![[For Seniors] Walking Training: Simple, Easy-to-Do Ideas](https://i.ytimg.com/vi_webp/sEFRmcg8GM8/maxresdefault.webp)
[For Seniors] Walking Training: Simple, Easy-to-Do Ideas
For older adults, walking is an essential activity that supports daily life and is extremely important for maintaining strength and balance.
However, it is also true that with aging, muscle strength, flexibility, and sense of balance decline, leading to increased anxiety about walking.
In such cases, walking exercises that can be done without strain are helpful.
This article introduces ideas for walking training that can be easily done at home.
You don’t need special equipment or a large space; by incorporating these exercises little by little into your daily routine, you can improve your walking ability.
Let’s regain confidence in walking with methods you can enjoy.
[For Seniors] Walking Training: Easy-to-Try Ideas (1–10)
Core training
If you feel your body swaying side to side when you walk and the word “fall” crosses your mind, you might be feeling afraid.
For those people, here’s a recommended core training exercise to help prevent unsteadiness.
You can do it while sitting in a chair—even while watching TV.
It’s simple: Sit in a chair, spread your arms, lean your body to one side, and lift the opposite leg.
Keep your balance with your hips so you don’t fall.
Do this 10 times.
If you place your hands on your waist while doing it, you’ll feel the muscles along your sides working.
Focusing on the muscles you’re using will improve the effectiveness, so please give it a try.
Pelvic training for people who shuffle their feet
Do any of you find yourselves accidentally scuffing your heels while walking, like during a stroll? It’s said this happens due to a decline in the muscles that lift the pelvis.
Weakness around the legs increases the risk of falls, so let’s do pelvic training to strengthen the muscles that lift the pelvis and help you walk energetically! If you don’t like strenuous exercise, don’t worry.
All you’ll do is “butt walking.” That’s it.
Start with about three round trips forward and backward.
Once you get used to it, you can increase the number.
It also engages your abdominal and back muscles, so it may help you maintain your figure as well.
side lunge
We will introduce exercises that strengthen the gluteal, thigh, and shin muscles to improve walking stability.
If you tend to sway from side to side when walking, please give them a try.
Hold the back of a chair with both hands and step one foot out to the side.
Bend your knee and shift your weight onto that leg.
Push off the floor with your foot and return to the starting position.
When performing this movement, be mindful to keep your knee and toes pointing in the same direction.
By continuing these exercises, you can improve walking stability and help prevent falls.
Slow aerobics to When the Saints Go Marching In
Aerobics—moving your body to music—can feel difficult for people who have trouble with movement.
This exercise adapts aerobics by slowing the tempo and using gentler motions, making it accessible for anyone.
Find a calmer rhythm than the original song and move your body as if buoyantly engaging your whole body.
Rather than trying to keep up with the music, it’s more important to use your entire body, so it may be best to proceed at a rhythm that suits the participants.
7-second squat
Here is an effective squat exercise you can do at home to maintain leg strength.
First, stand with your feet wide apart and your toes pointing slightly outward to create a stable stance.
Next, raise your arms straight up to shoulder height and, keeping that posture, slowly lower your hips.
Be careful not to let your knees go past your toes and not to round your back.
When your thighs are parallel to the floor, hold for 2 seconds.
Do 10 repetitions per set, for a total of 3 sets.
Doing them consecutively will increase the training effect, but until you get used to it, feel free to hold onto the back of a chair or take breaks as needed without overexerting yourself.
Calf exercise
As we get older, it’s not uncommon for muscle strength to decline and for unsteadiness to appear.
This time, we’ll introduce a calf exercise that’s effective for preventing unsteadiness.
Hold onto a chair or table, align your posture so your back is straight, and then raise your heels.
Rather than using momentum or doing many fast repetitions, you can expect better results by moving slowly and with control.
As the muscles from your ankles to your calves—which support your body—become stronger, you’ll be less likely to lose your balance.
It’s recommended as something you can do at home while watching TV, and it’s also great for group exercise in senior care facilities.
front lunge
While it’s natural for muscles to weaken with age, losing the ability to walk can seriously impact daily life.
So this time, we’d like to introduce an exercise that strengthens the thigh and glute muscles, which is effective for preventing falls.
The movement is simple: take a big step forward with one foot, keep your back straight as you lower your hips, then return slowly.
Alternate legs as you repeat the movement.
If taking a large step feels uncomfortable, it’s fine to start with a smaller stride.
By continuing this exercise, you’ll strengthen the muscles that help maintain balance, which leads to more stable walking.
Try to keep it up within a comfortable range for you.