Physical activity should be an essential part of everyone’s daily schedule, regardless of age. Seniors are a unique group for whom daily exercise is aimed not only at maintaining physical fitness at the right level, but most of all delaying changes related to the aging process of the body. Nevertheless, maintaining physical fitness is also important as it directly affects the quality of life and everyday functioning. Moreover, every movement, even the smallest one, has a positive effect on health and can be a great relaxing element.
The gymnastic wall bar is a tool that offers many possibilities and forms of activity for the elderly, providing adequate support, thanks to which training with it is completely safe. So let’s get to know the exercises for seniors 60+ on the gymnastic wall bars.
Let’s start by reminding ourselves what a gymnastic wall bar is. It is an inseparable element of every school gym and rehabilitation center, but not only. It is also perfect at home, because it is a sports device that allows you to perform all kinds of stretching, strengthening and corrective exercises as well as rehabilitation training. What determines the phenomenon of a gymnastic wall bar and what makes it worth having it in your home? First of all, the fact that it is a tool suitable for everyone, regardless of age, allows you to perform exercises tailored to the individual capabilities of each person. That is why the gymnastic wall bar is a product recommended for seniors, because it is completely safe and exercising with its use does not burden muscles and joints. BenchK gymnastic wall bars are especially recommended, because they are manufactured in compliance with all European standards, and their wide offer allows you to choose the right one for you, both in terms of functionality and appearance.
BenchK gymnastic wall bars take up little space, are easy to assemble, have a solid structure and a designer look that allows them to fit into any interior design. There are also many accessories dedicated to the wall bars, depending on the needs and individual preferences.
Exercise for seniors – the benefits
Physical activity is important for all ages, bringing benefits such as good condition, proper mobility, proper functioning of the respiratory and circulatory system, and improved appearance and well-being. However, in the case of seniors, each manifestation of exercise has an additional importance, because in addition to the above-mentioned benefits, it prevents many diseases of old age, including hypertension, atherosclerosis, osteoporosis, diabetes and even Alzheimer’s disease. Through regular exercise, seniors are also less prone to falls and injuries, their immune system is strengthened, the elasticity of periarticular tissues is improved, and above all, it improves overall efficiency, largely influencing the comfort of everyday functioning.
Basic principles of exercise for seniors
The best training for seniors is a daily set of general conditioning exercises. Their duration should be approximately 30 minutes. Before starting the training, you should undergo a medical consultation in order to exclude contraindications to exercise. Before starting the exercises, you should do a short warm-up, in which the most important thing is stretching. Exercises should be adapted to individual abilities. Remember that training that is safe for a senior is primarily slow, precise movements, not at pace. You must also monitor your heart rate during activity (its maximum value must not exceed the value calculated by the 220 – age formula). It is also important to control your breathing.
An example of a set of exercises for seniors on gymnastic wall bars
Exercises for seniors at home are the best solution for physical activity for older people who prefer to stay at home over a gym or a swimming pool. Below are some exercises that are safe for every person aged 60+.
The first exercise will help to maintain the correct posture stabilization and body balance. In order to perform it, stand with your back next to the ladder and then perform a half-squat, keeping the right angle between the legs bent at the knees and the ladder, rest your back comfortably and firmly on the rungs, keeping your feet slightly apart. The exercise comprises of raising your arm and leg at the same time, but when you extend your right arm, the left leg follows it. You should hold this position for a few seconds, then lower your arm and leg and repeat it 5 times, alternating the limbs.
The second exercise will take care of the functions of the lower limbs and strengthen the muscles around the hips and knee joints. To do them, stand facing the ladder, grasp the rungs of the ladder above the chest with both hands, and then perform alternate, dynamic sideways swing and bends in the knee of one leg and the other. The exercise should be repeated 10 times.
The third exercise involves almost all muscles and joints of a person, and also engages the brain. It consists in climbing up and down the ladder. You should stand facing the ladder and remember to keep the three points of support – two feet and a hand or a foot and two hands touching the ladder, slowly climb to the top and carefully descend. The exercise should be repeated 3 times.
Training above the age of 60 is not only a way to maintain proper physical condition and for important health benefits. It is also a chance for independence, good quality of life, improved well-being and a recipe for the youth of the body and mind.