Watch out, here come the seniors! These prime-timers are great candidates for fitness results. In fact, a 77-year-old senior will show more adaptation in one month than an 18- year-old. How's that, you ask? You see, the 77-year-old has a greater capacity for improvement and exercise facilitates that improvement. Believe me, I've seen it firsthand.
From improved circulation to increased muscle tone, a senior has much to gain from exercise. Increased muscle tone will offer the obvious benefits including joint support, decreased joint pain, increased bone density and overall strength and energy. Exercise also offers seniors a better quality of life. The "doing it" part is, however, more difficult for seniors than it is for most others.
All components of fitness are important for the senior exercise participant: cardiovascular, resistance training and flexibility. Perhaps one of the most dramatic changes seen in a senior exercise participant is an improvement in range of motion due to stretching. Years of inactivity will produce muscle adhesions and decreased flexibility. Muscle adhesions restrict movement and blood flow. When this occurs, the individual's body posture chronically becomes worse and worse and it becomes difficult to move. While exercise cannot completely reverse the damage of prolonged inactivity, it can produce significant improvements.
Let's take a look at flexibility for seniors and learn how to receive the most from a stretching routine.
Warm-up
It's essential to increase the body core temperature prior to stretching -- this means a constant moving activity for at least 12 minutes. Choose an activity like walking, cycling or just moving about the house to get the blood flowing. The longer you warm up, the better your muscles will stretch. You see, the warm-up increases muscle elasticity. This will allow for greater gains from your stretching routine. Stretching with non-warmed muscles will allow for little benefit. So go ahead, break a sweat first.
Stretching Basics
Hold your stretches for at least 30 seconds and up to 1 minute. This is sufficient time to increase the range of motion in a muscle.
Don't bounce during your stretches. Bouncing your stretches can actually do more harm than good. Hold your stretch for the entire duration.
Breathe during your stretches. It's easy to hold your breath when stretching. After all, it's uncomfortable to stretch. Holding your breath will only restrict the muscle from elongating. Breathe and try to relax as much as possible.
Stretch to the point of discomfort. Remember, that's discomfort and not pain. On a scale of 1 to 10, 10 being pain, you should stretch to about a 6 or 7.
Senior Stretches for Improved Movement
The following is a list of stretches to improve basic life functions and range of motion for a senior exercise participant.
Please consult a physician before starting this or any exercise program.
Hip Flexor/Hamstring Stretch
Placing one knee on a pad or pillow, place the opposite leg in front. Keep your back as tall as possible and press your hips forward towards the front foot. This will put you in a lunge position. The stretch will loosen your rear thigh and front hip. It will also increase your movement performance and relieve lower-back tension. If you don't feel this stretch, simply move your legs further apart in the lunged position and press the hips forward more.
Standing Calf Stretch
Find a step or curb. It helps to hold on to something or someone. Keeping the stretching foot on the step, keep your leg straight and begin to bear weight on that foot until you feel the stretch to discomfort. Your foot should be about half way on the step. Your opposite leg is bent in a support position. Do one leg at a time.
Rotary Torso and Glute Stretch
Lying on your back, keep one leg straight out and bring one knee towards your chest using both arms to do so. You may want to place a pillow under your head . Pull your knee across your body towards your opposite ear. You won't be able to go that far, but that's the direction you want to head. This stretch promotes better hip movement and will act like an oil can for your lower back. Be sure to stretch both sides.
These three stretches will target a variety of muscles. Increased range of motion and improved circulation are the benefits. You'll move more freely and have more energy. Do these stretches every day or at least two times per week for notable improvements.
Remember, doing these stretches will feel uncomfortable at first. This discomfort will go a long way to making you feel and function better in your way of life. Getting in and out of the stretches might be difficult. For many, it's a workout just executing these positions and holding them. If this is the case with you, then you're doing exactly what you should be doing. Happy stretching!
