Age Strongly: Workout after 50.
50, Fit, and Fabulous:
Are you in your 50s or nearly there, and looking for some exercise tips, or for a workout to start or add to a daily routine? It is important to stay active especially as we age, and if you have not been physically active until now, it is never too late to start! If you have been physically active throughout your life, I’m sure you would like to continue enjoying these activities throughout your 50s and beyond.
The three areas we will discuss include cardio, strength exercises, and essential warm-up and proper cool down stretches. Let’s get you moving with exercises and tips to keep you mobile, strong and feeling fabulous!
Essential Warm-Up:
- As we age, our bodies need longer to warm-up, especially the joints. It is important to get into the habit of scheduling enough time into an exercise routine to perform a proper warm-up.
- Performing ten to fifteen minutes of cardio exercise prior to doing any strength training exercises is ideal. This means increasing heart rate and breaking a sweat. Jogging outside or on a treadmill, riding a stationary bike, or using a stair climber are all great selections.
Cardio:
- Cardio exercise involves moving one’s body at a continuous pace to increase heart rate and blood flow.
- Recommendations: walking at a brisk pace, jogging, bike riding, swimming, and exercise videos.
- A minimum of thirty minutes of moderate cardio exercise a day is recommended
Workout Routine:
Core Exercise
- While standing with your feet shoulder width apart, place hands behind the ears (do not clasp hands), with shoulders down and back begin to lift your left knee while rotating your right elbow down to meet it and return the left foot to the floor. Once complete do the same on the other side.
- Perform a set of 10 to 12 reps, take a short break and then repeat for a second set.
Reverse Lunge
- Begin with a chair next to you to use for balance.
- Place a dumbbell anywhere between three and five pounds in the right hand and put the left hand on the chair.
- Based on overall strength take a step backward with the right leg and use the strength of the left knee to lower the right knee down as far as you can to the floor without feeling overly strained.
- Continue to press into the left heel to push up and return to the starting position.
- Complete 10 to 12 reps on each side, take a short break and repeat for a second set.
Superman
- While on the floor place hands directly under shoulders and knees under the hips.
- Contract your core muscles and feel stability in your pelvis and shoulders.
- Shift your balance on the left knee and right hand. Now extend the right leg back behind and the left arm out in front.
- Extend both the leg and arm as far as possible and hold it for two seconds.
- Slowly release back to the start position.
- Switch sides after each rep and alternate sides for a total of 20 reps.
Calf Raises
- Hold a dumbbell in each hand anywhere between three and five pounds and place feet shoulder width apart.
- If you are new to this exercise or have any trouble with balance it is a good idea to have a chair close by with the back facing you.
- Shift weight into the balls of the feet while keeping legs straight and no arm movement.
- Keep a slight bend in the knees to avoid having them lock up.
- Perform 10 to 12 reps, take a short break and then repeat for a second set.
Bicep Curl
- Grab handles and pull the glideboard halfway up the rails.
- Straddle the rails and sit toward the top edge of the glideboard, facing the tower.
- Keep tension in the cables, extend arms directly towards the pulleys with palms facing up, lift feet off the floor.
- Pull the glideboard up the rails by curling the handles up toward the shoulders, keeping elbows stationary.
- Maintain a stable core as hands return in a controlled movement back to the starting position.
- Perform 10 to 12 reps take a short break and then repeat for a second set.
Tricep Kickback
- Grab handles and pull the glideboard halfway up the rails.
- Straddle the rails and sit toward the top edge of the glideboard, facing the tower.
- Keep tension in the cables, lift feet off the floor, pull the elbows into the sides of the torso and slightly hinge forward at the hips.
- Keep elbows stationary and press down on the handles until arms are fully extended next to thighs.
- Maintain the elbow and spine position as the hands return with control back to the starting position.
- Perform 10 to 12 reps, take a short break and then repeat for a second set.
Exercises Not To Do
- Leg extension machine: Places unnecessary stress on the kneecap area, and can cause wear and tear.
- Pull downs behind the head: Puts unnecessary stress on the front of the shoulder area leading to potential injuries.
- Heavy Weights: There is no reason to go super heavy, for the greatest benefit within a safe range aim for a weight that you can lift for ten reps with the last two being a challenge.
- Sprints: Adding sprints to a running or jogging routine after 50 places you at greater risk for injury. The faster the sprint the greater chance of pulling a muscle or developing a lower body injury.
Cool Down:
- Quad and Hamstring Stretch
- Waist Circles in Both Directions
- Overhead Tricep Stretch
- Chin Drop
- Standing Calf Stretch
Remember, every little bit of movement counts as we age. Give this workout a try and keep doing forms of exercise you enjoy most, as you will most likely stick with it!
Do you have a favorite 50, Fit, and Fabulous exercise? Don’t hesitate to contact us via email, facebook, or Twitter; we would love to hear from you!
Keep Moving,
Cara
