sample exercises
Many different exercises can improve your health and independence. Whether you do the exercises shown in this chapter or other physical activities that accomplish the same goals, gradually work your way up to include endurance, strength, balance, and stretching exercises.
It’s important to spend about 5 minutes at the beginning and end of your routine to warm up and cool down. Warming up and cooling down give your muscles a chance to get ready to work and gradually return to rest at the end. These “before-and-after” activities help prevent injury and reduce muscle soreness later. Here are a few suggestions:
• Do some light endurance activity first, such as walking for 5 minutes. If you’re going to be walking briskly or running, gradually build up to that pace. At the end of your activity, gradually slow down and let your body cool down.
• Do a few exercises to work the muscles and joints you’ll be using in your activity. For example, if you’re going to be swimming, do a few arm exercises first to warm up your arms and shoulders.
• If you’re going to include stretching exercises as part of your routine,
do them afterwards.
How to Improve Your Endurance
Endurance exercises are activities — walking,
jogging, swimming, raking, sweeping, dancing,
playing tennis — that increase your heart rate
and breathing for an extended period of time.
They will make it easier for you to walk farther,
faster, or uphill. They also should make everyday
activities such as gardening, shopping, or playing
a sport easier.
How Much, How Often
Refer to your starting goals, and build up your
endurance gradually. If you haven’t been active
for a long time, it’s especially important to
work your way up over time. It may take a while
to go from a longstanding inactive lifestyle to
doing some of the activities in this section. For
example, start out with 5 or 10 minutes at a
time, and then build up to at least 30 minutes of
moderate-intensity endurance activity. Doing
less than 10 minutes at a time won’t give you
the desired heart and lung benefits.
Try to build up to at least 30 minutes of
moderate-intensity endurance activity on
most or all days of the week. Every day is best.
Remember, though, that these are goals, not
rules. Some people will be able to do more.
Others, however, may not be able to exercise
for 30 minutes at a time. It’s important to set
realistic goals based on your own health and
abilities.
Safety
Listen to your body. Is the activity making you
feel unwell or too tired? Endurance activities
should not make you breathe so hard that you
can’t talk. They should not cause dizziness,
chest pain or pressure, or a feeling like
heartburn.
Do a little light activity, such as easy walking,
before and after your endurance activities to
warm up and cool down.
As you get older, you may not feel thirsty even
though your body needs fluids. Be sure to drink
liquids when doing any activity that makes you
sweat. By the time you notice you are thirsty,
you probably are already low on fluid. This
guideline is important year round, but it’s
especially important in hot weather. If your
doctor has told you to limit your fluids, be sure
to check before increasing the amount of fluid
you drink while exercising. For example, people
with congestive heart failure or kidney disease
may need to limit fluids.
Older adults can be affected by heat and cold
more than others. In extreme cases, too
much heat can cause heat stroke, and very
cold temperatures can lead to a dangerous
drop in body temperature. If you are going to
be outdoors, dress in layers so you can add or
remove clothes as needed. When it’s not
possible to be outdoors, you may want to
try indoor activities:
• If you have stairs at home, go up and
down the steps a few times in a row.
• Walk at the mall or grocery store.
• Go for a swim at your local fitness or
recreation center.
Whatever activity you choose, stay safe.
To prevent injuries, be sure to use safety
equipment. For example, wear a helmet when
bicycling. When you’re walking, watch out for
low-hanging branches and uneven sidewalks.
Walk during the day or in well-lit areas at
night, and be aware of your surroundings.
Ask someone to go with you.
How to Improve Your Strength
Even very small changes in muscle strength
can make a real difference in function,
especially in people who have already lost a lot
of muscle. An increase in muscle that you can’t
even see can make it easier to do everyday
things like get up from a chair, climb stairs,
carry groceries, open jars, and even play with
your grandchildren. Lower-body strength
exercises also will improve your balance.
About Strength Exercises
To do most of the strength exercises in this book,
you need to lift or push weights. You can use
weights, resistance bands, or common objects
from your home. Or, you can use the
strength-training equipment at a fitness
center or gym. Start with light weights and
gradually increase the amount of weight you use.
How Much, How Often
Try to do strength exercises for all of your
major muscle groups on 2 or more days per
week for 30-minute sessions each, but don’t
exercise the same muscle group on any 2 days
in a row. (Use the Weekly Exercise and
Physical Activity Plan on page 104.)
• Depending on your condition, you might
need to start out using 1- or 2-pound
weights, or no weight at all. Your body
needs to get used to strength exercises.
• Use a light weight the first week, then
gradually add more weight. Starting out
with weights that are too heavy can
cause injuries.
Gradually add more weight in order to
benefit from strength exercises. You
need to challenge your muscles to get the
most benefit from strength exercises.
(The Progressing section on page 43 will
tell you how.)
• It should feel somewhere between hard
and very hard for you to lift or push the
weight. It shouldn’t feel very, very hard.
If you can’t lift or push a weight 8 times
in a row, it’s too heavy for you. Reduce
the amount of weight.
• Take 3 seconds to lift or push a weight into
place, hold the position for 1 second, and
take another 3 seconds to return to your
starting position. Don’t let the weight drop;
returning it slowly is very important.
• Try to do 10 to 15 repetitions for each
exercise. Think of this as a goal. If you can’t
do that many at first, do as many as you
can. You may be able to build up to this
goal over time.
Safety
• Talk with your doctor if you are unsure about
doing a particular exercise. For example, if
you’ve had hip or back surgery, talk about
which exercises might be best for you.
• Don’t hold your breath during strength
exercises. Holding your breath while straining
can cause changes in blood pressure. This is
especially true for people with heart disease.
• Breathe regularly. Breathe in slowly through
your nose and breathe out slowly through
your mouth. If this is not comfortable or
possible, breathe in and out through either
your nose or mouth.
• Breathe out as you lift or push, and breathe
in as you relax. For example, if you’re doing
leg lifts, breathe out as you lift your leg, and
breathe in as you lower it. This may not feel
natural at first, and you probably will have
to think about it for a while as you do it.
• Proper form and safety go hand-in-hand.
For some exercises, you may want to start
alternating arms and work your way up to
using both arms at the same time. If it is
difficult for you to hold hand weights, try
using wrist weights.
• To prevent injury, don’t jerk or thrust weights
into position. Use smooth, steady movements.
• Avoid “locking” your arm and leg joints in
a tightly straightened position. To straighten
your knees, tighten your thigh muscles.
This will lift your kneecaps and protect them.
Many different exercises can improve your health and independence. Whether you do the exercises shown in this chapter or other physical activities that accomplish the same goals, gradually work your way up to include endurance, strength, balance, and stretching exercises.
It’s important to spend about 5 minutes at the beginning and end of your routine to warm up and cool down. Warming up and cooling down give your muscles a chance to get ready to work and gradually return to rest at the end. These “before-and-after” activities help prevent injury and reduce muscle soreness later. Here are a few suggestions:
• Do some light endurance activity first, such as walking for 5 minutes. If you’re going to be walking briskly or running, gradually build up to that pace. At the end of your activity, gradually slow down and let your body cool down.
• Do a few exercises to work the muscles and joints you’ll be using in your activity. For example, if you’re going to be swimming, do a few arm exercises first to warm up your arms and shoulders.
• If you’re going to include stretching exercises as part of your routine,
do them afterwards.
How to Improve Your Endurance
Endurance exercises are activities — walking,
jogging, swimming, raking, sweeping, dancing,
playing tennis — that increase your heart rate
and breathing for an extended period of time.
They will make it easier for you to walk farther,
faster, or uphill. They also should make everyday
activities such as gardening, shopping, or playing
a sport easier.
How Much, How Often
Refer to your starting goals, and build up your
endurance gradually. If you haven’t been active
for a long time, it’s especially important to
work your way up over time. It may take a while
to go from a longstanding inactive lifestyle to
doing some of the activities in this section. For
example, start out with 5 or 10 minutes at a
time, and then build up to at least 30 minutes of
moderate-intensity endurance activity. Doing
less than 10 minutes at a time won’t give you
the desired heart and lung benefits.
Try to build up to at least 30 minutes of
moderate-intensity endurance activity on
most or all days of the week. Every day is best.
Remember, though, that these are goals, not
rules. Some people will be able to do more.
Others, however, may not be able to exercise
for 30 minutes at a time. It’s important to set
realistic goals based on your own health and
abilities.
Safety
Listen to your body. Is the activity making you
feel unwell or too tired? Endurance activities
should not make you breathe so hard that you
can’t talk. They should not cause dizziness,
chest pain or pressure, or a feeling like
heartburn.
Do a little light activity, such as easy walking,
before and after your endurance activities to
warm up and cool down.
As you get older, you may not feel thirsty even
though your body needs fluids. Be sure to drink
liquids when doing any activity that makes you
sweat. By the time you notice you are thirsty,
you probably are already low on fluid. This
guideline is important year round, but it’s
especially important in hot weather. If your
doctor has told you to limit your fluids, be sure
to check before increasing the amount of fluid
you drink while exercising. For example, people
with congestive heart failure or kidney disease
may need to limit fluids.
Older adults can be affected by heat and cold
more than others. In extreme cases, too
much heat can cause heat stroke, and very
cold temperatures can lead to a dangerous
drop in body temperature. If you are going to
be outdoors, dress in layers so you can add or
remove clothes as needed. When it’s not
possible to be outdoors, you may want to
try indoor activities:
• If you have stairs at home, go up and
down the steps a few times in a row.
• Walk at the mall or grocery store.
• Go for a swim at your local fitness or
recreation center.
Whatever activity you choose, stay safe.
To prevent injuries, be sure to use safety
equipment. For example, wear a helmet when
bicycling. When you’re walking, watch out for
low-hanging branches and uneven sidewalks.
Walk during the day or in well-lit areas at
night, and be aware of your surroundings.
Ask someone to go with you.
How to Improve Your Strength
Even very small changes in muscle strength
can make a real difference in function,
especially in people who have already lost a lot
of muscle. An increase in muscle that you can’t
even see can make it easier to do everyday
things like get up from a chair, climb stairs,
carry groceries, open jars, and even play with
your grandchildren. Lower-body strength
exercises also will improve your balance.
About Strength Exercises
To do most of the strength exercises in this book,
you need to lift or push weights. You can use
weights, resistance bands, or common objects
from your home. Or, you can use the
strength-training equipment at a fitness
center or gym. Start with light weights and
gradually increase the amount of weight you use.
How Much, How Often
Try to do strength exercises for all of your
major muscle groups on 2 or more days per
week for 30-minute sessions each, but don’t
exercise the same muscle group on any 2 days
in a row. (Use the Weekly Exercise and
Physical Activity Plan on page 104.)
• Depending on your condition, you might
need to start out using 1- or 2-pound
weights, or no weight at all. Your body
needs to get used to strength exercises.
• Use a light weight the first week, then
gradually add more weight. Starting out
with weights that are too heavy can
cause injuries.
Gradually add more weight in order to
benefit from strength exercises. You
need to challenge your muscles to get the
most benefit from strength exercises.
(The Progressing section on page 43 will
tell you how.)
• It should feel somewhere between hard
and very hard for you to lift or push the
weight. It shouldn’t feel very, very hard.
If you can’t lift or push a weight 8 times
in a row, it’s too heavy for you. Reduce
the amount of weight.
• Take 3 seconds to lift or push a weight into
place, hold the position for 1 second, and
take another 3 seconds to return to your
starting position. Don’t let the weight drop;
returning it slowly is very important.
• Try to do 10 to 15 repetitions for each
exercise. Think of this as a goal. If you can’t
do that many at first, do as many as you
can. You may be able to build up to this
goal over time.
Safety
• Talk with your doctor if you are unsure about
doing a particular exercise. For example, if
you’ve had hip or back surgery, talk about
which exercises might be best for you.
• Don’t hold your breath during strength
exercises. Holding your breath while straining
can cause changes in blood pressure. This is
especially true for people with heart disease.
• Breathe regularly. Breathe in slowly through
your nose and breathe out slowly through
your mouth. If this is not comfortable or
possible, breathe in and out through either
your nose or mouth.
• Breathe out as you lift or push, and breathe
in as you relax. For example, if you’re doing
leg lifts, breathe out as you lift your leg, and
breathe in as you lower it. This may not feel
natural at first, and you probably will have
to think about it for a while as you do it.
• Proper form and safety go hand-in-hand.
For some exercises, you may want to start
alternating arms and work your way up to
using both arms at the same time. If it is
difficult for you to hold hand weights, try
using wrist weights.
• To prevent injury, don’t jerk or thrust weights
into position. Use smooth, steady movements.
• Avoid “locking” your arm and leg joints in
a tightly straightened position. To straighten
your knees, tighten your thigh muscles.
This will lift your kneecaps and protect them.
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