What are the fitness exercises for the elderly?

At present, the fitness programs with the highest popularity among the elderly are mainly walking, Tai Chi, and Baduanjin. In recent years, swimming, square dancing, and light strength resistance training have also become more and more popular. Which one to choose actually depends on the individual's physical foundation and preferences.

The small community park downstairs of my house is basically the "main position" for senior fitness from 6 to 8 in the morning. Uncles and aunts in plain Tai Chi suits line up in rows to play Ba Duan Jin. Their movements are slow but every move is strong. Uncle Zhang, who used to live across the street from my house, I have been suffering from degenerative knee disease for two years, and I have to rest twice when I go downstairs to buy groceries. I have practiced Ba Duan Jin and slow walking with these old guys for eight months. Now I can still climb low mountains in the suburbs with the senior group on weekends, and come back with a bag of wild jujubes for us.

Of course, not all "senior fitness programs" spread online are reliable. In the past two years, many people advocated walking backwards and climbing stairs to strengthen their knees. There are old people around me who have followed suit and said that their waists are really comfortable when walking backwards. However, many sports medicine doctors have also mentioned that the elderly generally have less sense of balance than young people. When walking backwards, they cannot see the road behind them. If they step on a pebble or trip over a step, they may twist their feet or break their feet if they fall, which is not worth the candle.； Climbing stairs depends on the situation. For elderly people who have worn knees and softened patellas, climbing stairs is equivalent to adding two or three times more weight to their knees. The more they practice, the more serious the injury will be. However, for elderly people who usually have particularly strong legs and feet and no joint problems, there is no problem if they occasionally climb two or three floors without being beaten to death with a stick.

Don't think that the elderly can only do slow exercises. Last week I went to the public fitness room in the community and saw three gray-haired uncles practicing seated dumbbell shoulder presses. The weight is only two kilograms each. Do 15 reps in each group. Rest for two minutes before coming back. Uncle Wang, the leader He said that before, he always felt weak and could not breathe while carrying ten kilograms of rice upstairs. The doctor said that he had lost too much muscle mass and asked him to do light strength training three times a week. He has only been practicing for four months. Now he can carry twenty kilograms of rice up to the fifth floor without being out of breath, and he rarely catches a cold in winter.

There is also the square dance that everyone is most familiar with. Don’t always think that it is noisy. The square dances currently arranged in many communities are not fast-paced and the range of movements is not large. It can not only practice body coordination, but also chat with the old friends. Many old people even have better sleeplessness after dancing. Just be careful not to choose the kind that has too violent movements and jumps, and the volume should not disturb the people.

When I accompanied my dad for a physical examination, the doctor specifically said, don’t follow the crowd when choosing fitness programs. If others take 10,000 steps, you should also walk 10,000 steps. If others practice hanging, you should follow suit. It is best to have a comprehensive physical examination first and ask the doctor’s opinion to find out what is best for you. Don’t be pushy when practicing. Just rest when you are tired. A small sweat is enough. You don’t need to pursue the ultimate fitness effect. Being happy is better than anything else.