The Best Exercises For 50 And Older

Reaching the age of 50 is no reason to think you cannot begin or continue most forms of exercise. For the most part, the same general guidelines and exercise precautions that apply to younger adults apply also to you. In fact, even the recommendation of the National Institute on Aging that adults over the age of 50 get a checkup before starting an exercise program is no different from general recommendations for anyone new to exercise. After talking to your doctor, the NIA encourages you to select a variety of exercises to help you stay active and healthy.

Types

For fun, variety and the greatest health benefits, the NIA recommends that you include endurance, strength, balance and stretching exercises in your weekly exercise routine. Endurance exercises include mainly aerobics that give your heart and lungs a good workout and that help increase your energy levels. Strength training helps build lean muscle tissue that makes performing everyday activities easier. Balance exercises also help increase muscle tone as well as reduce your risk of falling. Finally, stretching exercises help with muscle flexibility and increase your range of motion.

Best Endurance Exercise

The American College of Sports Medicine lists walking as the best form of moderately intense endurance, or aerobic exercise. Even if you have a chronic medical condition, such as arthritis, the ACSM recommends 30 minutes a day, five days a week as a good endurance exercise plan.

Best Strength-Building Exercises

There are a number of strength-building exercises the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends, depending on your current level of fitness. If you are new to strength training, the CDC suggests starting with exercises such as squats, wall pushups and finger marching. After performing these exercises for about two weeks, add exercises such as step-ups and hip abduction, as well as dumbbell exercises like the biceps and overhead press. As a final step, the CDC recommends strengthening exercises that work on your back and lower body muscles. These include the knee extension, knee curl, pelvic and floor back extension. The ACSM suggests following a twice-weekly strength-training schedule that includes eight to 10 strength-training exercises, each consisting of eight to 12 repetitions. If you have a chronic medical condition such as arthritis, the ACSM recommends a slightly more intense program where you do eight to 10 strength-training exercises two to three times a week, completing 10 to 15 repetitions of each exercise.

Best Balance and Stretching Exercises

Heel-to-toe walking and standing on one foot help improve balance, and the shoulder and upper arm stretch, as well as the calf stretch, will improve flexibility. In addition, the NIA lists tai chi and yoga among the best types of exercise to maintain or improve balance and flexibility.

Exercise Safety

After talking to your doctor and getting the green light to begin exercising, take care to start slowly and gradually increase the frequency and intensity of the exercises you choose. The University of Nebraska at Omaha, School of Health, Physical Education and Recreation, suggests performing the talk test as a gauge of whether you may be overdoing any one exercise. If you can talk to a friend, sing or whistle while exercising, you are staying within safe limits. If, during any portion of your routine, or immediately after exercising you feel dizziness, nausea, or shortness of breath, or if you experience unusual muscle weakness, stop exercising. In addition, if you feel any pain or pressure on the left side of your body, dizziness, or faintness, or if you break out in a cold sweat, stop and call your doctor immediately or go to an emergency room, as these are symptoms of serious heart problem.