Ways To Stay Active As You Get Older

Mobility can sometimes feel like a struggle as you get older, but it’s more important than ever. Keeping active helps with everything from cognitive function to lowering the risk of falls, not to mention that exercising regularly keeps your joints in good condition.

Join a club

Exercise seems like hard work when you’re going it alone, but joining a club ensures that you’re always working out at the heart of a community. All gyms offer some kind of exercise club, and there will usually be a senior option. This has a few benefits. You’ll be exercising with like minded individuals within your fitness bracket, and a trained instructor will be on hand to make sure that nobody over pushes, potentially sustaining an injury in the process. Working towards fitness goals together is fun, and there’s a social aspect to these clubs that means new friends and new possibilities.

There are plenty of clubs to choose from. Swimming, yoga and running clubs are popular, as are tennis if you’re feeling competitive. Golf is also popular amongst seniors, and you’ll occasionally find golf clubs that go on trips abroad. Whatever you choose, exercise is much easier when you aren’t doing it alone!

Consider senior apartments

If you’re finding the strain of maintaining your current home wearing but want to retain your independence, a senior apartment may be the way. These apartments are designed specifically for seniors with safety measures like stairlifts and walk-in showers while incorporating all the modern touches like air conditioning and satellite television. They offer freedom and comfort in equal measure and can help seniors take back a degree of control over their lives.

Many people find that senior living gives them a new lease of life and opens up a range of exercise activities. Many senior apartments come with concierge and cleaning services, which frees up more time for getting out and about. The benefits are more profound than just that, though. Senior apartments are often located at the heart of communities, with parks, walks, golf courses, swimming pools, and tennis courts nearby. You’ll usually be able to find exercise groups, so there’s plenty of scope for taking up a new sport.

Use DVD classes

If you aren’t usually active but want to get started, then DVD exercise classes are a brilliant way to ease yourself into a fitness regimen. These come in all shapes and sizes, from DVDs that teach yoga to those that coach gentle aerobic exercise and even some that will push you quite hard. The beauty of these types of classes is complete control. For beginners, it helps to be able to pause the DVD, get to grips with the exercise and then continue.

Unlike a gym instructor, you’ll find that DVDs can be scaled up and down on a whim. They all have difficulty settings that can be adjusted at the touch of a button. Perhaps you advance up a level, find it too difficult, and want to go back down again. That’s no problem with an exercise DVD, which makes them ideal for beginners.