Fitness Ideas for Every Fitness Level
Aging > Fitness Ideas for Every Fitness Level
Exercise is important, and becomes even more so with aging There are fitness ideas for every fitness level, so whether your idea of exercise is getting up to change the channel or you are preparing to run a marathon there exists the perfect fitness idea for you.
The type of exercise you choose and the amount you need will depend upon your fitness goals. These often change with aging. If you hope to condition your heart and lungs you will need to engage in fairly vigorous exercise, such as jogging or aerobics, for thirty to sixty minutes several times each week. You want the exercise you perform to be strenuous enough that you reach your target heart rate. Reaching your target heart rate assures that you are getting the maximum benefit for your heart and lungs. Ideally, you want to shoot for 65-75% of your maximum heart rate. Your maximum heart rate changes with aging. For example, your rate at age 20 is 200 and your target heart rate, if you are going for 75%, is 150 beats per minute. At age 45 those numbers change to 175 and 131, respectively. Count your heart rate when you have finished exercising. Locate your pulse on your wrist or neck and count for 10 seconds. Multiply that number by six to determine your heart rate.
It takes time to achieve this level of fitness. You should not expect to begin an exercise program, reach and maintain your target heart rate all on the first day. But you can start. With time, and focused short and long term goals, you will reach the next fitness level.
If your current fitness level is fairly low and your goal is to build stamina or just start moving, you can begin with short walks or even gardening. You want to shoot for a target heart rate of at least 50%. Don’t over do it. You risk injuring yourself or becoming discouraged and abandoning your fitness program because your immediate goals are too high. You can work up to 75% over the next several months.
Just ten or fifteen minutes each day can be a great start. You will notice that you begin to feel better almost immediately. As you build stamina and conditioning you can work on more vigorous fitness ideas, which maximize weight loss and provide many anti-aging benefits.
Examples for different fitness levels are listed below.
Low fitness levels
The idea isn’t to jump off of the couch and into the local 10k. It’s simply to get moving. You will want to begin slowly and give your body time to adjust.
Try (for at least 10 –15 minutes):
Dancing around the house
Casual strolls
Bowling
Moderate fitness levels
You should begin to notice that your stamina is increasing. Set up your fitness program for additional health benefits.
Try (for 30 –45 minutes) :
Soccer
Tennis
Brisk walks
Squash
High fitness levels
Now you are ready for the marathon
Try (for 45-60 minutes)
Running/jogging
Skiing
Biking