John Hopkins Medicine has recently released a guide to exercising over the age of 50. It’s very important to keep your weight under control after the age of 50, but it gets harder to exercise as you age. That doesn’t mean you should give up, though. They have some great tips on what you should and shouldn’t be doing as exercise past the age of 50. Making sure your blood pressure is low is another thing you want to do. That will decrease your risk of diabetes, arthritis, and heart diseases. Here’s what they have to say about your exercise routine.
Strength Training
Strength training is going to be key to your health as you age. Your muscular strength will decline as you age, and you don’t want that to happen. That’s why it’s important to keep up your strength training into your 50s. This will also decrease the rate that your bones weaken and decay. That’s very important if you want to avoid fractures later on in life. The sooner you start your strength training, the better your muscles will be able to serve you later on. Just make sure you don’t overdo it, even if you’re trying to impress someone.
Exercise with a Partner
It’s a very good idea to get yourself an exercise partner as well. When you exercise with another person, you’re much more likely to stick to it and exercise more regularly. It will also ensure that someone else is around in case anything goes wrong. If you don’t have a friend or a spouse that you can exercise with, getting a pet may solve your problem. Simply walking around outside is enough to get your heartrate up. Cardio is very important as you age and that’s the best way to work on it.
Make sure you Stretch
There’s one thing that goes along with aging that most people don’t realize. That’s the fact that our tendons get thicker and less elastic. That’s why older people aren’t as limber as they used to be. You can do something to help stave off those effects and that’s simple stretching. It will help you to prevent injury after the age of 50 and beyond. Just make sure you do it slowly without forcing it. If you start bouncing around then you might end up causing the very injuries that you’re trying to avoid in the first place.
See your Doctor
One thing that you don’t want to do is simply start exercising or exerting yourself without talking to you doctor first. Make sure they say that you’re healthy enough to start exercising in the first place. If you just start right out with strength training, then you would be setting yourself up for injury. It’s also a very good idea to start out slowly and work your way up to a full workout. There’s no rush when your health is on the line. Just do it properly and your body will thank you in the end.
Focus on More than Cardio
It’s important to work on your cardiovascular health but that shouldn’t be the only type of exercise that you do. Working on your core strength and stretching are equally as important. If you’re used to walking every single day then it’s a good idea to also add in some strength and balance exercises. Taking up Tai Chi, Pilates, or yoga are great ways of working on your balance and core strength after the age of 50. The more training you do, the healthier your body will stay as you age and that’s your main goal.
Don’t get a Gym Membership
Lots of people are going to take all of this as a reason to sign up for an expensive gym membership. You don’t have to do that. There’s no reason to take on a financial burden that you can’t afford. You can get plenty of exercise right at home. Simple gardening and walking are great ways of working out your body and getting all the exercise you need. Even something as mundane as vacuuming can get you up and moving. The more you move, the better you’ll feel. You can also invest in a relatively inexpensive set of dumbbells to help you out. There are also exercise bands that can work great for you. Save your money and get your exercise right at home. It’s the best way to stick with it and give your body everything it needs to age well past your 50s.