Fitness Over 40

One of the questions I get asked all the time in my Denver personal training sessions is "how can I climb stairs with my bad knees?" Stair climbing is a challenging move, even with perfectly functioning knees, because it involves balancing on a single leg, lifting  the whole body weight against gravity (with a single leg), shifting the weight to the other leg, and coordinating the movements of three joints and lots of muscles in each leg.

Reclaiming a sense of balance and security is a top fitness goal for many of the senior clients we see at Prime of Life Fitness. It's disturbing and frightening to feel unsteady on your feet and at risk of taking a fall.

It's not just seniors and the frail elderly who worry about losing their balance. A diminished sense of balance is one of the top concerns I hear from women in their 50s and 60s. The sense that their balance isn't what it used to be, coupled with a diagnosis of low bone density leaves many women feeling vulnerable and fearful.

If you think being a senior means being condemned to a life of inactivity and pain because of aching joints, fragile bones, chronic illness and mental decline, I have good news for you. There is a fitness program for you that may prevent some of those issues if you start soon enough. And even if you already have chronic, debilitating health issues, this fitness program can relieve some of your pain and can dramatically improve your quality of life.

As the first wave of Baby Boomers begins retiring, they've never been busier. While many have retired, most are still busy with careers, hobbies, volunteer work, and caregiving for multiple generations of family.

You spent your thirties and forties trying to sort out your work/life balance. But suddenly you're in your fifties or sixties, and maintaining physical balance becomes a much more important consideration. Maybe you or someone you know has taken a spill on the stairs or an icy sidewalk. It only takes one balance scare to make you limit your activities and feel suddenly old.

Workout routines for seniors are on the minds of many Baby Boomers who are watching their parents getting older and less able to manage their activities of daily living. Although exercise can't turn back time, it is just about the best fountain of youth we have available.

One in every three adults over age 65 fall each year, and 20-30% of those falls will result in moderate to severe injuries. (Source: Centers for Disease Control) Many people who fall develop a fear of falling again that can limit their activity and mobility. To stay mobile and indpendent as you age, maintaining your balance is a must. If your balance is beginning to waver, check out these six steps to improve balance that can help you feel more stable and secure.

Senior exercise routines can dramatically improve a senior's health, happiness and independence. More and more controlled studies are finding that adding regular, moderate exercise to a senior's life can reduce the risk of disease and improve many markers of health and happiness.

I think most Baby Boomers realize that strong core muscles support and stabilize the spine and provide a base of support for every move we make with our bodies. We know that core endurance can help eliminate many types of low back pain. And we know that a strong core is essential for maintaining balance as we age. But if you haven't been a regular exerciser for a few years, you may find it hard to keep up in the abs of steel class at your local gym, or even beginning Pilates.