Four critical components of a physical fitness program, as outlined by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's (CDC) Physical Activity for Everyone glossary, include aerobic conditioning, resistance training, flexibility and balance. Activities that develop these components don't require expensive health club memberships or an especially athletic background. Some formal training or supervision is helpful, especially if you are recovering from an injury or surgery or have little experience with exercise. But there are many steps you can take, starting today, on your own.
Aerobic Exercise
Whether it's brisk walking, running, swimming, biking or a session on the elliptical trainer, a workout that gets your heart and lungs pumping benefits your whole body with the healthy flow of oxygen-rich blood from head to toe. The Mayo Clinic's Web site article on "Fitness Programs: 5 Steps to Get You Started," recommends a gentle warmup of stretching and walking, followed by five to 10 minutes of exercise that won't leave you "overly tired." As your stamina increases, build to a good workout of 30 to 60 minutes per day, most days of the week, a routine endorsed by the American Heart Association's guidelines, "Physical Activity in Your Daily Life."
Resistance Training
Resistance training doesn't mean grunting and straining while lifting heavy weights or even working out in an expensive health club. It simply means pushing your muscles against some form of resistance, such as lifting a weight and opposing the resistance of gravity. An April 9, 2009, issue of "Newsweek" included an article outlining 10 various resistance exercises, along with a note about the importance of resistance training to build and preserve muscle and bone strength. The classic resistance exercise is the simple pushup, but you can also use weights, weight machines and resistance bands to give yourself an allover workout.
Flexibility
Flexibility is an often-overlooked component of a fitness program, but to keep your muscles and joints limber throughout your life, several minutes of stretching a day are recommended. Princeton University's Web site article on flexibility training notes that a warmup of stretching helps increase blood flow to muscle fibers and helps rid muscle tissue of waste products. Stretching and a variety of exercises that force your muscles to move in different ways (think of the way you move playing tennis compared to swimming or basketball) can help preserve the health and range of motion in your joints, ligaments, tendons and muscles that all tend to become stiffer as we age.
Balance
Balance exercises are particularly important as we age, because falls become more likely and the resulting injuries and complications can be serious. Tai chi and yoga are great activities, as are simple exercises like alternating standing on one foot for a count of 10. Check with your local community or senior center or a local health club, such as the YMCA, for classes and programs on improving balance.
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