Here are the top 5 exercises for seniors if you want to stay active, healthy, and independent.
1. Bridges Exercise
Instruction: Lie on your back with your knees bent and your feet shoulder width apart. Push your hips and buttocks up and away from the floor as far as possible (try to keep your back straight and avoid arching it). Hold this “bridge” position for 10-20 seconds. Perform 5-10 reps, once daily.
Why it's good for you
Bridging is a helpful exercise to promote good posture and strengthen your hip and low back muscles. This is a great exercise to ensure a strong lower back and core!
2. Heel Raises
Instruction: Holding onto a firm countertop, place your feet shoulder width apart and rise up onto your toes as far as possible (heel raises). When you come down, rock back onto your heels and lift your toes as high as you can (toe raises). Go back and forth until the muscles in your ankles fatigue. This will typically take 10-30 reps, depending on the condition on your muscles. Work your way up to performing 2-3 sets at a time, once daily.
Why it's good for you
Heel raises focus on strengthening the muscles around your ankle which play an important role in your balance. This exercise is also beneficial for improving walking endurance and steadiness on your feet in order to reduce the risk of falls.
3. Sit and stand
Instruction: Start by sitting in a chair with a seat high enough that you don’t need to use your hands to rise. Have a second chair in front of you for safety.
When you’re ready, shift your weight forward and stand up and sit down repeatedly. If it’s too challenging, place a cushion or two on the seat to create a higher surface. Repeat 10 times.
Why it's good for you
Do you find it difficult to stand from most chairs? Performing the sit to stand exercise strengthens several muscles in your legs, which gives you the ability to stay independent longer! This exercise can be helpful for getting up from a low couch or toilet and can help prevent the need for assistance in the future.
4. Deadlifts (With Elevated box)
Instruction: While keeping your back straight, hinge at your hips and push your bottom behind you, allowing your knees to bend until your hands can reach weight between your legs. Start out with a light weight you feel comfortable with.
Grab hold of weight and squeeze your shoulder blades back while you bring your hips forward until you are standing completely upright Then hinge at your hips again while keeping your back straight to place weight back on the platform. Repeat 8-10 times as tolerated.
Why it's good for you
Often times we are required to pick up objects from the floor. The deadlift is a powerful exercise that teaches you to lift with your legs, not your back. This is a great exercise to perform to prevent bone and muscle loss as you age and feel more confident picking up objects from the floor!
5. Banded Pull-Apart
Instruction: While keeping your back straight, hinge at your hips and push your bottom behind you, allowing your knees to bend until your hands can reach weight between your legs. Start out with a light weight you feel comfortable with.
Why it's good for you
Do you consider yourself having bad posture? Banded pull-apart strengthen muscles of the upper back which help correct bad posture. Banded pull-apart also help with maintaining a neutral spine posture while standing, walking efficacy, and balance!
At Natural Fit Therapy, our mission is to help you stay healthy, active, and independent without relying on pain medications, injections, or surgeries.
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