Exercise is essential for anyone at every age. Apart from making you fit physically, it helps minimize stress, improves our mental health, and allows us to sleep better. It also reduces the risk of getting illnesses, like heart disease, diabetes, or cancer. For all these reasons, it is essential to include exercise in our daily schedule regardless of your age. An all-time fitness scheme helps you to live independently throughout your lifetime.
Even children can benefit from exercise. You are lucky, indeed, if you started early. Knowing how it affects your well-being is a gift you need to pass onto others. Exercise helps increase brain power as you grow older and even helps prevent falling in your senior years.
Getting Physical at Every Phase of Life
There are exercises and sports suitable for every age.
In your 20s
Your body is strong and flexible, making it the perfect time to create a groundwork of fitness. Once you make exercise a regular activity in your life, it will become a habit that you’ll continue doing as you age.
- Pick up a sport that you like and participate in the school sports fest. Alternatively, you can play sports with friends, like basketball, tennis, or volleyball. Biking, hiking, or jogging are other great options.
- Work out five times per week for at least 30 minutes per day.
- Include resistance training twice or thrice per week. Resistance training helps you build muscle mass. Muscle mass and bone density decline as you grow older. Incorporating strength training at this stage of life is a big plus.
In your 30s
Resistance training is particularly necessary at this stage because your muscle mass starts to decrease, and your bones start to weaken.
- Include weight training in your exercise routine. Enroll in a gym or use dumbbells, water bottles, or resistance bands for a cheaper option.
- Do Pilates or Yoga. Search the internet for videos.
- The other resistance training you can do is jogging or brisk walking. If walking is your regular exercise, substitute it with an aerobics class. Combine other physical activities like dancing, swimming, or biking for a comprehensive workout routine.
In your 40s
Exercise is even more necessary in middle age. Your body starts to deteriorate in your 40s. Not only do you lose muscle mass, but you also lose muscle elasticity that slows down metabolism. Hormone levels (testosterone and estrogen) start to drop for both sexes. Slow metabolism and low hormone levels are factors that contribute to weight gain, particularly around the abdomen. Weight gain is a health risk for developing a disease, such as hypertension, coronary heart disease, and diabetes. Women may opt to have hormone replacement therapy while men may choose to have testosterone therapy or take testosterone supplements like UltraCorePower.
- Do a cardio workout; three to five times per week.
- Opt to do low-impact physical activities if you have joint pain (swimming, biking).
- Walking, jumping, and weight training are especially important at this age. Make sure to include these in your routine to put off age-related muscle and bone loss.
In your 50s
You start to experience more soreness and pains in your 50s almost every day. Do be discouraged; continue working out. A little adjustment in your routine may be required, though.
- Go for low-impact exercises, like walking, swimming, or biking, to avoid joint injury.
- Reduce the extent of vigorous exercises if you feel sore afterward, but exercise more frequently.
- Strengthen your core and back muscles to deter the natural forward curing of the body at this phase. Strong core and back muscles will help you fight the body’s curving so you can maintain good posture.
In your 60s
Fall risks, at this phase, increase.
- Keep your aerobic workouts (30 minutes a day, five times per week).
- Resistance training is necessary, too. Lift weights to strengthen your muscles and bones. Start working on your balance, as well. The National Institute of Health encourages people in their 60s to exercise daily for improved and sustained balance. Leg raising, standing on one foot, or walking heel to toe are few exercises that can help you prevent balance problems.
In your 70s
This phase requires you to sustain stamina, energy, and flexibility so you can live independently.
- Do weekly aerobic exercises (walking, dancing, or water aerobics.)
- Use resistance bands to maintain muscle strength.
- Keep balance exercises in your routine to prevent fall risks.
- Take time to warm up and cool after every exercise to avoid hurting your muscles.
- Stretch daily to sustain flexibility.
Recommended Exercise Routine for Adults
Adults should do regular aerobic and resistance training exercises to maintain wellness throughout their old age.
- Do moderate-intensity exercise together with resistance training for two and a half hours (a total of 150 minutes) every week, or
- Do vigorous exercises together with resistance training for one hour and 15 minutes (a total of 75 minutes)
Other physical activities to include with moderate-intensity exercises are:
- brisk walking exercises
- cycling on a plain surface
- water aerobics
- playing doubles tennis
Tip: You can still talk while doing moderate-intensity exercises.
Other physical activities to include with vigorous exercises are:
- running or jogging
- swimming laps
- cycling at a fast pace or uphill
- playing singles tennis
Tip: Your heart rate accelerates during vigorous exercises, making you breathe fast. Pause to breathe so you can talk.
Resistance training exercises work on all muscle groups found in your shoulders, chest, arms, back, abdomen, legs, and hips. The physical activities for this training include:
- sit-ups
- push-ups
- weightlifting
- use of resistance bands
Tip: Go for five hours (a total of 300 minutes) of moderate exercise, or two and a half hours (a total of 150 minutes) of vigorous exercise every week for a healthier you.
While exercise is good for everyone, some people require a doctor’s clearance. Medical clearance is needed for people with health issues such as diabetes, heart disease, or arthritis, before embarking a workout program. Your doctor will be able to help you choose the physical activity and the intensity that is suitable for you.
What to ask your doctor?
- if you can start an exercise routine at your age and current state
- the amount of exercise you need
- the types of exercise suitable for your age and current medical condition
- types of exercise you should avoid
Live healthily and reduce your risk of developing health issues until your later years. Keep in mind that there are exercises and sports suitable for every age.
