Why is it important to Exerice as a Senior?
As you age, you may experience a decline in physical function, including a loss of muscle mass, strength, flexibility and balance. This decline can lead to a decrease in overall mobility and an increased risk of falls.
“You lose about 2 per cent of your body’s muscle mass each year and if you do not do things to maintain that, the muscle will continue to waste away”
Engaging in regular exercise classes such as aerobic and strength training programs, can help maintain and even improve your physical function so you can continue to do the things you love.
Improving Phyical Function
By improving your physical function, you can better peform activities of daily life such as climbing stairs, walking and playing with grandchildren, whilst maintaining your independance. Regular exercise can also improve your ability to engage in social and leisure activities with friends. This can improve wellness and wellbeing which will improve your overall quality of life.
Additionally, regular exerice has been shown to reduce the risk of chronic diseases such as heart disease, stroke and diabetes. In reducing the risk of these diseases through regular fitness classes/group fitness classes, you will be able to maintain your physical function and independence as you age.
What is the best workout for Seniors?
The best workout for seniors will depend on your fitness level, health status and personal goals. However, in general, a combination of aerobic exercise, strength training and balance exercises can be highly beneficial.
For aerobic exercise, low-impact activities such as walking, cycling and swimming can improve cardiovascular health without placing undue stress on the joints. You should aim for at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic exercise per week.
What are the Benefits of Strength Training for Seniors?
Strength training, also known as resistance training or weight training, involves performing exercises that use resistance to build and maintain muscle mass and strength.
Some of the key benefits of attending seniors exercise classes for strength training include increased muscle mass and strength, improved bone density, better balance and reduced risk of falls, and improved metabolic health and weight management. Strength training can also improve cognitive function, mood, and mental health.
Examples of strength training exercises for seniors include body weight exercises, resistance band exercises, dumbbell exercises, and weight machines. It’s important to choose exercise programs that are appropriate for your fitness level, health and physical ability and to gradually increase the intensity and duration of your workouts over time.
Working with a qualified Exercise Physiologist professional can help ensure that you are performing exercises safely and effectively. This is especially important in assessing the abilities of beginners to ensure that they are ready to train with confidence and to build fitness.
Working with a qualified Exercise Physiologist professional can help ensure that you are performing exercises safely and effectively. This is especially important in assessing the abilities of beginners to ensure that they are ready to train with confidence and to build fitness.
What is the Senior Sneakers Program?
The Senior Sneakers classes at the Health Studio are circuit-based group fitness classes, specifically for seniors. The classes are aimed at improving muscle strength, bone density and cardiovascular fitness. You will be working in a group environment with other seniors of varying fitness levels so there is no pressure to keep up with anyone else.
What are the Benefits of the Senior Sneakers Program?
We look to increase bone density, strength, joint mobility and improve balance and general fitness. This helps to protect against the effect of ageing.
With lifestyle modification, we are able to help people get back on track and prolong age deterioration.
What can you Expect from the Senior Sneakers Program
Circuit based classes which incorporate cardiovascular exercise such as treadmill, bike, arm crank and rower and also include upper and lower body weights. Balance, coordination and mobility exercises are also included which will help with a range of health issues.
Participants move between stations every 90 seconds to two minutes and exercise modifications can be made to cater for injuries or health conditions.
Frequently Asked Questions?
What ages are considered Senior?
According to the Australian Institute of Health, people aged 85 and over (13%, 528,000) are considered seniors in Australia [1]. However, the Department of Social Services defines seniors as people aged 55 and over [2].
The average age of our classes would be early 70s but we do have quite the spread. We have people as young as 60 and as old as early 80s.
Why is Exercise as a Senior so Important?
Exercise is important for seniors because it can help them to stay healthy, maintain or lose weight, reduce levels of stress and anxiety, control their blood pressure improve cognitive function, perk up their mood, and reduce feelings of depression (source).
Regular physical activity can also delay or prevent many costly chronic diseases, and reduce the risk of premature death (source). Group exercise classes can even help reduce symptoms of depression by 30 percent or more in exercising older adults (source).
According to the Centre for Disease Controol and Prevention (CDC), 31 million adults age 50 or older were inactive in 2014 (source), so it is important for seniors to make sure they are getting enough physical activity.
What Exercise burns the most belly fat for Seniors?
The most effective way to burn belly fat is with a combination of diet and exercise. If you want to lose weight, then you need to make sure that you are burning more calories than you consume each day. One pound of fat is equal to 3,500 calories or roughly the amount of energy it takes to run one mile at a moderate pace. If you can burn 500 more calories each day than you consume, then this will lead to losing an extra pound per week.
What qualifications do Exercise Physiologists have to assist Seniors?
The Accredited Exercise Physiologists (AEP’s) at the Health Studio are allied health professionals with four years of university training in anatomy, physiology and biomechanics. They are accredited through their governing body Exercise and Sports Science Australia (ESSA). Health Studio also receives referrals from doctors on GP Management plans to manage chronic pain and other chronic disease though exercise therapy. They also receive referrals from several My Aged Care providers in Townsville for seniors on Home Care Packages with the goal of helping those who have physically deteriorated stay at home and out of aged care facilites.
Delma has been attending exercise classes near me for seniors for just over a year to help with her rheumatoid arthritis. “I can lift a lot of stuff now. My grandkids aged, three and 17 months.”
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