Gentle Exercise for Seniors: How Wellness Classes Help With Modifications

Wellness classes are crucial for seniors to get socialization while enjoying exercise, and they often offer modifications, including chair-based versions. A gentle exercise for seniors will help them with their balance and stability while also increasing overall health.

According to the CDC, seniors need about two and a half hours worth of light aerobic exercise every week. Two and a half hours doesn't sound like much, but are you certain you're getting enough exercise?

Marble Falls, TX, is the perfect city to spend your retirement. Whether you're here for the outdoor activities or to see the local shops, there's something for everyone. What better way to get your gentle exercise than to enjoy a local hike?

If you're curious about modified workouts for seniors, we're here to help. Read on to learn more about the balance and flexibility aging adults need, and how exercise classes can provide it.

Why Gentle Exercise for Seniors?

As we age, our bodies become a little worse at regulating damage and strain. It's much easier for a senior in their 70s to struggle with weightlifting than a youngster in their 20s or 30s, for example.

That doesn't mean we need to give up exercise. Instead, it means we need to adapt and modify our workouts for our new needs. But how do modified workouts for seniors accomplish the same things we need?

It's simple: modifying a workout doesn't mean making it worse. It just means changing it in a way that adjusts how it helps you.

One great example is seated exercises, or chair exercises. Chair exercises provide you with the stability and balance of a chair while the movements remain your own. It seems easier on the surface, but once you feel the burn, it won't feel easy for long!

What Are Gentle Exercises?

Some seniors struggle to understand how a gentle exercise works. Isn't intensity and hardship part of working out?

There are two types of workouts: high-impact and low-impact.

A high-impact workout or exercise is one that takes a heavier toll on your body. Think of intense weightlifting or jumping jacks. These exercises put undue strain on your joints, and while they have their benefits, they aren't suited to the average senior.

Low-impact workouts do the opposite. These are exercises that have less of an impact on your joints, muscles, and bones.

Common low-impact exercises include:

• Swimming and running
• Yoga, Tai Chi, and other meditations
• Cycling and general cardio exercises
• Walking and quick-walking

According to Everyday Health, these exercises are perfect for regulating your cardio health. That makes them ideal joint-friendly exercise routine candidates!

Exercising In Groups

According to Michigan Medicine, about a third of all seniors aged 50 to 80 feel lonely or isolated. One of the best fixes to this is group exercise. Group exercise provides you with socialization while also helping you stay motivated and on-task.

How are you managing your loneliness? Leaving your isolation unchecked is as disastrous for your health as never working out.

The best way is to find fitness classes in assisted living communities. Here at Gateway Villas & Gateway Gardens, we make sure you have the community you need to find an exercise group.

Common Exercise Group Workouts

We understand the need for gentle exercise, and we've seen how effective workouts are in groups. But what sort of exercises should you expect for your next workout class? Here are some of the most common modified workouts for seniors.

Yoga Classes

Yoga classes are exceptionally common in retirement and assisted living communities. These classes provide safe movement for seniors that works as a gentle workout.

Yoga is a position-based workout that involves putting your body into certain positions. These poses are effective for encouraging your balance and stability. That makes it perfect for seniors worried about a fall!

Yoga classes are also perfect for group socialization. A single instructor will lead you and your class in reaching your poses, giving you a group exercise routine to follow.

Tai Chi Meditation

Somewhat similar to Yoga, Tai Chi mixes meditation with exercise. Tai Chi involves using slow, fluid, steady movements to keep your body in motion.

Tai Chi is perfect for helping you with balance and core strength. It is also easy to modify, as there are hundreds of movements that you can customize.

As with Yoga, Tai Chi is often done in groups. You'll have a similar format where you and your friends will follow along with the instructor's movements.

Frequently Asked Questions

Understanding gentle exercise for seniors requires us to think of the questions that remain. Here are some of the most frequently asked questions about fitness classes in assisted living.

Do I Have to Work Out in a Group?

While nothing is forcing you to work out in a group, it's crucial to understand the benefits. Working to dispel feelings of isolation is as great a health benefit as physical health can provide you with, after all.

Another factor to consider is safety. If you're struggling with some poses or movements, working out alone may present a risk of falling.

Working out in a group ensures that you'll be safe and sound, as well as social. It's the perfect way to get the physical, mental, and spiritual benefits of gentle exercise.

How Do I Find Exercise Classes?

Your first step is to find your community's upcoming events! You can browse our upcoming events on our activities calendar. That way, you always know what's coming up!

Making It to Class

Focusing on gentle exercise for seniors means knowing what sort of low-impact workouts work best. Modified workouts for seniors can provide excellent joint-friendly exercise, but always focus on class-based workouts. These workouts are safer, provide better motivation, and help you stay focused.

Here at Gateway Villas & Gateway Gardens, we know that your golden years need more than a workout class to shine. Our welcoming community is known for its stunning landscapes, beautiful parks, and access to Lake Marble Falls for everything you could ever desire. Contact us today to see how you can join our thriving community.