Get Fit at Any Age
If someone told you there was a way to improve your mood, keep your weight steady (or even lose a few pounds), have more energy and hold chronic health problems like heart disease and osteoporosis at bay, who wouldn’t jump at the chance?
Turns out jumping is just the start. Add in walking, running, even dancing, and you’ll be well on your way to a new you.
Many people avoid exercise. No time. No energy. No fun at all. However, starting an exercise program may be one of the best things you can do for your health.
The first step to a successful workout program is education. Knowing what to do and how to do it are crucial keys to seeing results. Not only that, needs change as we age so it’s important to keep individual situations in mind when designing a workout regiment.
20s and 30s
Those in their 20s and 30s should aim for at least five 30-minute sessions of aerobic exercise per week, plus two strength-training workouts. Focus on all major muscle groups including chest, arms, shoulders, back and legs. Three sets of 8-12 repetitions are best though two could suffice if tight for time. Weights should be light enough to complete the reps but heavy enough that the last set feels like a challenge. Free weights, weight machines, resistance bands and exercises using body weight (such as push ups) are all good strength training tools.
Stretching for at least 10 minutes is also important, ideally after exercising when the muscles are more limber and less likely to suffer injury.
40s and 50s
Workouts remain much the same as for those in their 20s and 30s. Still strive for five 30-minute aerobic sessions a week though four is all right if need be. As muscle mass starts to decrease with age, up the weight training to three days a week. Stretching remains important as well as watching out for joint health. Consider switching to lower impact sports like swimming on at least some days of the week if your joints start to bother you.
60s and Older
Three or four 30-minute aerobic sessions are still critical but high impact activities like jogging may need to be replaced by brisk walking or swimming. Strength training twice a week is important though you may need to decrease the amount of weight and up the number of repetitions. Continue with the stretching and consider adding balance exercises.
Aerobic ABCs
You’ve been instructed to do a certain number of 30-minute aerobic sessions per week but what does that really mean? The choices are endless—everything from walking and jogging to cycling, ellipticals and stairmasters. The trick is not so much what you do but how you do it. Knowing your target heart rate zone and staying within it is vital.
Start with the number 220 and subtract your age. The result is your maximum heart rate. Next multiply your maximum heart rate by .85 and then again by .65. The resulting two numbers will be the high end and low end of your target heart rate zone—the area you want to be in for the most successful aerobic workout.
A heart rate monitor can be very helpful in truly keeping you within your target heart rate zone. If you do not have a monitor, however, a simple rule of thumb is the “talk test.” If you can talk but not sing a song then generally you are exercising at a moderate intensity (think walking, bike riding on a flat surface or playing doubles tennis, for example). Vigorous intensity exercise can include jogging, swimming and singles tennis and is at such a pace you can only say a few words between breaths.
Training Secrets
Interval training (exercising at different rates and/or intensities) can help get results. Instead of cycling at a steady pace for 30 minutes, alternate one minute faster with one minute slower and you can burn more calories.
Also, you can split up the workout if necessary. While many people get in the groove outside or at the gym, a successful exercise routine doesn’t have to be done all at once. Instead, you can divide your workout into three 10 minute increments as long as the heart rate goes up into the target heart rate zone each time.
Change Does a Body Good
Variety is critical for both mental and physical exercise success. We all know our minds easily get bored doing the same old workout routine but it turns out our bodies can too. Over time we adapt to what is expected and the exercise becomes less challenging. To keep it interesting—and to keep our bodies constantly challenged—trying new things is important.
Of course there’s the basics—walking, running, swimming, cycling, etc.—but when was the last time you jumped rope? Or did the hula hoop? The jump rope can be a great full body workout, exercising both legs and arms and really boosting the heart rate, while a specially weighted hula hoop can provide a good aerobic workout.
Many gyms also offer a wide variety of classes designed to mix it up. My gym offers everything from Zumba (a dance fitness class set to Latin music) and Body Pump (lifting weights to music) to IntenSati (a class that intersperses intense exercise with shouting personal affirmations).
There is no one right way to exercise. As Nike says, Just Do It. And you’ll be glad you did.
Kristen Stewart is a freelance writer specializing in health, nutrition, parenting and lifestyle topics. To learn more, visit her website at www.kristenestewart.com.
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