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Moderate intensity exercises for elders
More moderate-intensity exercises are generally recommended for healthy older adults. Cycling is a common moderate-impact exercise. The best thing about cycling is you can do it indoors or outdoors. If you have existing problems with balance and reflexes, take it slow to gain the confidence of cycling outdoors. Dancing is also an option that includes swing, jazz, or ballroom styles.
You may not always need to start something new if you already engage in household chores. This kind of activity includes daily chores such as washing, dusting, making the bed, hanging clothes to dry, ironing, tidying up, and cooking.
A recent study published in the BMJ Journal found that light housework helps older adults to have a sharper memory, better leg strength, and greater protection against falls. It goes on to recommend, “Incorporating (physical activity) into the daily lifestyle through domestic duties (ie, housework) has the potential to achieve higher (physical activity), which is positively associated with functional health, especially among older community-dwelling adults.”
Heavy housework was defined as window cleaning, changing the bed, vacuuming, washing the floor, and activities such as painting/decorating.
Some more easy exercises for elders
1. Chair yoga
Chair yoga is a low-impact exercise, and is an accessible form of yoga that provides less stress on muscles, joints, and bones than more conventional forms of yoga. Regular chair yoga practice helps to get better quality sleep, lower instances of depression, and report a general sense of well-being.
2. Resistance band workouts
Resistance band workouts are user-friendly, and accessible for beginners. This form of exercise is growing more popular among seniors, because of the relatively cheap upfront costs of materials, which makes resistance band workouts ideal for at-home exercise. Additionally, these exercises are ideal for strengthening your core, which improves posture, mobility, and balance.
3. Pilates
Pilates is a popular low-impact form of exercise that was developed a century ago. In Pilates, breathing, alignment, concentration and core strength are emphasized, and typically involve mats, Pilates balls, and other inflated accessories to help build strength without the stress of higher-impact exercises. Pilates has been shown to improve balance, develop core strength and increase flexibility in older adults.
