As part of a healthy lifestyle, a senior fitness plan can definitely contribute to the overall quality of life of anyone of an older age.
One of the most important things to consider when creating a senior fitness program is the current physical activity ability of the person involved. If they are new to exercise, things are going to have to be taken very slowly so they can ease into the new movements and prevent any injuries. This is even more important than someone of a younger age starting since they will already have a decreased range of motion and a likely lower strength capacity.
The senior fitness program should dedicate quite a bit of focus to flexibility work, as this will enhance the range of motion they are able to move through. Quite often one of the major reasons that individuals of an older age are unable to perform the activities they desire is because they are not comfortably able to move in the positions needed. By performing stretching exercises on a daily basis this can be improved upon.
Walking is also a great exercise to include because it is low impact and will provide plenty of cardiovascular benefits. Biking is another good option however some individuals will have a harder time with this. Further, swimming is another good option, particularly for those with joint pain because it virtually places no impact stress on the body.
Finally, try and include some type strength training component in as well because this will help to increase the muscular force the person is able to generate. It will also go a long way to preventing the loss of lean muscle mass, which is a significant contributor to injuries and weight gain that are associated with aging.
