We know the saying, “Health is wealth.” For boomers, it’s a sacred belief. Seniors can’t move around like they used to, so exercising is the obvious answer to keeping their health in check and retaining their remaining strength and physique.
Many older adults are adventurers at heart, spending their free time gardening, hiking, or taking long walks. Note from a notorious procrastinator: I’ve found that a fixed workout routine and being accountable with a fitness class are ways to move around more. All this talk about workouts might make you wonder:
What are the Benefits of Exercise for Seniors?
While exercise is recommended for people of all ages, its benefits for older adults translate holistically into other aspects of life. Around 23.1% of seniors work out, and they have reported improved physical strength and better longevity. Read on to learn the physical and mental advantages of exercise.
Physical Health Benefits of Exercise for Seniors
Here are some of the physical health benefits of senior exercise and fitness:
1. Maintain or reduce your weight
With age, your metabolism slows down, and it’s hard to shed the extra weight. Working out can help you burn more calories, maintain a better physique, and have a more graceful posture. You can also build muscle mass and have a better-toned body.
2.Chronic diseases and other illnesses have a reduced impact
Exercise can help reduce the risk of developing chronic diseases such as heart disease, stroke, arthritis, type 2 diabetes, Alzheimer’s, and even some forms of cancer. For seniors with chronic diseases, exercise can help manage the symptoms and improve overall health.
3. Maintaining mobility and independence
Noticing that it takes more time to move around? With age, it’s common to experience a decline in physical function and mobility. Exercise can help slow down or even reverse this decline by strengthening muscles, improving joint function, and increasing flexibility. For seniors who are looking to maintain their independence, exercise is vital.
Mental Health Benefits of Senior Fitness
There are many mental fitness exercises for seniors. You can mentally benefit from exercise in the following ways:
1. Improve your sleeping habits
With time, we develop different changes in sleeping patterns. According to the National Sleep Foundation, regular exercise can help improve sleep quality and reduce the amount of time it takes to fall asleep. Exercise can also help increase energy levels during the day, which can, in turn, lead to better sleep at night.
2. Boost your self-esteem and mood
Did you know that exercise releases endorphins that boost your mood? If you’re feeling down, a workout could be the antidote! According to a study, seniors who participated in a moderate-intensity walking program reported significant improvements in mood, self-esteem, and mood.
3. Boost your cognitive abilities
While exercising, our brain engages in mentally stimulating activities. This can help improve our memory, attention span, and executive function. According to several studies and dementia resource guides, getting active can assist in halting the progression of brain diseases like Alzheimer’s.
4. Courage for overcoming barriers
Working out can be off-putting (who wants to feel the burn willingly, right?), especially if you’re someone who needs help with daily activities or you’re part of assisted living or a nursing home due to health limitations.
To help you get moving, there is a diversity of resources tailored to your preference. Once you start small and remain consistent, you’ll feel brave, and your mindset will shift from “I can’t do this” to “Yes, I can!” whenever you encounter difficulty.
Break the exercise barrier: How do you start small?
- Find an activity that you enjoy, and that doesn’t put too much strain on your body.
- Need more time for exercise? Try breaking up your workouts into shorter, frequent sessions each day.
- Working out can also be fun, low-impact activities such as walking, pilates, swimming, and yoga.
- For chronic health conditions, consult your doctor or a trainer about safe exercise methods. They may recommend specific exercises or allow you to participate in certain activities.
- If getting to the gym is troublesome, look up at-home workout programs online or workout subscription videos.
- Finally, it’s always okay to ask for help!
How to Find A Gym for Seniors?
Here’s how you can locate a suitable gym:
- The Age-Friendly Facilities and Services Locator from AARP and the International Council on Active Aging (ICAA) make finding a gym tailored to seniors’ needs easy.
- Do an online search.
- Ask around in your community.
These are the top gyms for seniors in 2024: YMCA, Crunch Fitness, Life Time Fitness, Planet Fitness, Snap Fitness, and Anytime Fitness.
Are there any free fitness classes for seniors?
While you’re looking for affordable senior fitness classes, we recommend checking out the free options available so that you can decide which is a good fit for your lifestyle.
Finding free exercise groups for seniors
Before committing to a paid gym membership (and maybe not showing up for the rest of the duration), learn about these free group fitness classes below:
For seniors dealing with arthritis, consider these free exercise programs:
|
No. |
Program |
Details |
|
1 |
AEA Arthritis Foundation Aquatic Program |
Recreational, seniors can enjoy pool time during workouts. |
|
2 |
AEA Arthritis Foundation Exercise Program |
A dry group exercise program is aimed at reducing stiffness and pain. |
|
3 |
Tai Chi for Arthritis for Fall Prevention |
Works to ease arthritis and improves balance |
|
4 |
Walk with Ease |
Works with seniors with arthritis, creating safe exercise and walk plans. |
These programs help with daily activities:
|
No. |
Program |
Details |
|
1 |
Active Choices |
A 6-month physical activity program customized based on individual. |
|
2 |
Active Living Every Day |
There will be group activities that integrate workouts for seniors. There are online resources. |
|
3 |
Eat Smart, Move More, Weigh Less |
15-week online weight management fitness course that uses scientific means for seniors to balance their weight and eating habits. |
|
4 |
Stay Active and Independent for Life (SAIL)
|
Community-based classes incorporating aerobics, stretching, etc. |
|
5 |
Tai Chi Prime |
Worried about falling? This class uses qi-gong basics to help you balance! |
Programs focusing on movement are:
|
No. |
Program |
Details |
|
1 |
Healthy Moves for Aging Well |
A safe and straightforward at-home physical intervention regime is needed to boost the flexibility and strength of seniors. |
|
2 |
On the Move |
Group activities for elderly adults involve strengthening exercises. |
|
3 |
Tai Ji Quan: Moving for Better Balance
|
This program provides activities for seniors to learn to balance therapeutic movements better. |
Challenging group exercise options:
|
No. |
Program |
Details |
|
1 |
Bingocize |
Who’d have thought bingo could be combined with exercise and health awareness? Try out this 10-week program! |
|
2 |
EnhanceFitness |
Incorporates aerobics, strength training, etc. |
|
3 |
Fit and Strong
|
An energetic class for flexibility and strength with aerobics and health education. |
|
4 |
Geri-Fit |
If you’re a fan of resistance training, this is a bi-weekly class for boosting strength. |
You can look up organizations like Holy Cross Health, which offer in-person and virtual classes.
Well-known senior citizen fitness classes in the USA
For this year, some of the best elderly workout classes include:
- YCMA: The Young Men’s Christian Association has fitness classes tailored for older adults, such as swimming, yoga, tai-chi, etc.
- SilverSneakers: SilverSneakers, created by AARP, is a famous on-demand fitness class for seniors. This program gives you free access to a vast network of fitness classes and gyms.
- Chair One Fitness: This company offers exciting, low-impact seated exercises for seniors of any fitness level to improve their flexibility and mobility.
- Zumba Gold: Dance lovers will rejoice as the classes here are low-intensity versions of the original exercise for seniors to have fun and stay healthy!
- Strong Nation: Seniors who enjoy high-intensity interval training (HIIT) will enjoy the classes here, which build strength and endurance.
- EnhanceFitness: A 90-minute community-based exercise class that seniors can attend up to three times weekly.
- The Y’s Active Older Adults Program: Certified instructors teach a range of fitness classes for seniors to stay fit and active. Availability will depend on your local neighborhood YCMA.
Best online fitness classes for seniors
The best part about this modern smart device era is the availability of workout programs at your fingertips. Most of these classes either have their own paid apps or YouTube channels where you can find free and easy videos to follow:
- SilverSneakers.
- AARP Fitness.
- Yoga with Adriene.
- Lucy Wyndham Read.
- Chair Yoga with Dr. Chelsea.
- Fitness Blender.
- National Institute on Aging (NIA).
- The American Council on Exercise (ACE).
How beneficial is a senior fitness class?
Whether you’re living independently or in another senior living option, here are the advantages of joining senior citizen fitness classes:
- Get more inspiration to attend class after seeing others.
- You will be more accountable and committed.
- Increases consistency.
- You will have more social interactions and thrive in a supported community.
- Seniors get a safe environment for exercising with guidance from trained professionals.
- There are special programs based on personal needs.
- The quality of life is better.
What Are Some of the Exercises for Seniors At The Gym?
Here is a brief list of the best exercises and training for seniors at the gym:
- Strength training for seniors
- Balance exercises for seniors
- Aerobic exercises for seniors
- Flexibility exercises for seniors
For more details, check out:
Final Thoughts
For boomers, there is no denying that staying active is the key to a better life. Diverse options are available, from at-home workouts to gym classes or online group classes. Based on lifestyle and advice from your physician, choose what feels right.
Remember, the goal is to stay strong and healthy. Otherwise, how will you go on that cruise from your bucket list?
FAQs
What is the healthiest fitness exercise for seniors?
There is no correct answer. It depends on what your body needs. Most seniors favor low-impact workouts like yoga or walking. We advise checking in with a health consultant.
What are the benefits of group fitness classes?
The beauty of group fitness classes is that you can make new friends, have a trained mentor guide and encourage you, and have a consistent workout regime!
What are some popular platforms for online fitness classes?
For a free online platform, we recommend YouTube, which offers numerous workouts for seniors. Popular gym companies like SilverSneakers also have their own app platform where you can access their videos online.
