Maintaining a level of fitness at retirement age is beneficial to both your physical and mental health. There are plenty of ways you can stay active and new sports you can try. If you’re having trouble getting motivated, it’s a good idea to set yourself goals, big or small, and it’ll be very rewarding when you achieve them.
Why not let technology help motivate you as well? With fitness apps and online workouts, you can make your own exercise routine. Get help from a personal trainer or try out some video classes. Doing the things you love doesn’t have to stop as you start to get older. You can carry on your fitness routine at the local park or even set up a home gym.
The benefits of staying active
There are plenty of benefits to staying active in your later years. In fact, many people would prefer to move their elderly parents to stay in a retirement home with a focus on activities. ERL Retirement Villages, for example, are alive with activity. Here are some of the advantages of staying active.
Improve your mental well-being
Staying active can improve your mood, self-esteem, and confidence. Why not set a goal like a charity run or other sponsored event? This will help to motivate you and when you’ve completed the training you’ll get a real sense of achievement.
Reduce stress
Relax and destress. Exercise is first on the list of recommendations for anyone who’s looking to reduce stress. Take some time for yourself. Go out walking or running in the countryside which will bring you some perspective and help you to clear your mind.
Boost your energy
Doing exercise boosts your energy during the day. The more active you are the more energy you will have for longer. You will be a lot stronger for years to come and can spend more time traveling, with your family and carrying on with sports and hobbies.
What type of exercise is best?
Whatever your age, it’s vital that you get in enough cardio. If you’re active already, it’s recommendable to do 75 minutes of vigorous cardio a week. An easy way to fit this in is with short sessions. Things that fit into this category include team sports, running, dancing, and brisk walking. You can find more information online on the NHS guidelines.
Doing exercise to help improve your strength, balance and, flexibility will keep you confident on your feet for years longer. Why not try out activities to focus on these areas? Tai chi and Pilates are fantastic for all-round strengthening and balance exercises. There are plenty of video tutorials available online. Here are some other recommended activities.
Yoga
There are many benefits to practicing yoga. It builds up a lot of strength and flexibility. You can really feel it turn up the heat in your muscles during a workout, but it doesn’t tend to leave you sore afterwards. It’s all about lengthening and creating support in your body.
This half an hour slow and gentle workout is ideal for beginners, or those with any stiffness, aches or pains. Yoga enables you to incorporate your mental health practice into your fitness routine. It’s great for stress relief and meditation is an important part of a mindful lifestyle.
Weights and Resistance Training
If you’re looking to rebuild your strength, check out this over 50s weight training workout. Resistance training can help maintain muscle mass and bone density. As long as you follow certain precautions, to protect your back and balance, there’s no reason why not to get back into weight lifting.
It’s a good idea to weight training with a partner who can spot you, especially if you’re not very experienced. This is a way to ensure you both work out correctly and safely. Here are some more tips on how to stay safe while working out.
Nordic Walking
Nordic walking is a full-body workout that is perfect for seniors. It actually originated as a way to train for skiing during the summer. It’s basically hiking with poles which help to enhance your experience. Nordic walking can be done in any city, or in the countryside. Why not discover somewhere local near you?
Nordic walking is also a fun and sociable activity. It’s a great way to meet people and there are many groups online that meet for walks. Now that the weather’s improving, what better time to start?
Tai Chi
Tai Chi combines breathing exercises with flowing movements. Studies have shown that can help people over the age of 65 reduce stress and improve posture, strength, and mobility. It’s a martial art and has a spiritual history to it as well. Tai Chi is now popularly practiced as a health-promoting exercise.
It’s a low impact exercise, which means it won’t put too much pressure on your bones or joints. It can be adapted to wheelchair users and people with a disability. It’s ideal if you’re looking to raise your activity levels by trying something different.
Make an exercise plan
The best way to stay active is to make an exercise plan and stick to it. Speak to a professional trainer or your GP for help and advice. If you’re already pretty active, you’ll have more experience in what exercise you like to do and when.
Try to include a range of different types of exercise, cardio, strength building, and balance in your weekly plan. This will ensure you get the best all-round fitness routine. Why not encourage friends and family to get involved? You could even connect on social fitness apps. There are several great apps to keep you motivated on the go.
Find new ways to stay active if you feel like you’re up to the next challenge. Do what you can to stay motivated, it will give you the opportunity to have fun with your family and friends for as long as possible. Always stay safe and see advice from your doctor if you have any concerns before you start.