As we age, our bodies naturally become less strong and more susceptible to injury. To combat this, it is important to maintain a balance between Balance + Strength for Aging Adults.
Strength training helps you build muscle and can help improve your ability to resist gravity and move around easily.
Balance training, on the other hand, helps keep your muscles flexible and prevents injuries from happening in the first place.
By incorporating both types of training into your routine, you can stay healthy as you get older and retain your independence.
Incorporate balance and strength exercises as you age to maintain a healthy body and quality of life!
Balance and strength exercises improve our stability and coordination, help our body function properly and allow us to live a more independent and active life as we age.
Better Body Balance
Are you struggling to maintain your balance? Feeling like you’re always off-kilter, no matter what you do? You’re not alone. Millions of people suffer from poor body balance. But there is good news: There are ways to improve your balance and feel more centered and stable.
Balance is something most of us do without conscious thought, but having good balance allows us to do nearly every activity more easily and effectively.
Research shows that balance plays a significant role in a person’s quality of life as they age, especially when it comes to reducing the risk of injury or death due to falls.
The goal of balance training is to improve stability and coordination throughout our bodies.
Balance training typically involves exercises that strengthen the muscles that keep us upright, including our legs and core.
Balance exercises are often slow, methodical movements that can range from standing on one foot to a complicated yoga pose. Basically, anything that challenges our center of gravity will improve our balance.
Improved Strength with Resistance Training
The human body is capable of incredible feats, but only with the right training. Improving your strength with resistance training can help people achieve their fitness goals and improve their overall health. Strength or resistance training programs vary in their approach, but all have the same goal: to make the body stronger and more resistant to injury.
Muscle strength can predict how healthy we’ll be as we age and how long we’ll be active and independent.
After middle age, we can lose three to five percent of our muscle mass per decade. Muscle loss affects our ability to perform everyday activities and increases the risk of injury or death due to falls.
Strength training—or resistance training—involves exercises that use our own body weight or equipment such as weights or Smart Strength Bands to build muscle. Learn about the benefits of strength bands over weights here!
Strength training is essential for improving stability and coordination, and also increases bone density, organ function, immunity, and metabolism.
According to the CDC, about 1 in 4 adults in the United States has low bone density, which increases their risk of fractures. But there’s good news! According to the Mayo Clinic, you can strength train for two to three times a week for only 20 to 30 minutes and see significant strength improvement!
While you can gain strength from a single session, experts recommend doing strength training multiple times per week. Building muscle mass and strengthening bones are both essential for overall health and wellness, but it’s important to start slowly.
Endless Balance and Strength Exercises for Aging Adults with 2 Pieces of Equipment
With just two pieces of equipment, you can build a balance and strength routine with an endless variety of exercises.
The Smart Yoga Mat and Smart Stability Balls are part of our line of Self-Guided Equipment. Both have printed exercises right on the equipment. Each will guide you as you test your balance and strengthen the muscles in your core, arms, and legs.
Start slowly, especially if you’re new to strength and balance exercises. As you improve, try holding poses for longer periods of time, closing your eyes as you hold the pose, or adding movement to a pose.
What Equipment You’ll Need:
SMART Yoga Mat
A yoga mat is a must-have for anyone who practices yoga. It also provides a stable and comfortable surface on which to perform poses or a floor routine and helps protect your joints from hard surfaces.
SMART Stability Ball
A stability ball, also known as a Swiss ball or yoga ball, is a large, round ball that is inflated with air. It is used as an exercise tool to improve strength, balance, and flexibility.
Exercises to Start: Yoga Mat
Yoga is a popular form of exercise that has many benefits for both the body and mind. For beginners, yoga can seem like a daunting task. There are so many different poses and styles of yoga, it can be hard to know where to start. Luckily, many easy yoga exercises for beginners can help get you started on your yoga journey. These beginner yoga exercises are perfect for those new to yoga or looking to brush up on their skills.
Exercises to Start: Stability Ball
If you are a beginner, you might want to start by getting comfortable sitting on the Stability Ball. This alone can be very challenging and engages your entire core.
Once you’re comfortable sitting on the Stability Ball, try the workout we have embedded on the ball. It features 13 exercises for a full-body workout!
One of the exercises embedded on the ball is a Hamstring Extension. Start by lying on your back and putting the stability ball under your feet with your knees at 90 degrees. Inhale, then lift your bottom off the floor and squeeze your glutes as you raise up. Keep your knees in the 90-degree position. The goal of this exercise is to stay in position on top of the ball and not roll off.
Balance and Strength Training for Aging Adults is a Must
Balance and strength for aging adults is key to aging well. Finding a routine that suits your body is essential. They can improve balance, reduce the risk of falls, and increase strength.
These exercises are also safe and can be done in a variety of ways to fit each individual’s needs and abilities. So, if you are looking for a way to stay healthy and active as you age, consider a balance and strength training routine.
