How Should I Be Changing My Exercise Regimen as I Age?

Everyone’s bodies go through different changes as we age. Whether you are in your thirties, forties, fifties or your golden years, as time goes on, you will start to feel niggles and aches in places that you never did before. You might not bounce back from a workout as quickly as you once did or you might not have the same energy or enthusiasm for exercise as you did in the past.

Ageing is one of those things that we all must deal with in life. Getting older, however, does not have to mean the end of your fitness schedule. In fact, nowadays, people are staying stronger, fitter and faster as they age as we have a better understanding of human physiology, nutrition and recovery. As you age, it’s important to make changes to your exercise regime to align with any limitations you might be dealing with due to age.

Let’s take a look at a few ways you can change your exercise regime as you age to ensure you continue to get the most out of your workouts.

The Warm-Up

When you are in your early twenties, you might be able to do a quick warmup, or even skip your warmup and dive straight into your training. While you might be able to get away with this approach in your younger years, this approach is not advisable as you get older. Before you use any gym equipment, be sure to spend plenty of time warming up your body and getting your heart rate up. As you get a little older, try to dedicate more time to your warm-ups so your body is ready for the effort to follow.

Stretch More

With age, the neuromuscular connections that provide our bodies with the postural support we need begin to decline. Stretching is crucial in protecting your body from injury as you age. Be sure to incorporate stretching into your exercise regime as time goes on and spend more time stretching to stay loose and limber. The work you do in your youth will stand to you as you get older so if you are still young, now is the time to start a daily stretching routine to be pain-free later in life.

Longer Recovery Times

Depending on how active you have been in your life and how well you have looked after yourself, you may need to leave more time for recovery as you get older. For those with youth on their side, you may be able to complete multiple sets of an exercise with minimum rest, or you might be able to go for a 10km run and still have the energy to play footie with your mates that evening. However, as we age, it’s important to allow more time for recovery. With the right approach to rest and recovery, you will be able to avoid injury, keep active and stay in shape as you the years roll on.

Little and Often

As you get older, you might think that you should work out less often but nothing could be further from the truth. In fact, as you get older, you should work out more regularly but for shorter periods of time. Aim to be active in your day-to-day life instead of stressing out about spending hours exercising. Going for a walk or simply playing with the kids can be great ways to keep active and stay fit without putting a huge strain on your body. Be sure to listen to your body and do what is right for you.

Get the Most from Your Exercise Regime as you Age

Whether you are moving from your twenties to you thirties or from your sixties to your seventies, there are plenty of things that you can do to stay active, healthy and fit. The important thing is to listen to your body as you age and to find the right balance between challenging yourself and not overdoing it. Paying attention to how you are feeling on any given day will allow you to make the right changes to your exercise regime as you age so you can workout safely and effectively so you can continue to look and feel great, no matter how old you are.

Sponsored post contributed by Natalie Ige.

For more tips on healthy aging and a changing exercise regimen for aging, browse the Boomer article on healthy aging habits.