WHO NEEDS FITNESS THE MOST?

 

Many people are under the impression that fitness and exercising are only for the young, however that couldn’t be further from the truth. In order for aging adults to keep their muscles strong and their metabolism at the correct age, exercise is most definitely needed! The majority of exercises are designed specifically to help you train muscles that you would use in everyday life, for example, tricep dips. Tricep dips are designed to strengthen the muscles you would use for getting out of a bath or pushing yourself up out of a chair (something we need to do daily)!

 

WHY DO THE ELDERLY NEED TO EXERCISE?

 

As we age our muscles slowly begin to deteriorate, it is the unfortunate fact of life. But then why is it much easier for fitter adults to find a personal trainer than it is for a weak or elderly person? The answer is simple, weaker or elderly persons require more knowledge and skill than the average person thus personal trainers and gyms tend to leave them alone. However, they are the ones that need help the most. On average adults need about 180 minutes of moderate exercise a week, with a mixture of aerobic exercise to get the heart rate up and strength training to keep the muscles strong. This is simply to keep your body in a good condition not to lose weight or gain muscle.

 

The weak or elderly generally struggle to achieve this when they begin their fitness journeys which is totally fine. You will be surprised at the difference in your body after just a month of gentle exercise. When finding the right personal trainer or exercise routine that is catered to your specific needs then nothing is impossible. Exercise can seem daunting to begin with, especially if you have never done it before but take it one step at a time and soon you will begin to realize the huge difference that a little bit of exercise can do for your body. Once you get to the age of retirement you will have no issues getting out of a chair, bath or your bed yourself and will live a longer, more satisfying life.

 

ALL ADULTS NEED EXERCISE.

 

If you want to be healthy and live a longer life then there is no question that you need to be exercising! As stated before an average of 180 minutes of exercise a week is recommended to maintain your muscles structure. Without it, your muscles will slowly deteriorate and eventually, menial tasks will become quite difficult. Picking up the groceries, picking up heavy objects off the floor or carrying a 20kg bag of dog food into the house will become exhausting tasks. In order to have a more satisfactory life and spend less time huffing and puffing like the big bad wolf exercise is required!

 

Especially in today’s world where everyone sits hunched over staring at smartphone or laptop screens. Sitting for the majority of the day or for long periods of time slows down your metabolism, aids in muscle deterioration and increases your chances of chronic health problems. Various studies have proven that regular exercise increases your metabolism, lowers your risk of chronic health issues such as heart problems or diabetes, strengthens your bone marrow and decreases obesity.

 

CHILDREN NEED EXERCISE TOO!

 

Not only will it keep parents sane but it will actually help children develop fully if they exercise daily. With the vast amount of energy children have they need to moderately exercise roughly an hour every day. The activity simply needs to change to an age-appropriate level, for example babies can spend an hour crawling or rolling around in a safe environment whereas seven-year-olds can run around the garden playing soccer for an hour every day. More vigorous or high-intensity exercise is recommended twice a week depending on the age of the child.

 

Exercise promotes the development of bones and muscles while also enhancing cognitive, motor and social skills. Even a simple game of tag can help children grow and learn. With today’s technological developments and a vast amount of on-screen entertainment, it is important to encourage children to exercise even if it is just an hour every day. We are also seeing an increase in hunched over shoulders in the youth as they are constantly bending their necks down to see their smartphones or to play games on their laptops and PlayStations. A simple way to correct your posture is a few back exercises such as child’s pose, cat cows, chest opener, high plank and more.