Age No Bar: 7 Easy Exercises To Keep Your Fitness Clock Ticking At 60

Like my grandparents would say, “Old age brings with it wisdom, aches and ailments.” While the former is not something the elderly complain of, the latter two has them and their loved ones constantly worked up. With age, the human immune system becomes slow and its ability to counter diseases becomes weaker. Apart from this, the need to keep fit increases as you age, so as to avoid obesity and related problems such as cardiovascular diseases, diabetes and high blood pressure. It is advisable for people who are in the range of their 60s to engage in mild but regular exercises to keep fit.

As the age of 60 is crossed, the body starts showing signs of fatigue and wear and tear. Even normal activities can often result in muscle pulls or pain. Hence, it is important that people above the age of 60 engage in some light exercises for at least thrice a week. These exercises are easy, do not take much time and do not tire the body. Regularly exercising will ensure that important muscles remain functional and the body’s overall fitness quotient remains intact, cutting down risks of heart diseases and high blood pressure, says fitness trainer Rajesh Sharma of Fibre Fitness.

Before you begin

Before beginning your fitness routine, here are some tips to keep in mind:

• Wear loose and comfortable clothing to ensure continuous air circulation
• Keep water handy. If possible, add some glucose to it
• Try these exercises at least thrice a week
• Build up slowly and increase the repetition of each exercise
• Take short intervals if you are out of breath

Here are 7 easy exercises recommended by our expert to keep your fitness clock ticking:

#1 Chest Stretch

Sit upright in a firm chair. Pull the shoulders back and extend your arms to your side. Gently push forward your chest until you feel a stretch across your chest. Hold or five to ten seconds and repeat five times. This exercise is very good for improvement of posture.

#2 Body Twist

Sit upright in a chair. Cross your arms and try reaching for your shoulders. Without altering the hip movement, sway to your left and hold for five to ten seconds. Gradually sway to your right and repeat. This exercise helps maintain flexibility in the upper back region of the body.

#3 Ankle Stretch

Blood clot risks are very common among people in their 60s. To reduce the risk of blood clots, ankle stretch is the simplest and most effective exercise recommended. Sit upright on a chair and hold on to the sides and slowly raise your left foot. Slowly wriggle the toes back and forth for five to ten times. Repeat the same with your right foot.

#4 Calf Stretch

Retaining flexibility is very important for your old age. The older you grow, your muscles tend to become less flexible. This results in muscle pulls even during minor activities. To retain muscle flexibility, do the calf stretching exercise. Place your hands against a wall, bend the right leg and keep the left leg at a foot’s distance from the right. Keep the left leg as stretched as possible to stretch the calf muscle. Repeat the same posture with the opposite leg and perform the exercise thrice.

#5 Mini Squats

Legs tend to become weary with age and older people often fall prey to pain in the legs, restricting their mobility. Mini squats strengthen the legs from knee to toe, thus increasing the leg’s stamina considerably. Begin by placing your hands on the back of a chair and keep your feet at a hip’s distance from one another. Bend the knees as much as you can, keeping your back straight. Stay in the position for five to ten seconds and stand up slowly. Repeat five times.

#6 Sideways Leg Lift

Lifting your leg sideways is a great exercise to retain flexibility of the leg muscles. Grab the back of a chair and lift your left leg sideways, stretching as far as you can. Keep your back straight and do not tilt to the right. Retain the position for five to ten seconds and return to the start. Now do the same with your right leg. Repeat the exercise five times for each leg.

#7 Bicep Curls

Light bicep building exercises are immensely beneficial for old people. Take two lightweight water bottles, filled up equally and stand with feet stretched. Gradually bend your arms till they reach your shoulders and lower them slowly. Repeat this with three sets of five bends with each arm.

Also Read: From Flab To Fit: Top 5 Exercises To Beat Belly Fat