No matter our age, we all know how important it is to stay active throughout our lives. Staying in motion helps our bodies ward off diseases, stay flexible, and maintain a more youthful physique.
Some people overestimate how much they need to exercise to make a positive impact on their health and well being.
The good news is that it really doesn’t take much to build strength and prevent diseases from forming. A good goal to set in the beginning is two to three hours of moderate activity per week.
The key is to find something you enjoy that makes it easier to stay consistent in the long run. There’s really no reason to force yourself to do something you don’t like, as there are so many different activities to choose from.
Exercising Benefits By Age
Additionally, exercising helps people grow stronger when done consistently. This is important for any stage of life but can be particularly helpful for older individuals. Working out can help prevent frail body composition and grant seniors more freedom in day to day life.
Working adults can also benefit greatly from activity, especially those that are sedentary during their workday. Sitting all day can cause a lot of harm to the human body if it isn’t regularly broken up by movement.
Children also need exercise to strengthen their young bodies and lower the risk of developing certain diseases. Staying active also helps children with mental well-being, weight management, and cognitive skills.
We’ve highlighted some great exercises that can be done at any age or stage of life. Keep reading to see which ones appeal to you and try them out!
Finding the Best Activity For You
As we mentioned above, it is so important to find an activity that you really enjoy doing. You may not be great at it in the beginning, but if you keep at it, your skills will improve along with your mental and physical health.
When choosing an activity, make sure to account for any physical limitations you may have. You should also consult with your doctor to find out if any particular exercise is off-limits for your health situation.
So what are some great exercise options for people of all ages?
We’ve listed a few that are great at fighting diseases, boosting brain health, and building strong bodies. Keep reading to learn more!
Walking Has So Many Health Benefits
Did you know that a simple walk can do wonders to boost your health? It’s also a simple activity that can be done by those feeling intimidated by the idea of exercising.
Walking in nature can be great for both your mind and body as it helps reduce stress and anxiety levels. You can also pick how challenging you want your walk to be by going for an easy stroll or doing a speedy power walk. There are also different terrains to choose from ranging from flat to hilly.
Walking has incredible benefits for human beings, such as:
- More flexibility
- Strengthened muscles
- Reduced risk of heart disease, stroke, diabetes, and cancer
- Improved mood and reduced depression
- Stronger bones
- Better balance
- Boosted energy levels
You can also decide to walk with your friends and family to give yourself a boost in social interactions. As we mentioned in one of our previous blogs, good relationships are also great for our health.
Swim Your Way to Better Health
Thanks to its low-impact nature, swimming is an incredible activity for people of all ages.
Swimming is excellent for our cardiovascular system and also lowers the impact on our bones and joints during exercise.
Older people gravitate towards swimming activities like water aerobics to help with their arthritis or joint problems. They can also socialize with other seniors and reduce levels of loneliness.
Kids love swimming in general because it is such fun to splash around in the water. Learning to swim early can also help prevent drowning accidents in young children.
If you’re looking for some great exercises to do in the pool, try doing some flutter kicks, jogging in the water, or leg extensions.
Weight Training to Build Strong Muscles
You may think that strength training is only for adults, but it can also benefit kids and seniors.
Kids can safely strength train starting at seven or eight years old if they have good body control, balance, and are able to follow instructions properly.
Like any age group, kids can experience stronger bones, better blood pressure and cholesterol levels, and healthier weight when they start strength training. They can also start by using their own body weight for the exercises instead of real weights.
Seniors can also benefit greatly from strength training as it is a great tool for preventing muscle loss later in life. Weight training can also reduce abdominal fat that stacks up over time, and slow the aging process.
For those interested in starting a strength training routine, it’s a good idea to keep it simple and easy at first. Make sure your doctor clears you for exercise and then build up your strength as time goes on.
Here are a few great strength training exercises:
Yoga Helps Build Flexibility, Strength, and Peace of Mind
Yoga is an excellent exercise that brings benefits to both the mind and body. Kids, adults, and seniors experience stress that yoga can help relieve through its calming effects. Lower stress leads to reduced inflammation and healthier hearts.
Yoga’s slow movements and the use of deep breathing help boost blood flow and warm up our muscles. As we try to hold yoga poses, our muscles get stronger with every attempt. If you keep up a yoga practice over time, you may find your abdomen, arms, and legs getting toned and strong.
Practicing yoga can relieve joint pain and inflammation due to arthritis. This activity also helps us with our balance by asking us to do certain things on one leg or in positions we may have never tried. And of course, yoga definitely helps us stretch and create much-needed space in our bodies.
Conclusion
In conclusion, there are many excellent exercise options for us to choose from regardless of our age.
By staying active, we can stay strong and flexible as we progress through the many stages of life. Exercises such as swimming, yoga, and strength training can provide important benefits to both the mind and body.
Exercising doesn’t have to be boring or intimidating. Find what you like, stay active, and keep moving to take advantage of the many benefits of improved physical condition.
AUTHOR
Maneeza Hasan Maneeza is a content marketing professional from Los Angeles, California. She loves to create content that helps people live better lives. To learn more about her please visit her website at www.maneeza.com