Gymnastics for the elderly. Morning exercises for the elderly. For the heart, joints and memory

To prolong life expectancy and its quality, both men and women, it is extremely important to streamline eating behavior in time, give up bad habits, activate and diversify physical activity. It is recommended to do physical exercises for older women from the age of 40, until the onset of menopause.

In this case, this complex process of hormonal restructuring will pass more or less easily, and the rest of the inevitable, usually pronounced, signs of biological aging will appear not by the age of 60-75, but later. And this is proven in practice and confirmed by medical research.

However, if you "did not have time" to start training on time, do not despair. It is never too late to start exercising regularly for health purposes. The information, photos and videos in this article will help older women begin the process of working on the body and psyche, even if their level of physical training and health is unsatisfactory.

The weekly exercise plan below is optimized as much as possible in terms of preventing and stopping typical diseases inherent in aging women. However, in the presence of pronounced chronic pathologies of the second, and especially the third stage of development, a set of these measures must be approved by the attending physician.

Benefits of exercise for older women

The aging of the human body is inevitable. Age-related shifts occur at the cellular level: protein biosynthesis changes, the oxidative activity of enzymes decreases, the number of mitochondria decreases, and the functionality of cell membranes (membranes) is disrupted.

Nevertheless, many of the natural physiological changes that occur in a fading female body can be significantly slowed down, and some even temporarily stopped, with regular exercise and a healthy lifestyle.

Here is a list of such conditions and diseases:

• osteoporosis;
• osteochondrosis;
• arthritis, arthrosis, gout;
• metabolic syndrome (weight gain), type 2 diabetes;
• violation of urodynamics and renal blood flow, decreased tone of sphincters, prolapse of the pelvic organs, urinary incontinence when sneezing or laughing;
• increased blood pressure;
• coronary artery disease;
• diseases caused by atherosclerosis, including damage to the veins in the legs;
• night cramps;
• sleep disorders;
• psychosomatic disorders;
• depression.

On a note. With other diseases, injuries and fractures, physical exercises also successfully fight. Moreover, in many cases, exercise therapy is not an auxiliary, but the main type of treatment.

Training plan for the week and the basic rules of training

Unfortunately, there is no single physical exercise or complex of different movements that would fight aging universally. However, by alternating anaerobic with aerobic exercise, static tension and relaxation with dynamic gymnastic exercises or yoga asanas, balance exercises and outdoor games, one can draw up an indicative plan for recreational physical education for older women.

It should include:

• morning exercises and evening hitch - daily;
• gymnastic set of exercises - 3 times a week for 45 minutes;
• aerobic exercise - 2 (3) times a week for 60 minutes;
• outdoor games and art therapy - during the week (according to well-being and mood).

In order for physical education to be as effective as possible and not harm women of elegant age, the following “golden” rules must be observed:

• exercise regularly;
• the complex of physical exercises for older women should include exercises from joint gymnastics, stretching movements, exercises with dumbbells, Kegel exercises, coordination exercises, balances on one leg, breathing exercises;
• the pace of classes and exercises should be slow and / or medium;
• increase the level of physical activity should be gradually;
• you should not train during colds or infectious diseases, exacerbation of chronic pathologies, in the presence of elevated body temperature, high blood pressure, pain in any organ or part of the body.

When starting classes, even those older women who believe that they are in good physical shape should be careful about dosing loads. Not everyone will be able to immediately enter a full-fledged weekly training schedule with the recommended duration of classes: for gymnastics - 45, and for cardio 60 minutes.

Here's how to do it:

1. For gymnastic workouts for older women at home, first, for 2 weeks, do only 2 blocks below the exercises presented in a standing position. Then, for another 2 weeks, add exercises while sitting on a chair, and so on. Yes, this method has a drawback. Not all muscles and joints will immediately be worked out in full. Nevertheless, it is better to increase the load in this way, because most will not be able to evenly distribute efforts for the entire duration of the session, and therefore will be forced to interrupt it in the middle or at the end, or will receive muscle strength as a negative consequence.
2. To increase aerobic loads, focus on your own feelings. Walk, swim, row, or pedal on the machine until you feel tired. Then take a break to rest. Then continue the training for another 3-5 minutes (at a slow pace), and finish the session. As the cardiovascular and respiratory systems strengthen, the first time period will gradually increase on its own. This method of dosing cardio loads will not allow harm due to overcoming a specific distance or a period of time through “I can’t, but I need to.”

Note. You need to do it with a smile, literally forcing yourself to be in a good mood. This approach is an effective, medically proven method of dealing with automatic (negative and obsessive) thoughts and depressive senile conditions.

morning exercises

One of the best options for morning exercises for older women is the popular author's Eye of Rebirth system. Peter Calder created it after visiting a Tibetan monastery. Practice shows that this complex, with its regular implementation, really has a healing and rejuvenating effect on the body.

Perform the exercises in the order shown in the figure. You should start with 3 repetitions of each of the movements. The dosage is increased gradually.

As a rule, +2 repetitions are added every week, but you can take your time, focusing on the sensations. The maximum number of repetitions of each exercise is 21 times, which are performed at a calm pace in 15 minutes.

If necessary, give special attention to the joints of the wrists and fingers, increasing the number of special exercises for them by inserting them in part 6.

How to properly perform 5 Tibetan pearls (rituals or exercises), what are the requirements that must be observed in relation to the entire selection of exercises, you can learn from this video. This is one of the best and most competent demonstrations of this complex.

For those who do not like such morning exercises, such a video set of exercises for older women may be suitable.

Universal gymnastics complex for older women

For women over 40, it is important to start maintaining coordination of movements and tone of the musculoskeletal system, to slow down the inevitable development of osteoporosis and osteochondrosis, to keep body weight normal, to maintain correct posture, flexibility of the spine and range of motion in the joints of the limbs.

For this, a set of exercises is suitable, which must be done according to the following rules:

• the optimal number of classes per week is 3 times;
• the duration of one lesson is 45 minutes;
• the time of the lesson is 30 minutes after the second breakfast (11-30) or before dinner, but so that at least 20 minutes pass between the end of the lesson and the meal;
• the sequence of the exercises - strictly in the order indicated below;
• the number of repetitions of each dynamic exercise - strictly according to the sensations, until a feeling of slight fatigue.

Attention! If pain occurs during the exercise, immediately stop doing the exercise. You are doing it technically incorrectly, incorrectly calculated the dosage or the force of tension (stretching). After a pause, you can try to continue the workout from the next exercise, but if the pain resumes, stop exercising. There is a reason to go to the doctor.

For the lesson you will need equipment:

• 3 tennis balls or other items suitable for juggling;
• dumbbells or comfortable plastic bottles of suitable weight - individually (from 0.5 to 2 kg);
• stable chair;
• large towel;
• rug.

You should wear loose clothing and bare feet. It is worth taking care of musical accompaniment and the availability of drinking water in advance. Shortly before training, you should ventilate the room.

Warm up

Before any physical exercise, it is necessary to do a warm-up. In our opinion, the optimal preparatory exercises are the movements from the above vortex warm-up of the joints.

Standing exercises

Table 1 - Exercises for the joints and muscles of the trunk, arms and shoulder girdle:

Images and title	Brief instruction
	Do exercises in the following algorithm. In the first 10-15 seconds, take a position so that the stretch is minimal and comfortable. Then exhale and strengthen it a little for another 10-15 seconds. Breathe evenly and shallowly. Areas where you need to feel stretching are highlighted in orange, and tension is highlighted in red. Additionally stretch in the direction of the purple arrows.
	Do 10 twists left and right. At the end of each turn, look at the wall, exhale, and try to touch the wall with your palms (A). After completing the last twist, freeze, turn your head away from the wall as much as possible, look up, breathe shallowly (B). Feel the muscle stretch for 10 seconds (blue zone), exhale, and twist a little for another 10 seconds. Repeat again, but with a final fade in the other direction
	Stretch out into a string, fold your hands in prayer mudra (forearms parallel to the floor). Squeeze your palms with force. Keeping the chest motionless, inhale and exhale with the stomach (protruding it on inhalation, and retracting it on exhalation), raise your hands up for 10 counts, without relieving pressure in the palms. Lower your arms slowly as well. Do the exercise 3 x 3 times.
	Place your feet slightly narrower than your shoulders. Keep your head straight. Keeping the correct posture, raise your arms to the sides until they are parallel to the floor. During abduction, inhale, and lowering your hands - an accentuated exhalation. Repeat arm extensions to the sides until tired. Rest, and do 2 more sets, remembering to leave enough rest in between.
	Spend 5 minutes juggling. This is an excellent exercise not only for coordination of movements. It perfectly stimulates the work of the cerebellum, helps to increase concentration, strengthens the muscles of the eyes. To avoid chasing dropped balls, work on a sofa, bed, or chair. Don't be afraid and don't despair. It would seem complex movements, but they will turn out pretty quickly.

Between 2 blocks of exercises performed in a standing position, we suggest performing simple movements that, despite their simplicity, will support the vestibular apparatus. This is important because age-related changes (disturbances) in its work affect gait, and are the cause of dizziness and spontaneous falls in the elderly.

For one music track (3-5 minutes), walk with your feet in line:

• forward and backward - with side steps (the toe of one foot touches the heel of the other), on high half-toes;
• forward - with a sliding step;
• at the end of the line of motion, make smooth 180-degree turns, rising on tiptoe;
• while walking, change the position of the hands - to the sides, up, behind the back in the castle, holding an imaginary balancing pole or a fan of tightrope walkers in your hands.

Advice. It is possible to strengthen the training of the vestibular apparatus while walking along the line by increasing the number of turns or complicating them by performing a half, or maybe a full (360 degrees) turn on the toe of one leg, with further maintaining balance on an imaginary rope.

Table 2 - Exercises for the joints and muscles of the trunk, pelvic floor and legs:

Image and title	Brief instruction
	Starting position: main stance, dumbbells in both hands. 1. Spreading both arms to the sides, set your left foot aside. You can put it on the toe, you can lift it up. Inhale. 2. Standing on your right leg, touch your right elbow to your left knee, lowering your left hand down. The back is straight, a slight turn of the torso is possible. Exhalation. 3. = 2 (inhale), 4. = 1 (exhale). And on the other leg. Repeat until slightly tired.
	Starting posture: main stance 1. Cross lunge with your left foot back, leaving your body weight on the "front" right foot. Exhalation. 2. Raise your straight right hand up, passing it through the side. At the same time, sit down a little lower. Inhale. 3. Return to position 1. Exhale. 4. Take the starting position. Inhale. Do the exercise on the other side. Repeat until slightly tired.
	Starting position, as in the photo. 1. Inhale, keeping your chest and arms still, with your belly sticking out. 2. As you exhale, lower your arms down, pull in your stomach and strongly tighten your pelvic floor muscles. This Kegel tension is the main movement of the exercise. All attention is on him. Freeze without breathing for 3-7 seconds. While inhaling, slowly return to the starting position. Repeat 6-12 times.
	Stand with your feet wider than shoulder width, with your toes turned outward. Interlace your fingers, place the resulting lock in the center of the sternum. Do slow (4 counts) half-squats, and the same slow returns to the starting position. Keep your back and neck straight. When you squat, inhale, and when you stand up, exhale. Dosage - individual (4-20 times).
	In order to swing with the fullest possible amplitude, swing by holding a wall or the back of a chair. Condition - all parts of the body, except for the legs, must be motionless. Breathing is shallow, voluntary. 1. Make a “pendulum” with your knee back and forth. 16-20 times. 2. Perform 10-12 side knee abductions. Repeat with the other leg.
	1. Rest your forehead and forearms against the wall, placing your legs in a lunge with parallel feet. Push your pelvis against the wall until there is some tension in the calf and Achilles tendon. After 10 seconds, tighten the tension for another 10 seconds. 2. Relax the tension in the lower leg and in the same algorithm (10 + 10) stretch the side of the body at the level of the hip joint, moving the shoulders to the opposite side. Repeat all with the other leg.

On a note. In any, especially in old age, and especially women over 45, it is necessary to drink enough clean drinking water. It is necessary for the normal rate of regeneration of bone and cartilage tissue, as well as to maintain the elasticity of the intervertebral discs. If you are thirsty during a workout, quench it with a few sips of water or unsweetened compote.

Exercises while sitting on a chair

Image and title	Brief instruction
	Paying attention to maintaining the tone of the muscles of the thigh and buttocks is extremely important. Their flabbiness can also result in an accidental fall, injury, and fracture. Repeat until tired: 1. Lift your buttocks off the chair, keeping your back straight. Inhale. Return to the sitting position slowly, do not plop down. 2. While exhaling, straighten your legs and turn your feet to the left, and on the next repetition, to the right.
	Take dumbbells. 1. Spread your arms bent at the elbows, inhaling with your stomach. The chest is motionless. 2. As you exhale, bring your hands together in front of you, pull in your stomach and tighten your pelvic floor muscles. Hold for 2, maximum 3 seconds. Repeat 10-12 times. Take a rest. Do the series again.
	Sit on a chair backwards. 1. As you exhale, tilt to the side, pulling one dumbbell under your arm, and try to touch the floor with the second. On an inhale, return to a straight position. Repeat on the other side. There are 12 slopes in total. 2. Immediately do 12 twists of the torso (left + right), holding hands as in the photo. Exhale at the extreme turning points.
	Continue to sit on the chair backwards. Raise the dumbbells up. 1. As you exhale, bend your arms. Do not spread your elbows to the sides. The forearms should be parallel to the floor. 2. While inhaling, and without moving your arms and head, bend in the thoracic region. 3. Exhale as you return to position 1. 4. While inhaling, straighten your arms up. The pace is medium, smooth. Repeat 12 times.
	1. Sit on the edge of a chair with your feet on tiptoe. Check your posture. Stretch your crown up. 2. Trying not to move your torso, lift your knees up. Freeze for 20-30 seconds (or as long as you can). Don't hold your breath. Breathe shallowly through your chest. 3. Slowly (!) Return to pose 1. 4. Relax (you can round your back). Repeat 3-6 times.

Note. It is not by chance that a lot of exercises with dumbbells are included in this complex. They are recommended for older women as one of the main types of exercise for inhibiting the processes of osteoporosis, controlling body weight and blood sugar levels. In addition, movements with dumbbells help maintain the elastic line of the inner part of the shoulder, which at this age begins to sag ugly, preventing you from wearing short-sleeved clothes.

Exercises sitting on the floor and standing on all fours

Image and title	Brief instruction
	1. Sit with your feet resting on each other. Cross your arms, placing your palms on the inside of your knees. Within 5 seconds, push your knees apart, but at the same time try to connect them. 2. Press down, 5-7 seconds, on one, and then, for the same amount of time, on the other knee. 3. Lean forward for 5 seconds, exhale, aggravate the bend, and freeze for another 5 seconds. Repeat 3 times.
	It is necessary to step with the buttocks in 4 directions - forward, backward, left and right. This should be done for a long time, within one musical track, about 3-5 minutes. It is not forbidden to "help" yourself with your hands. However, you should remember the recommendations of the author of this exercise - Dr. Neumyvakin: 1. Do not slouch, do not tilt your head. 2. Do not bend your knees.
	From a kneeling position, extend your left arm and right leg. Look straight down. Don't arch your lower back. Breathe calmly. Freeze for 30 seconds. After a few seconds of rest, repeat the hold, extending the other arm and leg. If there are no problems with the knee joints, then the exercise can be done 2-3 times.
	Do 4-6 cycles consisting of a smooth change in positions: 1. The cat is fawning - the back is bent (exhale). 2. The cat is angry - the back is rounded (inhale). 3-4. Aligning the back, and exhaling, while holding the breath, “the cat looks at the tail” through the right and then through the left shoulder, trying to reach the hip joint with the shoulder.
	Get on your knees, rest on your palms, without bending your elbows. Arms and thighs should be perpendicular to the floor. After inhaling, as you exhale, "pass" one arm under the other, twisting, but not rounding the back either in the chest or in the lower back. In this position, you need to stand for 10 to 20 seconds. Then rest, and repeat the twist in the other direction.

Important! During a gymnastic session, did you feel short of breath, very tired, did your heart suddenly pound in your ears or throat? Be sure to take a break during which do not do breathing exercises. They can only make the situation worse. Calmly, not deeply and rhythmically breathe for a few minutes. Drink some water.

Exercises in the prone position

Images and title	Brief instruction
	Lie on your stomach. Place the insteps on the floor with your toes extended. Place your palms on the floor close to your shoulder joints. Do 6 “push-ups”, arching your back, but do not lift your hips off the floor. On the rise - inhale, when lowering - exhale. On the 7th time, freeze for 10 seconds, breathe shallowly. Then, as you exhale, slightly increase the force of the deflection, and stay like this for another 10 seconds. If desired, this series (dynamic + static) can be repeated 2-3 times.
	Lie on your stomach with a rolled towel under your stomach. As you inhale, bend your elbows and knees. To begin with, the movement can be done not at the same time, but in turn - first bend your arms, and then your legs. As you exhale, return to the starting position. Make at least 3-4 frog movements. The maximum number of repetitions is 16.
	Continuing to lie on your stomach on the rolled up towel, work your shins, keeping your knees together. Try to "pat" your buttocks with your heels. After doing 20-30 movements, proceed to the second part of the exercise. Widely spread your knees and feet. Connecting the toes, bend as in the photo, while breathing in. Exhaling, return to the starting position. Do the exercise on the other side. Only 6-12 repetitions.
	1. Remove the towel from under the abdomen, rest your fingers on the floor, stretch your arms forward, tearing your shoulders off the floor. Do not throw your head back, look straight down. Count up to 10. 2. Bend your elbows, bringing your hands to your shoulders, with your palms facing the floor, and count to 10 again. 3. And wake up for 10 more counts with your arms extended back. Relax and do it all over again.
	Spread straight arms and legs to the sides. When viewed from above, the body with limbs should resemble a narrow letter "X". Raise your left arm and right leg. At the moment of their lowering, stretch up your right arm and left leg. Work at an average pace. Change the position to the account "once - and". Count to 30. Breathe spontaneously and shallowly.

Side lying exercises

Image and title	Brief instruction
	1. Lie on your side, as in the photo. Grab the left ankle with the left palm and pull it towards the left buttock. Hold the stretch for 15 seconds. 2. Leaving the grip of the left ankle, bend the right knee, placing the right palm on it. Push them into each other for 10 seconds. Do not hold your breath, breathe voluntarily and not very deeply.
	Do 20 leg raises (movements are indicated by arrows). Work your foot monotonously, like a minion, and do not drop it on the floor. Please note that the toes of both feet should be pulled over. Do not do the exercise with the other leg, but move on to the next movement.
	Continuing to lie on your side, bend your knees. Slowly and very carefully, for 3 or 4 counts, raise the knee of the “upper” leg, and then at the same speed return it to the knee joint of the “supporting” leg. Do not do the exercise in jerks! Even in a warm state, but in the presence of osteoporosis, the hip joint can be seriously injured. Do a pelvic opening motion 6 times and immediately begin the next movement.
	Before starting this series of movements, which must also be done very carefully and responsibly, again at a medium or slow pace, the legs should be slightly unbent. Raise your leg (1), touch your knee to the floor in front (2), lift your leg again (3), touch your toe to the floor in the back (4). Repeat 4-6 times. Well, now turn on the other side and start doing a series of exercises from the very beginning (see above).
	Bend your legs, stretch your socks, raise your hands to the ceiling, as in the photo. As you inhale, reach up behind your arms, bending at your side, and lifting your lower shoulder off the floor. As you exhale, return the shoulder girdle to the starting position. Repeat 6 times, and then do the exercise, lying on the other side.

Exercises in the supine position

Image and title	Brief instruction
	Starting position: lying on your back, legs bent at the knees, arms with dumbbells extended to the ceiling. Returning all the time to this position (on exhalation), while inhaling, do: 1 - Raising the arms to the sides. 2 - institution of dumbbells behind the head. 3 - bending the arms, forearms vertically. Dosage: 3 sets of 6 series.
	Starting position: lying on your back, head on the floor, arms along the body, legs bent at the knees at an angle of 90 degrees, hips perpendicular to the floor. Lift your head at the same time, and pull your fingers and toes towards you. The angle of flexion of the ankle and wrist joints should be maximum, but the chin should not touch the chest. Dosage: 2-3 times for 15 seconds.
	Before stretching the groin, as in the photo, doing this 3 times for 5-7 seconds, perform Kegel contractions. Lie straight, legs straight, arms along the body. Quickly, 10-15 times in a row, contract the muscles of the perineum, which are located around the sphincter that stops urination. Rest for a few seconds and repeat contractions 1 or 2 more times. Pay attention to the fact that the buttocks do not strain.
	1. Pull the left foot towards you, and place the right heel on the toes of the left foot. Turn your feet to the right, then to the left, trying to get your right toe to the floor. After 6-8 turns, change the position of the feet and repeat. 2. Hold the position as in the photo for 30 seconds for each leg. 3. Bend one leg, and twisting the lower back, place the knee on the floor. In such positions, you must also lie down for 30 seconds.
	Starting position: lying on your back, arms along the body, legs apart shoulder-width apart and bent at the knees, soles are parallel and as close to the buttocks as possible. Do 10 pelvic lifts up, and 11 times linger in the "bridge" for 10 seconds. After giving the muscles a rest, repeat the exercise (dynamic + static) again.
	1. Stretching into a string, maintain the stretch position for 5 seconds. 2-3. Now stretch at the same time, 5 seconds behind the left leg and right hand, and then 5 seconds behind the right foot and left hand. 4. Perform the final 5-second stretch by pulling your stomach in.

Finish the set of exercises with 2-3 minutes of calm lying on your back, spreading your arms and legs to the sides. If necessary, place a roll of rolled towel under your lower back.

Aerobic exercise

Aerobic exercise is the performance of movement or physical exercise of low and / or medium intensity. They help to strengthen the work of the vascular system and myocardium, maintain normal body weight or lose weight, improve well-being.

One of the best types of aerobic exercise in old age - water aerobics and dosed swimming, as well as work on cardio equipment, is not available to many. However, walking is available to almost everyone, but in order to get the most out of metered walking, it is better to engage in Nordic walking with sticks.

Their price is not too high, and you can buy them on the Internet. You can learn about how to walk correctly and competently increase the load when exercising with such equipment from the article on our website “Nordic walking with sticks: walking technique for the elderly, benefits and contraindications”.

By the way, it can be boring for creative people to walk, swim or pedal for a long time, even if these cyclic loads are performed to the music. For such pensioners, and especially for those who love and know how to dance, it is recommended to try Chinese health gymnastics.

Are such complexly coordinated physical exercises of low intensity suitable for you to maintain the vestibular apparatus and the cardiovascular system? Try! Here is a short video of the tai chi complex, compiled especially for beginners. After a short introduction, the instructor clearly explains and demonstrates all the movements of the “dancing tree”.

Evening hitch

The daily plan for improving the health of older women with the help of physical exercises necessarily includes the so-called evening hitch - a short complex of several light physical exercises. Usually these are stretching movements and corrective and “calming” yoga asanas, which are performed before taking an evening hygienic shower, shortly before bedtime. You can also do a hitch after a shower, since physical activity will be minimal.

Try to do a hitch before going to bed, and you will feel the result pretty quickly:

• accelerate the transition from wakefulness to sleep;
• during sleep, the joints will become less numb;
• the strength and number of night cramps will decrease or they will disappear altogether;
• the number of awakenings will decrease;
• stop having "bad" dreams;
• after waking up, the sensations of a night's rest will be more complete.

For example, we suggest doing exercises in the evenings that are so simple that the instructions for their implementation fit in one sentence.

Photo gallery "Evening hitch for older women":

And in conclusion, we suggest watching another video with a set of exercises for older women. Perhaps it is "pure" yoga - this is the kind of gymnastics that you will love and will do regularly and with pleasure.

In contact with

Physical activity is necessary at any age - this is a well-known fact. Physical activity in old age helps to maintain health, prevent injuries and improve immunity.

During exercise, the metabolism is accelerated, as well as the release of a number of hormones that are necessary to maintain the tone of the body.

What are the benefits of exercise in old age?

In old age, after 60 years, there are a lot of changes in the work of the body associated with the aging process. Joints and bones become more fragile, diseases of the cardiovascular and respiratory systems occur, and degenerative processes often begin in the nervous system.

Moderate exercise can:

• prevent many diseases
• maintain mobility of the musculoskeletal system,
• improve mood by releasing the hormone of joy - endorphin.

The positive results of physical activity include the normalization of digestion, increased stress resistance and the prevention of the occurrence of numerous mental disorders and neurological diseases.

Important! Before starting any exercise, you must familiarize yourself with the contraindications. Perform any complexes should be at a comfortable pace, avoiding overload.

Chinese gymnastics (video)

China is famous not only for its developed industry, but also for the number of centenarians - this figure is one of the highest in the world.

It's all about lifestyle. Most of the adult and elderly population of the country makes daily traditional types of gymnastics that originated from martial arts:

1. tai chi
2. qigong.

tai chi

Traditional Chinese gymnastics at the elementary level consists of simple exercises at a moderate pace, which are aimed at working out the musculoskeletal system. Exercises are replaced by certain postures and are accompanied by special breathing techniques.

How to properly perform exercises in the Tai Chi technique is shown in the video:

qigong

This is an ancient technique that combines a certain set of characteristic movements and breathing exercises. Particular attention is paid to the latter - it is believed that smooth movements and directed breathing restore the flow of energy circulating in the human biofield.

Important! Qigong is based on simple, accessible exercises and a special way of breathing.

How to breathe and perform exercises according to the Qigong method is shown in the video:

Wellness exercises

The body, in which the processes associated with age-related changes occur, needs a special approach. Paying attention to physical activity, you can slow down the aging process and significantly improve well-being.

Morning work-out

Exercises can be started while lying in bed:

• gently pull the legs and arms in different directions and linger for a few seconds in this position;
• 5-7 times pull the bent knees to the chest with straightening;
• make several turns with each foot in different directions.

These exercises will help you wake up and set you up for active further exercise.

The main set of exercises:

1. Head rotation left and right. Perform movements slowly, gradually increasing the amplitude. Repeat 10 rotations in each direction.
2. Turns and tilts of the head in each direction, repeat the exercise 8-10 times.
3. Raising the shoulders - 10-15 times.
4. Arm rotations back and forth for 10 repetitions in each direction.
5. Jerks with hands in front of the chest with retraction back and turn of the body alternately to the left and right - 7-8 times.
6. Tilts left-right 6-8 times.
7. Gradual tilts-twisting down: you need to lower your head and round your back. in this position, smoothly, as you exhale, it will go down, trying to reach the floor with your hands. Perform 2-3 times with slow straightening.
8. Deep squats. Keep your legs shoulder-width apart, gradually increase the depth of the squat.

At a calm pace, you can perform exercises from the above complex for diseases of the heart and blood vessels, as well as in case of disorders of the musculoskeletal system.

Effective methods for gymnastics at a calm pace: yoga, qigong, pilates, tai chi.

At a relaxed pace

Before starting, it is imperative to perform a light warm-up - tilting the head, torso, raising bent knees.

Best Exercises:

1. The first exercise is performed in a standing position.: arms should be straightened above the head and bend down, keeping the knees and elbows straight. Hold this position for a few seconds and relax your back muscles, lowering your arms down.
2. The second exercise is the plank. It is necessary to take a lying position on the floor and straighten your arms resting on your toes. The body and legs should remain straight.
3. Third exercise cobra- it should be performed immediately after the previous one. The hips and body slowly fall to the floor, and then, leaning on your hands, you need to smoothly raise your head, shoulders and slightly bend in the back. Then slowly return to the supine position.
4. Fourth exercise - cat. Performed standing on all fours. Perform alternate backbends and roundings of the back, while maintaining even, deep breathing.
5. The fifth exercise is the dog pose. To perform it, you need to firmly press the feet and palms to the floor, and then straighten your back and knees.

From the last exercise, gradually straighten up and raise your arms up while inhaling. As you exhale, lower your arms. This complex can be performed on its own or as a hitch after more intense exercise.

Important! The number of approaches of each exercise is 2-3. The number of exercises is 5-6.

What exercises can be performed by women after 50 years at a slow pace is described in the video:

At a fast pace

These exercises put a strain on the cardiovascular system, this should be taken into account in the presence of diseases.

A set of exercises:

• Running in place with high knees.
• Mill - the body must be tilted forward at a right angle and in this position perform twisting with swinging arms, simulating the movements of the mill blades.
• Jumping with legs spread and clap at the top.
• Squats - feet shoulder-width apart, hands during squats are connected at the chest and laid down when straightened.
• Lunges forward from a standing position, legs together. The knees of both legs should form a right angle.
• Scissors in the supine position - alternate crossing of straight legs.
• Boat from a prone position - arms and legs are raised at the same time, while the neck should not be bent. At the highest point, you need to linger for 3-4 seconds.
• Rolls in the fetal position - sitting on the floor, the legs are bent at the knees. Hands clasp the legs and press them to the chest. The back and neck are fully rounded. Make 4-5 rolls in this position.

Can be used for heavy loads jogging, nordic walking- performing steps with a certain technique using special poles similar to ski poles.

You can increase the load during simple walks by using light weights and a faster pace of walking.

Reference! Such a walk will benefit the physical and psychological state.

Complexes from well-known specialists

The recommendations of specialists who have developed their own methods of gymnastics for the elderly have helped many to increase their physical activity, restore their health and improve the quality of life. These techniques are created taking into account the characteristics of the body of the elderly.

Methodology of Dr. Bubnovsky

A special complex of articular gymnastics, which is effective in diseases of the spine and musculoskeletal system, built on the principles of stabilization and isolation.

Exercises allow you to work out the main muscle groups and develop joints.

The complex includes simple exercises that are performed in the supine position.

Methodology of Pavel Slobodsky

It is a set of special exercises aimed at improving brain function and preventing the development of neurological diseases.

How to do exercises for the brain is shown in the video:

For certain health problems

There are a number of exercises that can improve the functioning of the digestive and respiratory systems, as well as improve well-being and lose weight.

Breathing techniques for bronchitis

Before starting the main exercises, it is necessary to take 15 breaths through the nose and then through the mouth, and repeat the series 3 times.

Reference! When a cough appears, you need to lower your head, relaxing the neck muscles, put your palms on your stomach in the navel and press - this helps to expel sputum.

Basic exercises:

1. In a standing position, raise your hands up and rise on your toes, taking a deep breath through your nose and then slowly lower your hands and exhale with the sound “u”.
2. Rhythmic steps in place with breathing must be inhaled through the nose and raise the arms to the sides. Exhale with the sound “y”.
3. For this exercise, you need to take the lotus position and slowly inhale through your mouth and exhale with the sound “x” - repeat 5-6 times.
4. In a sitting position on the floor, stretch your legs forward with bent legs, and spread your arms to the sides, accompanying you with a breath through your mouth. lower your arms as you exhale with the sound “f”.
5. Standing with legs spread apart, intensively swing your arms back and forth with inhalations through your mouth and exhalations through your nose.
6. In the same position as in the previous exercise, raise one hand up and the other to the side and alternately change the position of the hands slowly, accompanied by inhalations and exhalations.

Exercise must be performed regularly, for several days in a row, to achieve relief of the symptoms of the disease.

For bowel constipation

In this state, you can a few simple exercises:

• In a prone position, pull your knees to your chest and clasp them with your hands. Repeat at least 10 times.
• In the same position, spread your arms to the sides and raise your legs up. Gradually turn your legs to the right and left, touching your knees to the floor.

For weight loss

You can effectively lose weight with the help of morning jogging, moderate strength training, the use of Pilates and yoga.

Important! To correct weight, it is necessary not only to increase the level of physical activity, but also to adjust the diet, excluding the amount of simple carbohydrates and fats.

Ways of physical activity for older women

Ladies after 50 and 55 years old with the help of physical exercises can not only improve their health, but also significantly improve their mood and expand their social circle by attending group classes in yoga, dancing, aerobics for the elderly.

Swimming and water gymnastics- this is a great way for physical activity and water procedures. Due to the special properties of water, the muscles of the body are tensed more efficiently, with minimal stress on the musculoskeletal system.

The older a person becomes, the more attention he should pay to his health and lifestyle.

For the elderly, any exercises must be coordinated with your doctor and before starting any complex, ask about the presence of contraindications.

The above exercises can be performed by everyone, they are completely safe.

Do you feel like you need to move more but don't know where to start?

Regular physical activity will help:
- strengthen muscle mass;
- increase bone density;
- improve balance, posture and flexibility;
Better control of symptoms of chronic diseases;
- reduce pain and feelings of depression;
- avoid falls.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 28% of the population over the age of 50 suffer from physical inactivity. This is a sad statistic, especially when you consider that exercise helps prevent or manage the symptoms of 4 of the 5 most debilitating chronic conditions.

As we age, the heart muscle and arteries become stiffer. The ligaments around the joints lose their elasticity, causing pain and stiffness. Metabolism slows down - the body absorbs food more slowly, which leads to weight gain.

According to the World Health Organization, around the world, 3.2 million people die each year due to lack of physical activity. Falls are the leading cause of fatal and non-fatal injuries for US residents over the age of 65, according to reports from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Physical exercise improves not only well-being, but also appearance. They also improve the quality of life. Regularly exercising, you will be able to do your favorite and necessary things.

Many older people do not want to exercise at home, because they are afraid of hurting themselves. This is a reasonable concern. Exercise should improve health, not harm it. Before you begin to perform this or that complex, consult with your doctor.

Helpful advice. If you're worried about whether new activities will be safe for you, contact your healthcare professional or fitness trainer. Learning movements together is much more interesting, plus there will always be a person nearby who is ready to help.

We have compiled a list of proven exercises that will be useful for older people. They can be done at home. It aims to develop the following qualities:

• force;
• equilibrium;
• flexibility.

Strength exercises

Strength training isn't just for bodybuilders! With strong muscles, you can easily cope with any daily activities - for example, you can climb stairs or get up from a chair.

Denis Malkin, a certified strength and conditioning specialist, claims that every decade of life we ​​lose 3 to 8% of muscle mass. Strength training helps increase bone density by 1-3% and reduce the risk of death from cardiovascular disease by 41%.

Chair squats
Exercises that imitate sitting down on a chair strengthen all the muscles of the lower body.

1. Stand in front of a chair with your feet shoulder-width apart
2. Bend your knees, keeping your shoulders and chest straight.
3. Touch the buttocks of the chair as if you were sitting down.
4. Then push yourself up to return to the starting position.

Wall push-ups
Any push-up strengthens the upper body, especially the arms and chest. In this case, you do not have to sink to the floor and worry about the fact that you will not be able to get up from there.

1. Stand against a solid wall at a distance of about a meter, so that you can comfortably touch it.
2. Place your hands on the wall at shoulder level.
3. Keep your body in a straight position and bend your elbows, leaning on your hands against the wall.
4. As you approach the support, straighten your arms and push off the wall.

Balance exercises

Falls are one of the main reasons older people end up in the ER. About 30% of grandparents over 65 years of age face this problem every year. Often, falls lead to fractures and poor health. A sense of balance helps you stay on your feet and deal with occasional imbalances.

1. Place a sturdy chair in front of you and lean on its back.
2. Lift your left foot off the ground with your left foot and balance while standing on your right foot for as long as you can.
3. Change position. Practice balancing on your left foot.
4. Your task is to learn to stand on one leg without touching the chair within one minute.

1. Stand next to or behind a chair or tabletop, leaning on this surface with your hands.
2. Rise on your toes as far as is comfortable, and then return to the starting position. Repeat the movement several times.

Flexibility exercises

Tight and sore muscles make it harder for us to do the most basic things, like putting on our socks or taking things off the top shelves. By exercising flexibility, you maintain good posture and move better and more freely.

According to a study published in the Journal of Physical Therapy, older people who did flexibility exercises 2-3 times a week for 10 weeks had better spinal and hip joint function, and gained stability in their gait.

Remember that stretching should be done slowly, with control over each movement. First, stretch your muscles - walk or move around. Hold each position for 30 seconds. Breathe deeply.

"Snow Angel" with support on the wall
Remember when you were a child, falling on your back on the snowy ground and moving your arms and legs up and down to draw a "snow angel"?

1. Stand at a distance of about 8 centimeters from the wall, then press your head and lower back against it.
2. Stretch your arms at the seams, palms open - their backs should touch the wall.
3. Without opening your arms from the support, raise them above your head (or as high as you can).

Repeat the exercise several times, imagining that you are drawing beautiful wings for your angel.

1. Stand or sit with your back straight. Relax your shoulders.
2. Slowly turn your head to the right until tension appears.
3. Lock in this position and then slowly turn to the left.

The book of the candidate of medical sciences Olga Myasnikova, the mother of the famous doctor Alexander Myasnikov, is liked by older readers with revelations from the author’s personal life and practical advice. Today - recommendations for physical activity from an 88-year-old female doctor.

Movement is life. So, in order to be constantly alive, you must constantly move. When it comes to getting moving, traditional exercise usually comes to mind. But this is not at all necessary! The fact is that for our body it does not matter at all whether its movements are physical exercises or not.

For example, it is better to go somewhere on foot rather than by public transport. Or walking up the stairs instead of taking the elevator. Or just go for walks. Or more often engage in any physical activity, but at least just clean the apartment more often. Therefore, I still wash the floors with my hands and wash them by hand, and not in a typewriter. If I need to climb up, I put two stools and climb. Cereals, cans, bottles - everything I need, I get it myself, without resorting to anyone's help.

It is very useful to walk - at any age and for any distance. But you need to walk at least an hour a day. I still walk two hours a day. I take a bag on wheels and go on a trip around the area - I’ll go to the store, then to the pharmacy, then to the post office, then I just go. By the way, I go both in winter and in summer. In any weather!

Why is walking so important? When walking, a good load is given to the muscles, which activate the work of all organs and systems of the body. When moving, the body temperature begins to rise, which improves blood flow and blood supply to all organs, metabolic processes go better, and defenses - immunity increase. Thus, due to the movement, an increase in vitality occurs.

In addition, there is an improvement in gas exchange in the lungs and tissues, so the body is filled with energy, which improves the overall well-being of a person. Due to the involvement of many muscles when walking, stress and tension are relieved, which is localized in such parts of the body as the neck, back, lower back and other parts of the spine. Therefore, after you walk, you will have a feeling of lightness and relaxation. Walking, like any movement, has a variety of positive effects:

• strengthens the cardiovascular system and prevents atherosclerosis: due to walking movements, blood circulation of important vital centers improves, energy increases, which strengthens blood vessels, and also trains the heart, since the heart is, in essence, the same muscle;
• relieves chronic fatigue syndrome: when walking, emotional tension is relieved, and due to the increased circulation of clean and fresh air in the lungs, the respiratory, nervous system and brain in particular are healed;
• improves intestinal motility and activates digestion: there are so-called active points (projections of internal organs) on the foot, which, when walking, are activated and involve the digestive organs. In addition, due to muscle contractions, efforts arise that do not allow bile to stagnate in the gallbladder, and digested food moves more actively through the intestines, all this helps in the fight against constipation.

Gymnastics: 2 sets of exercises

When they ask me if it is possible for older people to walk a lot, do exercises, I answer: “Yes!”. Wake up in the morning - stretch! Stretch your legs, point your socks at you and hold your legs in this tension for several seconds. Then stretch your toes forward and hold the movement again.

Raise your legs and arms in turn. Then it is very useful to make a bridge in the bed. Emphasis on the feet and hands, lift the body as high as possible. Get up and hold for a few seconds. If you suddenly fall - do not worry! You will fall into your own bed!

Today, studies are constantly being conducted, the results of which prove that moderate gymnastics in old age not only has a beneficial effect on physical health, but also supports memory, maintains a clear mind and, in the end, allows a person to feel part of society at any age.

Even people after serious illnesses, such as, for example, need light physical activity. The fact is that a disorder of cerebral circulation leads to the formation of a pathological focus in the brain. The core of the focus is made up of dead nerve cells, and the cells near it are in a state of reduced activity or complete inhibition. Timely therapeutic measures taken can restore their activity. Therefore, the patient must begin to engage in therapeutic exercises. Physical training stimulates the ability of nerve cells to “relearn” and, to a certain extent, take on the duties of the dead, to compensate for their inaction.

I bring to your attention a set of exercises that will help you feel fresh and young. But the main thing to remember is that the exercises should be done with pleasure. And if you don’t have the strength, you’re unwell, then you shouldn’t do it on that day.

When exercising, do not rush, breathe evenly. Rest between exercises. If you are tired, sit down or even lie down. But not for long!

Try to do the exercises in the morning, in a well-ventilated area and, of course, on an empty stomach.

A set of exercises for everyone

1. We stretch the neck: we lower our head forward, rotate our neck to the right and left like a pendulum.

1. We make head turns to the left shoulder and to the right. Then we stretch to the left shoulder and to the right.

1. We do head rotations, 4 times in each direction.

1. We put our hands on our shoulders and do circular rotations forward and backward 6 times in each direction.

1. The arms are extended to the sides. We bend our elbows and perform rotations. 6 times in each direction.

1. Inhale, spread your arms and as you exhale, lean forward. Then we return to the starting position, bend in the back with the spread of the arms.

1. Semi-squats, or plie. Heels together, socks apart, hands on the belt. We do semi-squats, we spread our knees to the sides.

1. We do full squats with circular rotations of the arms.

The 5 Most Beneficial Exercises for Elderly or Debilitated Women and Hip Health

1. We sit on the mat, spread our legs as wide as possible. They inhaled, spread their arms, stretched to the right leg, then to the left leg and in the middle of the legs.

1. The legs were brought together, inhaled, parted the arms and reached for both legs.

1. One leg was straightened, the other was bent at the knee. Inhale, spread your arms and reach for a straight leg. We do the exercise on both legs.

1. We sit on the floor, knees bent, lowered to the right, head stretches to the left. We repeat on the other side.

1. We sit on the floor, knees bent. We raise the left leg up, at the same time we tear off the thigh. Without lowering the leg down, pull it to the right, then up again and lower it. We repeat the same with the right leg.

The most important thing in physical training is the gradual increase in load. That is, do not overdo it. But don't be afraid! Many begin to panic: what if I make myself worse? What are you! Movement prolongs life, not shortens it! Therefore, gymnastics can be done by absolutely everyone! At any age and with any disease.