Home Fitness Equipment Blog

Fitness Equipment Blog

Top 5 Fitness and Exercise Equipment and Routines for Senior Citizens

Did you notice that former Mr. Olympia and California governor Arnold Schwarzenegger is, at 64, a year shy of being considered a senior citizen? Well, not all senior citizens can have his body build – that is a product of decades of weight training and, well, steroids (when it was still legal) – but senior citizens can still work on their fitness through the use of age-appropriate exercise equipment.

 

While age is something that we cannot control, but we can certainly control its effects on our body and our health. Old age often brings some issues with bones and muscles and that is why it is important for senior citizens to keep on exercising.  In Calgary, fitness centers provide coaches for senior citizens who wish to continue or start a new fitness regime. The City’s Senior Guide also provides activities and equipment for Calgary’s aging population.

The American College of Sports Medicine and the American Heart Association set guidelines for the exercise of older adults. The basic recommendation is 30 minutes of aerobic exercise five days a week with some muscle-strengthening activity for healthy aging.

Unless, they are in the mold of Arnold Schwarzenegger, senior citizens need to focus on light exercises.  So, generally it is not advisable for them to use heavy, specialized equipment. Also, it is essential that before they start any exercise routine, they consult their physicians first because there might be medical issues to be considered such as heart rate and metabolism.

Also, safety is an important consideration. The use of exercise flooring is advised. In Calgary, rubber flooring is already part of most fitness centers. When installing one at home, one of the best brands is Survivor™ Rolled SportFloor. Make sure that all equipment are upholstered well to cushion the impact of any fall.

  1. For strength training, free weights of up to 5 lbs. can be used safely by the senior citizens to increase their strength. Gradually, they can increase the weight slowly over time.  At this point though, it is important that fitness coaches and doctors should supervise these strength training routines to avoid injury.
  2. Recumbent Bikes are also excellent fitness equipment for seniors. They can use this to exercise at home whenever they feel like as it is not much tiring.  The best cardiovascular exercises for people over 50 tend to be ones that do not jar the body, according to the American Council on Exercise. The recumbent bike has a backrest to support the weak backs of aging people, thus avoiding back strain. Most Calgary  gyms have recumbent bikes. They can also be purchased for home use or for retirement houses.
  3. Wide rubber bands are also appropriate for senior citizens. The rubber bands also known as resistance bands can be used to pull and stretch the muscles according to the pace of the person.
  4. Senior citizens can also exercise using rubber balls. These come in various sizes and can also be used by the senior citizens to increase their balance.  These balls can be used to lie upon, sit upon on or stand with the back pressed with the ball against a wall.
  5. The treadmill is a cardiovascular machine that is appropriate for senior citizens as it does not jar the body if they use it for walking rather than running. Walking is highly recommended by the American Heart Association for people over 50 as an aerobic exercise.
 
Top Fitness Equipment for Core Training in Calgary

Gym instructors and fitness coaches report an increase of interest in core training in Calgary, in both gym regulars and home fitness enthusiasts. This trend, according to the 2010 report of the American Council on Exercise (ACE), reflects a worldwide trend in specialty exercises, which include dance-type classes like Zumba and pole-dancing.

Together with this is a rising interest in exercise balls as seen among Calgary fitness equipment stores. Middle-aged men and women in particular see the necessity of core training not so much to have a flat stomach or six-packs but to maintain the strength they need for mobility and flexibility. The core muscles are used in everyday activities like walking, lifting, driving, and running. Well- developed core muscles decrease risks of injury, improve posture, and increase chances of living a healthy and active lifestyle.

Calgary exercise equipment outlets report the top fitness equipment for core training, which include:

1. Exercise Balls

The most versatile exercise equipment, an exercise ball improves strength and flexibility. It is easy to use and you can use it everywhere at home.

2. Foam Roller

Although it looks like an odd piece of equipment, the foam roller has been proven to improve balance, flexibility and strength. While used by those in rehab for injuries, the foam roller can be used for core training as well such as crunches and pushups.

3. BOSU Ballast Ball

The BOSU Ballast Ball is increasingly used by exercise enthusiasts for its use in strength training and stability exercises. The ballast inside the ball helps you maintain some form of stability and yet allows you to move and shift as you go through different exercises, thus giving you variety.

4. Medicine Balls

Medicine balls have returned with a vengeance from those days when students agonized because of them. These medicine balls range from 2-8 pounds. They add fun and variety to your core training routine and helps in building stamina, balance and coordination.

5. Pilates Home Exercise Kits

While starting out as a fitness trend, Pilates remains a favorite and is becoming a standard element in many exercise routines especially core training. It is still about making connection between the body and the mind and building a core foundation.

6. Resistance Bands

Resistance Bands are excellent core training equipment because they create tension throughout the whole routine, thus allowing your body to move more muscles. Like exercise balls, they are easy to use and can be used anywhere. It is easy to pack and can be used by travellers.

7. 3-D Fitness Training

It is one of the newest additions to fitness trends and is considered the next evolution of peak-performance training. It is functional training that builds strength and coordination for moving the three dimensions of space.

To develop the core muscles in three dimensional movements, this program is a combination of progressive, constant, multi-planar resistance with a cardio element.

In Calgary as well as the rest of the world, core training is seen as foundation to all other workouts. It is also effective in combining the look (abs and posture) and the function (coordination, strength and flexibility) which are the best outputs required by most fitness enthusiasts.

Add a comment
 
Calgary Fitness Equipment Stores See Rise in Core Training Print E-mail
Monday, 21 March 2011 15:27

Last January, the Annual Calgary Health, Fitness and Sports Expo, held at the Absolute Sports Centre, brought together the best technologies and fitness experts. One of the key areas highlighted was the trend in core training.

There are five areas of a successful fitness workout: aerobics, strength building, balance training, stretching, and core training. Of this five, core training was often the most neglected. But as the Worldwide Survey on Fitness Trends for 2010 reveals, core training is gaining popularity now, and with that, the proliferation of exercise equipment. I saw this trend when I noticed an increase of items like stability balls, benches, abs machines, wobble boards, and foam rollers in Calgary fitness equipment outlets.

Our core muscles are found in the abdomen, lower back and pelvis. They are called stabilizing muscles because they make our spine stable to allow other body motions. They connect the upper and lower parts of the body and create the rotational forces necessary for activities like pushing, punching, throwing, and swinging. They provide strong resistance to external forces like gravity or momentum.

Our body is only as fit as our core. Core training then should serve as a foundation to a well-rounded fitness regimen.

Here in Calgary, fitness equipment outlets provide the latest in core training fitness equipment. However, our core muscles vary individually. There is no program that fits to all body types. Crunches on a stability ball may work for some, while others require benches. What is important is you pay attention to your own body condition and identify your own fitness needs.

When you visit any Calgary fitness equipment outlet, I am very certain you will find trainers who can help you choose the right exercise equipment for your core training.

Add a comment