Working out is hard enough as is, but working out when the weather is bad or you are having trouble leaving the house is an even bigger challenge. There are so many factors that contribute to possibly dangerous situations such as the snow, icy sidewalks & bad road conditions.
While it is a good idea to work out for your mental and physical health, going to the gym might not always be a feasible option, and if you or a loved one are making the transition into an assisted living facility, it’s important to consider the exercise options available. For now, here are five ideas for exercising at home.
- Consider chair exercises
This exercise is great for those who have mobility challenges or a hard time doing more strenuous activity. Here is a link (with photos) to show you how to do these 10 Chair Exercises for Seniors.
- Invest in ONE piece of equipment
A lot of exercises can be done with only one piece of equipment. With limited space and budget, this can be a great investment for seniors. Try a treadmill or recumbent bike. There are a lot of other options out there, as well.
- Sign up to Go4Life (free)
Go4Life is a senior friendly fitness program that has a lot of information for regarding fitness and healthy eating. The National Institute on Aging created this program in order to help seniors live and maintain a healthy lifestyle.
- Working out with nothing
You might be thinking, how can I work out with nothing? Well the answer is to do exercises that involve body resistance. Some examples of this might be push ups against the wall, planking, or leg raises. Body weight exercises for elderly
- Try gentle, slow moving forms of exercise
Some examples of slow moving exercises are yoga or Tai chi. You can find YouTube videos on ways to practice these safely. Some popular channels are Easy Yoga Senior Exercise Video and Free Tai Chi videos.