Seniors Get Fit and Live Longer! Discover Senior Fitness Programs

By Ted King

If you are currently physically inactive, exercise less than 2-3 times a week, and in your later years, you are a candidate for a senior fitness program. A successful senior fitness program uses short exercises 2 to 3 days a week to keep blood pressure low to moderate and to ensure your safety.

Senior fitness programs have been found to: improve quality of life, prolong independence, increase muscle mass, increase strength and bone density, optimize functional ability, decrease falls, and promote socialization. Not only have participants' health and mobility improved, but also friendships have been established from interaction with others in the program.

A good senior fitness program is one that includes aerobic exercise, muscle conditioning or strength training, along with exercises to improve balance.

Fit Over 40 is such a program. The author offers a FREE 10-day e-Course,"10 Pounds (Snap!) Like THAT!" It will give you a feel for the total program so check it out to see if it is right for you.... To get your free e-Course CLICK HERE.

Aerobic Exercise

Aerobic exercise has proven to reduce the risk factors associated with conditions such as heart disease and diabetes, improve health and contribute to an increase in life expectancy and enjoyment. Exercise helps you sleep better, manage stress better, and gives you more endurance to enjoy work and play.

Senior fitness programs are offered at large fitness facilities, community centers, health clubs, churches, retirement communities, and park and recreation departments. There are also many books on the subject so one can exercise in the home.

Strength

An important component of senior fitness programs is strength training which helps offset the loss in muscle mass and strength typically associated with normal aging. Strength training increases regional bone mineral density and bone remodeling. This muscular strength is necessary to correct balance errors.

With exercise, seniors can improve their balance, strengthen their heart and legs, improve coordination and posture and, at the same time, have fun. Exercise is important for strengthening and building muscles.

Balance

Balance and fall prevention is extremely important to senior fitness programs as falling is the second leading cause of accidental death for seniors in the US. Balance is an intangible force that allows the body to perform all of the daily activities that many people take for granted.

Balance gives seniors the confidence to move freely and to engage in physical activity. Basic stretching workouts will help you improve flexibility and balance, and increase your range of motion for better mobility. In fact, further research with 155 subjects has shown that combining stretching exercises with strength exercises can produce 20 percent greater strength gains as well as enhanced joint flexibility. Without flexibility training (stretching), you are missing an important part of overall health.

So, remember, a good senior fitness program is one that includes aerobic conditioning, muscular strength training, along with exercises to improve awareness in your body and improve your balance. No matter what your current level of activity, you can join a senior fitness program that suits your health and lifestyle.

It's never too late to start as you surely have heard the expression "use it or lose it". With improved strength and flexibility, daily activities become easier to accomplish, allowing seniors to extend their life and remain independent for as long as possible.

About the Author:

Ted King is a senior and one who works daily to stay fit. He has researched the field of senior fitness programs and found a program called Fit Over 40 to be an excellent program. The author offers a FREE 10-day e-Course,"10 Pounds (Snap!) Like THAT!" Discover how you can stay healthy, fit and trim...To get your free e-Course CLICK HERE.

Article courtesy of www.goarticles.com.