Fitness becomes more important as we age. At the very time when it might seem like we could benefit from slowing down and taking it easy, it can actually help to start striving for a balanced workout that keeps you active. At the same time, you have to be willing to take certain precautions to safeguard your health, because it won’t be as easy to bounce back. A new report looks at those areas of the body that are in greater danger of being injured as we age and offers tips on avoiding danger.
Hips are the first part of the body analyzed, which makes sense considering that hip vitality can increase mobility dramatically. You can’t walk or run to your maximum ability if your hips aren’t capable of a full range of motion.
The report recommends a stretch called the Clam. What you’ll want to do is lie on the ground and then turn onto one side with your knees bent, wrapping elastic material slightly above that area. Then, take your upper leg and stretch it toward the ceiling, never allowing your foot to leave your other foot as you do so. This will enable your hips to stretch out, and the more you conduct exercises like this, the greater your range of motion and the more repetitions you’ll be able to take part in.
Moving downward, you also have to pay some attention to knee health, and tied directly into this part of the body are your quadriceps. That’s where squats come in, although these squats will be slightly different than the repeated squats with heavy weights you would come to expect in a weight room.
Instead, you want the kind of squat that you hold for a longer period of time and that doesn’t require weights to accomplish. Stand up against the wall, ramrod straight, and then slowly allow your knees to bend and bring your upper body closer to the ground. You want to get low enough that you feel the tension but not so low that it looks like you’re sitting in an invisible chair. If you do this enough, eventually you’ll be able to hold the position for a couple minutes and do it multiple times. At the outset, though, only do however much you can take.
Finally, be willing to focus some energy toward your lower back, because if this goes out at an older age, it could take months to recuperate. Lie facedown and extend your arms out past your head like you’re diving into a swimming pool. Then, lift your arms and legs up toward the sky at the same time. This should help you release the tension in your lower back.
There’s more stretching tips available, so click the link above for the full report.
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