The ultimate exercise for the elderly

 I faced my usual dilemma this morning. To go or not to go. The Strong for Life exercise program is geared to people my age, but it’s vigorous enough to raise a sweat and create an occasional muscle ache.

I didn’t sleep well last night, one part of me says. Yes, but regularity in your exercise is very important, says another inner voice. Oh shut up! I already know that; besides I’m retired and shouldn’t have to do that kind of stuff, replies the first voice, and on it goes. Well, this morning I can proudly report that my more vigorous and intelligent self won. I went to the class. It doesn’t always turn out that way.

Strong for Life is only one of the fitness opportunities this retirement community offers. Resident fitness, it seems, is one of the values of those who run this community. We have core exercise classes (the most strenuous, for the younger old people among us), tai-chi, yoga, Sit and Be Fit, line dancing, swimming, and trail-walking excursions. I’m sure I left out something. Plus we have a well equipped exercise room with a variety of machines for strength or cardio workouts.

So, we have no excuse for not being as fit as we can be for our age. (Correction: I can usually come up with an excuse.)

Part of the value of Strong for Life is the fellowship of kindred sufferers. We pretty much occupy the same space in the room each time and have become a kind of family. Both men and women, a few couples, we’re in different stages of the aging process. Some park their walkers by their chairs. We can doing the standing up exercises not touching the chair, hanging on to the chair, or sitting in the chair, all of this while following the smiling young woman on the big screen. This morning at the end of the 45-minute session, we applauded, not so much in appreciation, but because we were glad it was over.

It’s well documented that, in order to thrive, we older people need regular exercise, lots of water, good nutrition, a full night’s sleep, and at least one serving of dark chocolate a day. Not to mention that early morning cup of coffee.

Recently I discovered on the Internet the perfect exercise for people over 65. It seems challenging, but it’s totally doable, with time and patience. I encourage you to read it over then begin immediately, and see what happens. Here it is:

EXERCISE FOR PEOPLE OVER 65

1. Begin by standing on a comfortable surface, where you have plenty of room at each side.

2. With a 5-lb potato bag in each hand, extend your arms straight out from your sides and hold them there for as long as you can. Try to reach a full minute, and then relax

3. Each day you’ll find that you can hold this position for just a little longer.

4. After a couple of weeks, move up to 10-lb potato bags.

5. Then try 50-lb potato bags, and then eventually try to get to where you can lift a 100-lb potato bag in each hand and hold your arms straight out for more than a full minute. (I’m at this level.)

6. After you feel confident at that level, put a potato in each bag.

                     (Michele Jackson, usOWLS.com, 2016, used with permission)

You can do it! Let’s get fit!