Sufficient daily exercise is important for young and old. But exercise is especially important for the elderly. Not just to stay fit, but because it contributes to your health in a positive way. There are even risks with too little exercise. In this blog, we will tell you everything you need to know about exercise at an old age.
But don't I move enough?
Of course, we don’t sit still all day. But how much do you really move in a day? Do you walk or cycle to the supermarket or do you take the car? It has been shown that, on average, elderly people spend 10.3 hours a day sitting and lying down during the day. This is more than the average among other age groups. That is why it is important to be aware of how much we actually move in a day and how we make sure we stay fit and healthy.
Risks when older people do not move enough
Exercising for older people has many benefits. But did you know that there are also risks with too little exercise? Exercise keeps muscles and stamina up, giving you much more energy throughout the day. This also ensures that if you happen to fall, you are less likely to suffer a broken bone or physical disability. It also lowers blood pressure and decreases the risk of cardiovascular disease.
Did you know that too little exercise has a negative effect on your thinking ability? This causes it to deteriorate faster. Adequate exercise ensures that you stay physically and mentally fit in the later stages of life.
Exercise guideline for older people
The question, of course, is how much exercise is recommended for older people. Fortunately, there are exercise guidelines that give an indication of how much exercise is needed for good health at any age. The exercise guidelines for adults and the elderly are:
- 2.5 hours per week of moderate-intensity exercise. Think walking and cycling. Challenge yourself to leave the car at home a little more often and walk or cycle a little further each time.
- Do muscle and bone strengthening activities twice a week. This prevents discomfort and injury. A good activity is circuit training. Here, you train all major muscle groups under supervision and work on your endurance at the same time. Circuit training is for everyone, regardless of your level or experience with sports.
- Try to do some balance exercises every day. This is good for exercising your muscles and will make you feel steadier.
Alternate exercise and sports
As the exercise guidelines indicate, just exercising more is not enough for a healthier lifestyle. You get the most benefits when you also exercise twice a week. Don't panic, you don't have to start using heavy weights right away. With a personal training plan, you will always train responsibly and injury free.
Discover why you will achieve your fitness goals at Circle-Fit. With our circuit training, you train your whole body in just 30 minutes. You will notice that, little by little, you become stronger and stronger. In our small-scale and atmospheric gym, it is also very fun.
