Low Impact & Enjoyable Exercises for the Over 70

Regular physical and, indeed, intellectual exercise isabsolutely essential for anyone of any age and background in order to stay fit and healthy for as long as possible. 

For older people, in particular people over the age of seventy, it becomes necessary to pick and choose the types of exercises you engage in, with high impact activities likely to cause more damage than good.

With that being said, here are the top low impact and enjoyable exercises for the over 70s. 

Swimming

First and foremost, one of the best exercises you can possibly choose to do on a regular or even semi-regular basis is to go swimming.

Swimming ensures exercise for the whole body yet does not place any excess weight and strain on your limbs, muscles, and joints. Not only is swimming excellent exercise, but it can also help to boost your levels of endurance, strengthen your muscles and improve the health of your heart. 

Other key ways swimming can make a difference in the physical health and emotional well-being of older adults and older people include:

• Encouraging social interaction and exposure to people in a relaxed group setting
• Reducing the chance of trips and falls due to improved balance and stability 
• Enhancing the general well-being of the swimmer 
• Providing daily or twice-weekly structure and purpose to swim 

Basic Strength Training

Now, obviously, as someone who is over the age of seventy, it is unlikely (yet not impossible) that you are particularly interested in lifting heavy weights at six in the morning at your local gym.

However, basic strength training is nothing to do with pumping iron at the gym and is instead related to strengthening and improving the strength and quality of your muscles with small, manageable exercises. 

Walking

The most effective, simplest and quickest way to exercise your whole body is to take yourself out for a walk in the fresh air, ideally for at least half an hour every day. 

Walking is a fantastic way to exercise the body at entirely your own pace, requiring no gym wear or additional equipment to be effective. There is a wide plethora of benefits to taking regular walks, from maintaining strong muscles and bones to boosting the health of your heart and improving coordination and core balance. 

Tai Chi

Finally, perhaps the most popular and ‘on trend’ exercise for seniors and one thoroughly enjoyed by residents at Belmont Village is Tai Chi.

Beginning all the way back in Ancient China, the practice of Tai Chi is based on slow yet controlled movements that are eventually performed in a tailormade sequence to suit the individual. 

There is a huge range of benefits to the practice of Tai Chi, especially for people over the age of seventy, which include an improvement to both the duration and quality of sleep, a way to help relieve the discomfort from joint and muscle pain, and a fabulous way to increase flexibility.