Exercise Plan for Older Adults

What are the most beneficial exercises for seniors?

Aerobic exercise at an older age does not have to be complicated. In fact, it can simply involve walking, and aiming for 8,000 to 10,000 steps daily can help lower the chance of developing various age-related illnesses.

Other aerobic exercises include swimming, cycling, biking, dancing, and more. You may also wish to incorporate exercises that focus on strength, flexibility, and balance.

You can do this by participating in yoga, pilates, or tai chi or by exercising at home using weights and resistance bands. Before and after exercise, it’s always important to remember to stretch your muscles.

Exercise plan

Here’s an example of what a week of exercise might look like, along with suggestions for exercises you can do to get started.

Even though this may sound like a lot, you can break it down into 10- or 15-minute chunks of exercise two or more times a day, or you can do 30-minute sessions five times a week.

Six-minute strength routine

Strengthening exercises are essential in your workout regimen because your risk for muscle and bone mass loss (osteoporosis) often increases with age.

You can do dozens of exercises to build strength without setting foot in a gym. Some you might want to perform on a softer surface, such as carpet or a yoga mat. Here is a six-minute routine of exercises focused on strength that you can do any day:

Here are a few examples for people who are just getting started:

Abdominal contractions

To increase strength in your abdominal (ab) muscles

1. Lie on your back with your hands by your head or by your sides. Keep your feet on the ground so your legs are bent at the knees.
2. Take a deep breath and tighten your abdominal muscles.
3. Hold for three breaths and then release the contraction.
4. Repeat 10 times.

Wall pushups

To increase strength in your chest and shoulders

1. Stand about 3 feet away from a wall, facing it with your feet shoulder-width apart.
2. Lean forward and place your hands flat on the wall, aligning with your shoulders. Your body should be plank, with your spine straight, not sagging or arched.
3. Lower your body toward the wall and then push back.
4. Repeat 10 times.

Pelvic tilts

To strengthen and stretch muscles in your lower back

1. Bend each leg so it’s at a 90-degree angle. Your back knee should be touching the ground, and your toes on that foot should be pressed into the mat.
2. Take a deep breath, tighten your buttocks, and tilt your hips slightly forward.
3. Hold for a three-count.
4. Tilt your hips back and hold for 3 seconds. (It’s a very subtle movement.)
5. Repeat 8 to 12 times.

Shoulder blade squeeze

To strengthen postural muscles and stretch your chest

1. Stand or sit straight in your seat, rest your hands in your lap, and squeeze your shoulder blades toward one another.
2. Focus on keeping your shoulders down, not hunched up toward your ears, and hold for 3 seconds.
3. Release and repeat 8 to 12 times.

Toe taps

To strengthen your lower legs

1. Sitting in a chair and keeping your heels on the floor, lift your toes high enough to feel the muscles along your shin working. (This helps keep blood circulating in your legs and strengthens your lower leg.)
2. Repeat 20 times.

Heel raises

To strengthen your upper calves

1. Sitting in a chair, keep your toes and the balls of your feet on the floor and lift your heels.
2. Hold on the balls of your feet for 2 to 3 seconds and slowly lower them.
3. Repeat 20 times.

Knee lifts

To strengthen your thighs

1. Seated in a chair, with your arms resting but not pressing on the armrests, contract your right quadriceps muscles and lift your leg. Your knee and the back of your thigh should be 2 or 3 inches off the seat.
2. Pause for 3 seconds and slowly lower your leg.
3. Complete 8 to 12 repetitions and then repeat with the opposite leg.

Shoulder and upper back stretch

To stretch your shoulders and back

1. Bend your right arm, raising it so your elbow is at chest level and your right fist is near your left shoulder.
2. Place your left hand on your right elbow and gently pull your right arm across your chest.
3. Hold for 20 to 30 seconds.
4. Repeat with the opposite arm.

Ankle rotations

To strengthen your calves

1. Seated in a chair, lift your right foot off the floor and slowly rotate it 5 times to the right and then 5 times to the left.
2. Repeat with your left foot.

Stretch it out

Stretching daily will improve your range of motion and make every activity, including reaching for a dish from a cupboard, more comfortable.

Here are two basic stretches to start with:

Neck stretch

To relieve tension in your neck and upper back

1. Stand or sit with your feet flat on the floor, shoulder-width apart. Keep your hands relaxed at your sides.
2. Don’t tip your head forward or backward as you turn your head slowly to the right. Stop when you feel a slight stretch. Hold for 10 to 30 seconds.
3. Then turn to the left. Hold for 10 to 30 seconds.
4. Repeat 3 to 5 times.

Upper back

To relieve tension in your shoulders and upper back

1. Sit in a firm chair. Place your feet flat on the floor, shoulder-width apart.
2. Hold your arms up and in front of you at shoulder height, with your palms facing outward and the backs of your hands pressed together. Relax your shoulders so they’re not scrunched up near your ears.
3. Reach your fingertips out until you feel a stretch. Your back will move away from the back of the chair.
4. Hold for 10 to 30 seconds.
5. Repeat 3 to 5 times.

Balance boosters

Since accidental falls may be a source of injury for many older adults, incorporating balance exercises in your exercise regimen can help with fall prevention.

Balance exercises make it easier to walk on uneven surfaces without losing balance. You can do these balance exercises several times a day — even when standing in line at the bank or the grocery store.

Shifting weight

To strengthen your hips and improve balance

1. Stand with your feet hip-width apart and your weight evenly distributed on both feet.
2. Relax your hands at your sides. You can also do this exercise with a sturdy chair in front of you if you need it for balance.
3. Shift your weight onto your right side, then lift your left foot a few inches off the floor.
4. Hold for 10 seconds, eventually working up to 30 seconds.
5. Return to the starting position and repeat with your other leg.
6. Repeat 3 times.

Single-leg balance

To strengthen your legs and improve balance

1. Stand with your feet hip-width apart and your hands on your hips or on the back of a sturdy chair if you need support.
2. Lift your left foot off the floor, bending at the knee and lifting your heel halfway between the floor and your buttocks.
3. Hold for 10 seconds, eventually working up to 30 seconds.
4. Return to the starting position and repeat with the opposite leg.
5. Repeat 3 times.

Takeaway

As you age, maintaining an active lifestyle is essential. Aim for 150 minutes of moderate aerobic activity weekly. If you’re new to exercise, try to work toward this number, but know it’s OK if you can’t reach it immediately.

Exercising as an older adult has many benefits, one being strengthening your muscles and bones during a time when muscle and bone mass loss are common. It can also help prevent falls by improving your balance.

Before getting started, speak with your doctor. They may adjust specific exercises to reduce strain on your body and if you have limited mobility.