30 Minute Exercise Routine
For older adults, the amount of physical activity they get every week should include at least 150 minutes of moderate activity. Engaging in activities such as walking, swimming, cycling, and working on strength and flexibility training will all help you to achieve these goals.
On paper, 150 minutes may seem like a lot, but it doesn’t need to be 150 minutes all done in one go. You can break it up into smaller, more manageable chunks spread throughout the week. This allows you to just do 30 minutes a day, five days of the week, and get your 150 minutes in. And the daily exercise doesn’t need to be done all at once either. You could, for example, go on a 10 minute walk after eating breakfast, lunch, and dinner, which adds up to 30 minutes a day.
For those of us who are just getting started with exercise, here are a few suggestions for building strength with exercises that you can do around the house and don’t require setting foot in a gym.
- Constriction of abdominal muscles, which increases your abdominal muscles.
- To start, tense your abdominal muscles and take a deep breath.
- Hold the contraction for three breaths and then release.
- Repeat this exercise 12 times.
- Wall pushups, which will strengthen your chest and shoulders
- Face the wall from a distance of roughly three feet away, with your feet planted shoulder-width apart.
- Place both of your hands flat against the wall, at shoulder height, and keep your spine straight. You should have both of your hands directly in line with your shoulders.
- Slowly bend both of your elbows, lowering yourself towards the wall.
- Repeat this motion 12 times.
- Pelvis tilts, which will strengthen and stretch the muscles of your lower back.
- Take a deep breath, tightening the muscles of your buttocks. Then tilt your hips slightly forward.
- Hold for three counts.
- Now tilt your hips back slowly over the course of five seconds.
- Hold again for three counts.
- Repeat this motion 10 to 12 times.
- Heel-Toe raises, which works your legs and improves circulation
- While seated, with your feet flat on the floor, use the muscles of your shins to lift your toes with your heels flat.
- Slowly lower them to the floor, and then raise your heels while leaving your toes and the balls of your feet on the floor.
- Lower them, and then repeat the exercise 20 to 25 times.
Balance exercises are important for older adults to perform as well, as they can help older adults prevent suffering from falls. A strong sense of balance will help with standing and walking safely. Exercises like yoga and tai chi are good for improving the balance of older adults, but there are easy exercises you can do at home.
- Place your feet hip width apart with your weight evenly distributed to both feet.
- Your hands should be at your sides, but if necessary, you can hold the back of a chair or a table for balance.
- Lift your left foot slowly, shifting your weight to your right.
- Hold for ten seconds, then lower it and switch feet.
- Repeat this 4 times, gradually increasing the time to 30 seconds as you feel more comfortable.