NEWSLETTER SPRING FINAL 2018

EASY EXERCISES FOR
SENIORS
Senior Personal Trainer Daniel Gullo discusses the benefits
of training into your 50's and beyond!
by Daniel Gullo
F F H C
F E A T U R E
Our lovely senior
members: Jenny
Thomson and Maria
Giuliani train almost
every day. They say
the gym is a great
stress reflief and are
inspired by like
minded members &
friendly staff.
"Going to gym makes me feel
uplifted, happy and full of
laughter." - Jenny Thomson
O
nce we get to 50 years and
above, our bodies start to
physically decline. This includes
loss of muscle mass, bone density,
strength, stamina, balance and
mobility. A combination of these
greatly increases the chance of
serious injury.
The lack of balance, mobility and
strength means seniors have a far
greater risk of falls. The decrease
in bone density means that a
simple fall that a younger person
would “shake off”, often leads to
broken bones for an older person.
Whilst there are any things that
decrease as we get older, many
things also increase. The risk of
high blood pressure, coronary
heart disease, cardiovascular and
respiratory problems, stroke and
also depression and anxiety.
All of the above lead to a lack of
independence as we get older,
meaning we rely on our children,
family or carers to perform simple
tasks for us.
This means that older adults
overall quality of life severely
decreases.Thankfully, there is one
thing that can help.
EXERCISE!
Exercise is proven to help slow
down the loss of (and in some
cases even improve!) muscle mass,
bone density, strength, stamina,
balance and mobility whilst also
decreasing risk of the above
mentioned health conditions.
Sit to stand: Stand in front of a
chair or bench, with your feet
shoulder width apart. Keeping
your feet flat on the floor and
putting your weight through your
heels, sit down on the
chair/bench. Once you’ve sat
down, drive through your heels
and stand up straight. Repeat this
8-15 times for 3 sets, depending
on your ability. This will improve
your lower body strength and
endurance.
Single Leg Balance: Stand in front
of a surface you can grab, in case
you lose balance. Stand and
balance on one leg. Aim to hold
for 10-30 seconds on each leg and
complete these 3 times. This will
greatly improve your balance and
help prevent falls.
Step Ups: Use an appropriate
height step, depending on your
current mobility and strength
level. Step up onto the step and
step back down to the floor.
Ensure your knees do not roll in
when you step up. They should
remain in line with your toes. A
normal stair is a good height to
start with. To advance it, use a
higher step, such as a small stool
(about milk crate height). Repeat
this 8-15 times on each leg for 3
sets, depending on your ability.
This will improve your lower body
strength, balance and also
cardiovascular endurance.