Aerobics after 80?

Aerobics for older adults isn’t as odd as it sounds. By “older adults,” I’m talking about those well past retirement age. As an American Council on Exercise (ACE) certified group fitness instructor, I taught my first senior aerobics class a few weeks ago called “Fit Forever.” Aside from the participants being a delightful group of people, I realized afterward how critical it is to keep exercising throughout your life – even after 80 (which was about the average age of my students).

According to the American College of Sports Medicine, seniors should engage in regular aerobic exercise for the same benefits as younger folks: mental and physical well-being. Although the benefits are the same for young and old, the importance for seniors to exercise far exceeds that of younger people. As we age, our muscles lose tone and often become rigid. To keep your muscles as healthy as possible, exercise is imperative.

The aging process cannot be reversed, but we can improve our quality of life as we age simply by moving more. The skeleton is the main structure and provides support for your entire body to stand up. Your joints are what allow you to be flexible, to bend and move when needed. The muscles provide the force and strength to move your body. When we age, all of these mechanisms (skeleton, joints, and muscles) lose their ability to do their job. However, we can certainly reduce the amount of loss by working exercise into our routines.

There is absolutely no need to do high-impact step aerobics, or high-intensity training through burpees, jumping lunges, and mountain climbers. The concept is simply to move and do so regularly. Aerobic exercise uses oxygen to help fuel the muscles and energize the body. When we move, we continue to maintain our body’s use of its bones, joints, and muscles.

In my recent class of about 30 adults, some of the aerobics work we did included marching in place, three-step grapevines, forward and back stepping, and reaching above and sideways. Being set to music, the workout was fun, went fast, and was enjoyable for everyone. Frankly, even I broke a sweat, and I was about half of their age! So, senior aerobics isn’t a “wimpy” workout, it is functional fitness to maintain strength and endurance during the “Golden” years.

My point is this: just because you age, doesn’t mean you should give up your life. Keep moving. That’s actually the point behind many senior-oriented workouts. One such well-known national program is right in your backyard: SilverSneakers. It’s currently available at the Meadville Family YMCA. While there are many senior-type programs, SilverSneakers is often covered by insurance and is available nationally. According to the SilverSneakers’ website: “It is a comprehensive program that improves overall well-being, strength and social aspects” and is available in more than 13,000 locations nationwide. Membership provides access to fitness equipment, group classes and education for senior citizens ages 65 and older.

Even if SilverSneakers is not available where you are, there are numerous other senior-focused classes much like the Fit Forever class I taught. Check with your favorite fitness facility to see what they have to keep you healthy. As always, before starting an exercise regime, please check with your primary care physician to ensure the class(es) you are looking to attend are right for you.

Most importantly, have fun. Exercise does have its benefits but it should never become a burden. Do what makes you feel good and improve your health.

 

Works used for this article:

Hurd, R. (2014). Aging changes in the bones, muscles, joints. Retrieved from https://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/004015.htm

SilverSneakers Fitness. (2016). Retrieved from https://www.silversneakers.com/