Senior Workout Classes at Renaissance Villages
Physical fitness is important for all walks of life. It doesn’t matter if you’re young or elderly, fitness should be part of your everyday routine. Fitness benefits your overall health and well-being and also helps add years to your life. At Renaissance Villages, we provide senior workout classes to healthy lifestyles easy.
Why is Fitness Important?
Dedicating time to your health through exercise provides many benefits throughout your life. From the start of exercise, your body is hard at work producing endorphins. These chemicals affect the brain and give the person a positive or even euphoric feeling. It helps change your mood and has positive benefits for your mental health.
Additionally, exercise keeps the body active and functioning at a high level. Exercising over time enables your body to improve lung capacity and heart function. In addition, exercise increases muscle strength, endurance, and flexibility. Physical activity also helps decrease the risk of diseases like stroke, diabetes, dementia, heart disease, etc. This physical activity also makes you feel better, sleep better, and look better.
How Does Lack of Exercise Impact Seniors?
When it comes to senior health, this is no different. Lack of physical activity can negatively impact seniors. It can actually be a safety concern that affects the quality of life.
The body responds to the way you treat it. If you’re eating junk and not exercising, you’re bound to gain weight and increase blood pressure. Sitting and lack of movement makes you weak because you aren’t using your muscles.
As you age, you experience muscle atrophy and lose bone density. Year after year, the deterioration negatively impacts your mobility and endurance. This can lead to greater problems, such as injury from falls. Fear of falling can also make seniors more reluctant to get up and move. This can make it difficult to safely navigate the home or even leave it, which also negatively impacts mental health.
Senior Fitness Starts Now
It’s never too late to get started in fitness. However, you should consult your doctor before starting any regimen. Especially if you have type 1 or 2 diabetes, arthritis, or experience dizziness or fainting. Your doctor or physical therapist can give you exercise options.
It’s OK to start your venture into exercising slow. In fact, it’s encouraged especially when you’re not used to exercising. Limit your exercising to five to ten minutes, and don’t overdo it. You won’t be 100 percent right away, and each day will allow you to make progress. It’s normal to experience aching or soreness, but if you’re experiencing pain you should stop. Additionally, it’s important to dress appropriately as you exercise and drink lots of water. Be sure to also warm-up and stretch before you get started.
Senior Health Exercises
Cardiovascular exercises consist of anything that is going to raise your heart rate. This can include exercises like walking, biking, swimming, dancing, or yoga.
Strength training helps build strength, endurance, and the size of your skeletal muscles. Additionally, strength training primarily includes performing exercises that involve lifting weights. Geri-Fit is a strength-training senior fitness program offered at Renaissance Village.
Flexibility exercises help improve one’s flexibility over time. These flexibility exercises include stretching, using stretch bands, and various chair exercises.
For those with limited mobility, know that you too can take part in these types of exercises. There are ways to change exercises to set you up for success. Livestrong provides great options for exercises for seniors in wheelchairs.
Elderly Fitness at Renaissance Village
Senior health is an overall priority at Renaissance Village. We offer senior workout classes daily. Renaissance Village also partner with Geri-Fit twice a week to offer their strength-training program to residents. We also work with residents to offer nutritious and delicious meals to residents that meet their dietary needs. Call or schedule a tour to learn more about senior exercise programs at Renaissance Village.
