!
When you learn to properly engage your inner thigh muscles, everyday movements become smoother and your whole body feels more stable.
First, sit on a chair with your back straight and consciously bring your knees together.
While sensing the inside of your thighs, slowly repeat the motion of opening and closing your knees to activate the inner thigh muscles.
Do about 10 repetitions.
As you continue, the supporting strength of your legs will increase, making it easier to build the power used when standing up.
Since this helps daily movements become smoother and contributes to overall stability, try incorporating it gradually at your own pace.