Health Training for Older Adults

Strength training and staying mobile is very important as you age. Lack of mobility as well as decreased muscle and bone density can lead to some serious injuries. Maintaining and sticking to an at-home training program can be the first step to possibly preventing any age-related illnesses. Below we have laid out some exercises for you to try to stay active:

Resistance Band Row

Using a CanDo® Resistance Band can strengthen many parts of your body. For older adults, strengthening back muscles is great for enabling good posture. To begin, take a CanDo® Resistance Band with a resistance you feel comfortable with. Grab the band at both ends and step on it with both feet. Then, cross the ends and hinge at the waist to a 45-degree angle. Then, send your elbows up and back, rowing the band up toward your chest. Make sure you are maintaining a straight back and squeezing your upper back muscles at the top. Hold your position for a second and then slowly release yourself back to the starting position. Do this exercise for 3 sets of 10–12 reps each.

One-Leg Balance

With balance being one of the abilities that goes as you age, it is important to find a way to improve it. The one leg balance exercise helps those with weak balance. To begin, stand with your feet together with your arms down at your sides. Then, bend your knee and lift your right foot up off the ground so that it is behind you. Make sure your leg forms a 90-degree angle and hold this position for 30 seconds. Slowly return your right leg to starting position and do this same exercise with your left leg. For more of a challenge, you can add the CanDo® Balance Pad and do the same exact exercise. Do this exercise (with or without the pad) for 3 sets of 10–12 reps each.

Hamstring Stretch

Along with strength and balance, stretching is also a great activity to improve and prevent any physical age-related ailments. The hamstring stretch is amazing for maintaining good movement in your hips and is especially great for those who sit a lot. To begin, make sure there is a step or flat raised surface about one foot in front of you. Then, put one heel on the step or raised surface and lean forward so that your hips are at a 45-degree angle. You should be feeling a stretch in your hamstring. If you don’t quite feel it, you can lean forward more to go deeper. Then, go back to starting position and do the same stretch on the other leg. Do this stretch for about 5 minutes.

Committing to a daily strength training and stretching routine can be extremely beneficial, even for short sessions per week. In the beginning, you should start slowly so that you can watch your strength, balance, and mobility improve. This can help tremendously in possibly preventing many age-related ailments.

To check out our line of CanDo® Resistance Bands, click here.

To check out our CanDo® Balance Pad, click here.

Article written by William Graves.