Kraken In fact, there is no fixed standard answer to fitness programs suitable for the elderly. The core ones are low-impact, can take into account cardiopulmonary function and muscle endurance, and are easy to adhere to for a long time. There is no need to pursue fancy or high-intensity programs. Adapting to your physical condition is the first priority. There are many sports at the fitness center in the old community where I live. Last week, I saw my recently retired Aunt Wang learning softball with a group of old guys. She rotated the ball around with a colorful racket, which allowed her to move her shoulders and neck without running or jumping. Uncle Zhang, who had degenerative knee disease, had been playing for almost two years. He grinned when he went up and downstairs, but now he walks three kilometers with the team on weekends without complaining that he is tired. Some people find it troublesome to learn the movements, so they just walk briskly around the outer circle of the community, or follow the slow-paced aerobics in the square for half an hour. Previously, the community organized a physical test for the elderly. Aunt Li, who insists on walking briskly for forty minutes a day, has better cardiopulmonary function than many people ten years younger than her.
Of course, there are also many projects that everyone has been arguing about for a long time, such as walking backwards and climbing stairs. Walking backwards can indeed exercise the lower back muscles that are rarely used in daily life, and is good for relieving back pain caused by sitting for a long time. However, last year, an aunt in our community walked backwards and accidentally stepped on a curb and broke her bone. The advice of the orthopedic doctor is also very practical. If you really want to practice walking backwards, you must find a completely flat and unobstructed venue. It is best to have an acquaintance to keep an eye on it, and don't go to places with many people and cars or potholes. Climbing stairs is also a good way to stimulate your heart and lungs, and you don’t need to find a special venue. However, if you are an elderly person with a heavy base and already worn knees, climbing stairs will put extra burden on the joints. If you really want to make up for the steps, it is better to take the bus and get off a stop in advance and slowly walk home.
If you can’t go out in the rainy season or in winter when it’s freezing, you can also practice at home, such as squatting against a wall to strengthen your lower limbs, or holding two mineral water bottles filled with water to practice your upper limbs. Many elderly people are unable to carry vegetables or stand up after squatting. In fact, they lose muscle mass too quickly. If you practice for more than ten minutes a day, you will slowly feel the changes. Nowadays, many communities have opened charity classes for Baduanjin and senior yoga. An aunt I know used to have insomnia and could not sleep all night long. After taking Baduanjin for half a year, she fell asleep an hour earlier than before. She said it was much more effective than taking tranquilizer tablets. Of course, there are some elderly people who think that these slow and leisurely activities do not cause sweating and have no fitness effect. In fact, for the elderly, fitness is not about getting soaked through the exercise and being so sore the next day that you cannot lift your arms. It is the most suitable activity to allow all parts of the body to move, stretch out after the exercise, and chat with old friends to relieve boredom.
