As we grow older, the more we seem to find the value in stretching and exercising. I felt invincible during my youth and considered myself extremely active all the way up until my thirties and since then I’ve slowly been plagued with injuries in my knees, back, and shoulders. This just goes to show that father time always has its way of catching up with us- even those that were once very active. And the older you grow, the more cautious you should be with your choice of exercises. Safety becomes an incredibly huge factor among seniors who work out- more specifically with the types of equipment and the types of exercises.

For Self-Care Awareness Month, I have listed my top 3 exercises that are not only safe and effective, but easily accessible as well.

1. Walking – According to a SilverSneakers article, they found through [PLOS One] research that “people who increased their activity levels to 10,000 steps per day were 46 percent less likely to die in the following 10 years compared to those who stayed sedentary.”
2. Swimming – Not only does swimming increase your cardiovascular fitness but “it does all this while putting minimal stress on your bones and joints, which is a major plus for men and women who have arthritis or osteoporosis.”
3. Bodyweight Training – “Simple bodyweight exercises such as chair squats, single-leg stands, wall pushups, and stair climbing will do a great job at keeping your body strong and ready to tackle everyday activities.”

Effective workouts don’t have to involve long hours of intense training with heavy weights. There are plenty of ways to access equally effective and safe results by being consistent with the exercises mentioned above- walking, swimming, and bodyweight training.