Senior gymnastics – Improve your gait safety [Guide]

Everyone can be active and mobile – even in old age. With some practice and a training plan tailored to you, you too can train your mobility in everyday life with a lot of fun.

Contents

Movement is the best medicine.

Mobility and physical well-being have a significant impact on quality of life at every age. Exercise is one of the most important tools for leading a healthy and long life.

Movement also serves as training for the brain, because new nerve cells are created through movement. Through physical activity, these nerve cells connect to form ever new networks and improve memory and thinking processes.

Movement makes flexible – and flexibility can set many things in motion.

— Paul Haschek, German theologian and editor

Stay active

Movement can counteract health risk factors – lack of movement, on the other hand, actually promotes them.
The body’s performance begins to decline from the age of 35 due to aging processes. Therefore, the risk of health impairments increases with age.

Sufficient exercise and regular, targeted training help you to reduce this risk and thus to age healthily without losing quality of life.

Especially in old age or with physical limitations, it is important to stay active and maintain existing mobility, because “Who rests, rusts!”. Therefore, doctors recommend staying active for as long as possible to counteract physical inactivity and mobility loss.

Both represent risk factors for the need for care or the development of new functional impairments.
Being mobile means not only more independence and self-determination but also a higher quality of life, better well-being, social participation, disease prevention, health promotion, and a better opportunity for self-care.

It is important to break free from the vicious cycle of inactivity and to maintain and build mobility through everyday movement routines – for example, through senior gymnastics.

What can you do in your daily life to stay active? - Senior gymnastics

The most important thing is to keep moving – regardless of whether you are already active or have difficulty walking.

Because “Any movement is better than no movement”!
We have put together a compact list of tips for everyday training for you, because every activity in everyday life helps you to train mobility and balance.

A 20-minute walk, for example, serves as good cardiovascular training. Household chores such as taking out the trash, dusting, or vacuuming help to easily increase activity in everyday life. Also included are walking to do the shopping, gardening, or playing with grandchildren.

To maintain health, 150 minutes (2 ½ hours) of exercise per week (such as senior gymnastics) is recommended. An effective workout consists of a mix of balance and strength exercises and should maintain and promote your mobility.

If this is not possible, try to incorporate as much movement as possible into your daily routine.
Feel free to consult your general practitioner.

They can recommend specialists and therapists (physiotherapists and occupational therapists) who can work with you to create a suitable training plan.

Growing older in balance

Balance and strength are important for safe walking. Therefore, train your balance and leg muscles. Balance training and strength training for muscle building in old age should be done at least twice a week if there are already existing limitations, in order to counteract muscle loss.

Try to spread your training over at least four days per week and to train for at least ten minutes in a row per session.

Do not overestimate yourself and take breaks.

You will be surprised how quickly you make progress!

Are there senior gymnastics or training programs specifically for seniors?

Climbing stairs at home is a valuable exercise to stay active. Stair climbing offers clear benefits, as the slow movements are gentle on the joints and lead to an intense workout. It strengthens muscles, endurance, and helps improve respiratory function.

For many, climbing stairs can be a major challenge. Seniors and people with limited mobility need more support during stair training than a regular handrail. The innovative stair walking aid TOPRO Step, developed in Norway, provides the necessary support and safety.

Treppensteighilfe TOPRO Step - Nutzung treppauf

Are there senior gymnastics or training programs specifically for seniors?

Yes! There are various courses offered by the sports club. If you prefer to stay active at home, you can find more information in our PDF “Senior Gymnastics Exercises.”

The Federal Centre for Health Education (BZgA) has developed the BZgA program “Aging in Balance” for people aged 65 and older to prevent diseases and limitations and thus delay the need for care.

Everyday Training Program (ATP for short) is a training program for women and men aged 60 and older, showing how to incorporate more movement into daily life. The 12-week program demonstrates everyday skills and situations that can be used as training opportunities.

Possible training activities for you could be for example

  • 30 minutes walk
  • 15 minutes of mopping the floor
  • 20 minutes of vacuuming
  • 15 minutes of climbing stairs
  • 25 minutes of biking
  • 20 minutes of gardening

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