When you hit 60+, it’s common that people kind of slow life down a notch. It hurts when you move, it hurts when you don’t move. Your health is slowly but surely deteriorating, and well, there’s no hope.
Well, not exactly. We’re here to tell you that this doesn’t have to be the case, and it all has to do with exercising. But let’s be smart about how you’ll exercise. If you push your limits, you won’t like the consequences.
What you really want to do is protect your body – the body you’ve worked on and the body that’s served you over all these years.
And there’s a safe way of doing that.
In this article, you’ll see what those exercises are, whether there are any risks associated with them, what benefits you can look forward to, and tips on building a safe workout routine.
The Risks and Benefits of Exercising After 60
As your body ages, some things change. That’s reality, and we have to accept that. But once we do know what to expect and what’s happening, we can also look for ways to adapt to those changes.
So, what happens as our body grows old?
The muscles get smaller, bones lose some density, joints are stiffer, and balance isn’t really what it used to be. This means that exercising when you’re over 60 can’t look the same as it did when you were 40.
If you push yourself too hard, you can pull some muscles or injure yourself. If either of those happens, it will take you longer to heal. And since you have issues with balance, it could lead to more frequent falls.
None of this means you should avoid exercise, but just that you need a different approach to it.
Best Low-Impact Activities
The best way to stay active after 60 is to focus on exercises that are gentle on the body but still have quite a few benefits.
Here are a few excellent ones.
Swimming
Number one would be swimming. Why? Well, swimming supports your weight in the water, so it’s really gentle on the joints, but it still gives you a full-body workout. It makes your heart healthier, tones your muscles, and if you have issues with arthritis or mobility, you’ll find swimming even more helpful than other people.
Make sure to warm up first and always choose only supervised pools.
Yoga
Yoga builds flexibility and improves your posture while easing stress and improving sleep at the same time. Chair yoga and restorative yoga are good, more accessible alternatives. To stay safe, avoid poses that are hard on the knees or on the spine.
Cycling
Cycling is great for strengthening the legs, and it also builds stamina. Stationary bikes are a safe indoor choice, but outdoor cycling gives you the chance to be in the fresh air, which has a lot of benefits for your mental health.
Always wear a helmet, though, and stick to designated paths.
Tai Chi
Even though Tai Chi isn’t anything new, actually far from it, it seems to be the latest trend and it keeps popping up all over the ads. And with good reason.
Tai chi uses slow, flowing movements to improve your balance and coordination. In the process, it also reduces stress. It’s been shown to lower the risk of falls in older adults, so it’s particularly effective for those over 60.
How to Create a ‘Safe’ Exercise Routine
Well, let’s define ‘safe’. What we mean is that you don’t want to suffer injuries. Injuries aren’t a good thing, ever. But especially so when you’re 60+ because your body doesn’t recover as fast, meaning you have a much higher chance of complications. And we want to avoid those.
So, what can we do?
While exercising, if you feel shortness of breath or sharp pain, you need to slow down or stop altogether. Make sure you get plenty of warm-up. Of course, it goes without saying that you need to stay hydrated and wear supportive shoes to stay both comfortable and safe.
There’s no reason you should always work out alone, unless you don’t like being around other people (and no judgment here if that’s the case!). You could join a community class or work out with a friend.
And don’t forget to be on alert for potentially dangerous things like wet pool decks, clutter on the gym floor, uneven sidewalks, or equipment that doesn’t fit you properly.
Even if you plan everything out, accidents can still happen, especially if you’re outside. If you’re ever involved in an accident while cycling, you should hire a lawyer who has experience with cases where you live.
So, if you live in urban metropolitan areas such as Chicago, where there are lots of cyclists and where there’s a high number of bicycle-related accidents, you need a Chicago bicycle accident lawyer to ensure your rights are well-protected.
The same goes for any place, of course, but keep in mind that in denser, more-populated areas, there’s a much higher chance of an accident happening while you’re cycling.
Conclusion
Don’t pressure your body into doing everything it did 20 years ago.
Instead, approach this with curiosity and be happy you get to try something new. If your balance gets off, laugh at yourself instead of getting frustrated and celebrate each successful workout and each benefit you feel from it.