In a society where looking young and fit is a way of life, it's no surprise that more and more “baby boomers” are lacing up their sneakers and heading to the gym. But boomer workouts have gone way beyond basic aerobics and running on the treadmill.
Nowadays it's all about endurance sports, boot camps and yoga mats.
But are some people pushing themselves too far?
Back injuries are a common theme among baby boomers, who make up an estimated 78 million Americans born between 1946 and 1964.
A lot of people in their 50's and 60's have arthritic changes in their back and neck. This includes disc degeneration and spinal arthritis or disc herniations. If you stress those body parts they say ouch."
1. Cardio
Basically anything that uses your full body to get your heart pumping.
1.At least 30 minutes of moderate cardio exercise a day
2.This includes brisk walking, running, swimming, biking, or exercise videos
3.If you don't have time in your day for the full 30 minutes, try three 10 minute bouts of exercise throughout the day
2. Strength training
As we get older the muscles are getting smaller and losing the ability to contract.We can change this by strength training. The other thing we see is that mature adults have higher fat content. There is more diabetes due to lower muscle mass, so strength training is essential to regulate glucose metabolism
Work those muscles twice a week for 30 to 45 minutes by doing exercises such as:
1.Pushups (if you're a beginner, do them against a wall to start)
2.Using a resistance band which is light weight and inexpensive
3.Bicep curls and tricep extensions
4.Modified squats and lunges which works many muscles at once
And make sure you leave 24 to 48 hours between strength training because your muscles need time to bounce back and rest. You don't want overuse injuries.
3. Flexibility training
With reduced flexibility people tend to lose their ability to balance because there are changes in connective tissues in the body. Regular stretching can help, even as little as five to 10 minutes a day.
4.To start the day, try some head circles and stretching in the shower
5.At the end of day, stretch calf muscles and hamstrings
4. Balance training
Because we see in older adults a loss of balance, which results in more falls
1.You can do this standing in line at the grocery store
2.Stand on one leg and see if you can let go of the shopping cart
3.Hold for about 10 seconds
4. Also try standing on your tippy-toes and holding for a few seconds
5.Balance should be done everyday — all you need is two to three minutes
5. Core training
We see so many people as they get older avoiding their abs, which results in a bad back. They're not really supporting upper torso.
6.Try a few minutes of abdominal exercises
7.Reverse curl while you're lying in back and pull your knees into you
8. Hold for five seconds and release
9. Start with 10 reps a day and work your way higher
10. Crunches are key,not full sit-ups,because some people can do more damage than good
11. Keep back on the floor and don't go all the way up
12. Really concentrate so you can feel you're abdominal wall contracting
13. This will help support your back
