As a person ages they begin to slow down and movement becomes a difficult process in many cases. Mobility, or lack of it, is the primary reason why many elderly adults lose their independence and find themselves in retirement or assisted care facilities when clearly they would much rather be living independently. The sad fact is many older adults cannot even bend over to tie up their shoes and must resort to wearing slip-ons or Velcro strapped runners.
The experts will tell you that it is critical to exercise your cardiovascular system, build up strength and do flexibility training and they would be correct. The problem is most people as they age are lucky if they do any one of these things to improve their longevity and quality of life. It is clear though that of the three just mentioned, flexibility training will always take a back seat to the other to more “popular” forms of physical exercise. This is sad but true and this thinking need to be modified since of the three, a lack of flexibility will make your life miserable.
As we all get older and society becomes elderly in greater masses due to the boomer generation getting on in years, it will behoove this population of soon to be official seniors to add more stretching to their routines so they can slow or eradicate entirely the inevitable age linked stiffness that will occur, improve their ability to function daily and even add to their physical or athletic endeavors as they age. Studies have shown that flexibility exercise will produce and sustain a broader base of motion in people and help safeguard them against injury or assist in treating it when it occurs.
There are some elderly people who are already doing some form of fitness training and they would be advised to add some flexibility exercises to their current regimen. Here are some things they should consider:
Flexibility training is so crucial to aging individuals that they must think of it in a serious manner – not just adding a couple quick stretches before you head off for a walk or bicycle ride. Doing a couple simplistic, indifferent or unenthused stretching reps is at least something but might not be doing you any good at all for your body type. If you give flexibility training a serious chance, it will render some amazing results and you will appreciate these benefits over time, believe me. You could ask your physician for a referral to a physical therapist who would set you up with a professionally designed flexibility exercise program engineered with your physiology in mind.
Give some thought to what kinds of activities you take part in right now. Many seniors enjoy skiing, playing tennis, or golfing regularly. You must ask yourself if your daily life regimens include any bending, lifting or perhaps sitting at a desk for the better part of a day. Practical flexibility training will develop your mobility and take your stability to a higher level making work or home life easier to manage. A personalized stretching regimen is perfect for maintaining your physical alignment during daily activities and enhancing your mobility so you have a wide range of movement.
Specific attention must be given to those areas that are tight. These are most often the chest, shoulders, hamstrings and hip region that tighten up most often, however there are other spots where you will accumulate tension based on physical history or previous injuries. This could mean a misalignment due to over burdened muscle groups working out of balance. So you see how important it is to modify your flexibility exercises to match not only your strengths but also your weaknesses. You could well be missing certain areas that require spot training or maybe you are overtraining other areas and risking injury.
Pay attention to what your body is telling you. There will be indications you are doing something wrong or overdoing it so pay attention, exercise and stretching should never hurt or be painful. Everyone progresses at their own rate with flexibility exercises so be careful you do not push things to the point of pain or potential injury. This is particularly important for those people just starting a new program after years of little physical activity. Keep your movements steady and even, avoiding movements that are assisted by momentum or wrenching motions.
In place of this poor technique, deliberately stretch your muscles as far as they will move and stay that way for ten to thirty seconds. If you are in the at risk group such as expectant moms, the elderly or someone recovering from injury, use common sense and be careful.
Become inventive with your exercising. Keeping your training interesting will assist you in sustaining it over time. Try utilizing props like towels, medicine balls, elastic ropes and some other equipment so you avoid boredom and make your routine more effectual.
Be sure you warm up before stretching. Contrary to what many think, stretches are not a prelude to other training programs – they should BE the program. Limber up by going for a vigorous walk for a few minutes prior to flexibility training.
There are group training programs available if you look for them and they can help with consistency. These classes are attracting more attention as people understand the need for increased mobility as we age. Many of these classes offer combined training for cardio workouts as well and perhaps an element of strength training could be introduced. However, it is better to stay focused on the flexibility component.
Flexibility exercise for your mind and your body is something that should be practiced. You may not be aware that your mind – more accurately your emotional state of mind – can have an impact upon your flexibility. When you are in a calm state, your body responds better to flexibility exercise. Focusing or centering your mind with deep breathing or some music can aid in relaxation while you perform stretching maneuvers.
When individuals become strong enough they may want to investigate some yoga or Pilates sessions. For a newbie these are the big leagues so be cautious. As well as flexibility training, these types of classes include linking the mind and body through techniques specifically intended to lower your stress and elevate awareness.
Never let anyone deter you from flexibility training by saying it is a wimpish form of exercise. It is not just for the old and feeble, the injured or out of shape. Nearly every professional or high performance amateur athlete relies upon flexibility training for a wider range of motion and to lower the risk of injury. Most if not all martial artists learn early on the importance of flexibility training to their success.
Try and keep up the consistency in your training routine. Exercising for a month or so and stopping will not do you any good. Be sure this form of training becomes an integral part of your exercise regimen as you age. It is also interesting that you take a look at your pet dog or cat and observe how they stretch routinely as if by instinct, we could learn a thing or two from them.
Here are some basic routines and the muscle centers they target:
Shoulder And Trapezius Stretching
• Standing up straight have your shoulders back, your chest out with your feet apart the width of your hips.
• Hold your hands together behind your rear end.
• Raise your hands up slowly and away from your body – doing so until they are outstretched as far as comfortably possible.
• Maintain your chest pushing outward with your chin held in and no hunching forward.
• When you begin to feel a good stretch through your chest and the front of your shoulders you should maintain this pose for no less than fifteen and up to thirty seconds.
Lying Quadriceps Stretching
• Lay face first on a mat
.
• Raise your right leg upwards toward your rear end.
• Reach back with your right hand and clasp your foot, deliberately pulling it down while stretching your quadriceps as far as comfortably possible.
• Try and keep that position for a minimum fifteen to thirty seconds.
Shin Stretching
• Supporting yourself with a chair or wall, set your left foot to the rear of your right foot, making sure the top of that left foot is on the ground.
• Extend the lower portion of your shin forward as much as you can then lower your body by bending both legs.
• When you have managed to stretch out the frontal tibialus as far as you can in comfort, keep the pose for fifteen to thirty seconds minimum.
• Now change up legs and repeat the process.
Hip, Buttock and Back Stretching
• Be seated on the floor and place both legs out straight in front of you.
• Now with your right leg bent over your left leg, place your right foot outside of your left knee flat on the floor.
• Now put your left elbow on the outside of your right knee and stretch your right arm out behind you with the palm of your hand flat to the floor to provide support.
• Now deliberately turn your upper body to your right and look over the right shoulder.
• Gently apply pressure from your left elbow to the outside of your right knee while turning all the while keeping your upper torso lined up.
• Upon feeling a satisfying stretch to your hips, gluteus and lower back, maintain the position for fifteen to thirty seconds minimum.
• Now alternate sides and do it again.
Calf Stretching
• Place your sole from the upper half of the right foot against the wall and slip your heel as closely to the wall as you can.
• Carefully lean forward to the wall and stretch your calves. Once you stretch out the calf to its farthest and most satisfying point, stay like that for fifteen to thirty seconds minimum.
• Now Change legs and repeat the exercise.
When you get into a rhythm with your flexibility regimen you will begin to feel so much better. Stretching exercises speed up the delivery of blood oxygen and nutrient transfer even as it removes the lactic acid and other contaminates from your system. Remember to keep yourself well hydrated and rehydrate after deep stretching efforts to aid in the removal of any toxicity out of your body while encouraging newfound suppleness and quality longevity well into the future.
Thu, Jun 17, 2010
Anti Aging, Gerontology, Health And Aging, Longevity