Moving your body is one of the most important things you can do each day to maintain a healthy lifestyle as you age. That doesn’t mean you have to torture yourself or spend hours sweating at the gym, unless you want to. At Knollwood Place Apartments, we incorporate low-impact exercises for seniors into everyday life. Our low-intensity workouts often don’t feel like exercise because they’re combined with socializing, mindfulness, or recreation.
Senior fitness is about staying strong and independent. It supports heart and brain health and can help prevent diabetes, obesity, and falls. The CDC recommends at least 150 minutes per week of moderate-intensity aerobic activity like brisk walking, plus activities to build strength and balance. Our top 7 exercises for seniors can help you tap into these benefits and have fun at the same time. As with any exercise program, check with your doctor before getting started.
Key Takeaways: Senior Fitness Benefits
- Staying physically active during your senior years can help you avoid falls and stay independent.
- Aerobic exercise, strength training, and balance work are all important for senior fitness.
- The top low-impact exercises for seniors include walking, stretching, chair exercises, water-based movement, strength training, yoga and tai chi, and dance.
- Fitness classes are included in the rent at Knollwood Place Apartments, with access to a personal trainer.
Table of Contents
Stay Active with Low-Impact Exercises for Seniors at Knollwood Place Apartments
1. Walking
Walking is one of the best exercises you can do for fitness after 60 because it’s a natural weight-bearing movement that strengthens bones and keeps the muscles surrounding your knees and ankles strong. This helps reduce the risk of injury.
Our scenic walking trails and views of Lake L’Chaim make walking an experience you can enjoy with friends. Our Community Ambassador Program includes fitness buddies to walk with you while you get to know the community.
2. Stretching
Stretching exercises help improve flexibility. They can make the muscles and joints more resilient to awkward movements that could cause injuries, such as when you roll your ankle. They can be simple movements you can do anywhere, such as neck rolls, shoulder stretches, seated hamstring stretches, and ankle circles. No special equipment is needed.
3. Chair Exercises
Chair exercises build strength and improve balance, and you can do them in the privacy of your apartment. One of the best chair exercises for beginners is sit-to-stand. It is simply sitting down and standing up and repeating, then increasing repetitions over time. This exercise can make it easier to do everyday functions like climbing stairs and getting out of your car. Other chair exercises include:
- Seated leg raises
- Seated twists
- Seated side bends
- Seated marches
4. Water-Based Movement
Water aerobics and aquatic therapy can provide a low-intensity workout without feeling like exercise. It’s one low-intensity workout many people with arthritis and other joint problems can do. The natural buoyancy has an effect similar to weightlessness, so there’s very little pressure on the joints. Walking, knee lifts, and jumping jacks are also excellent water exercises that let you benefit from water’s natural resistance.
5. Strength Training
Strength training preserves muscle and bone density, which means healthier joints, better mobility, and lower fall risk, and you only need two days a week. It doesn’t require heavy weights or working out to exhaustion. Equipment for strength training can include:
- Weight machines
- Dumbbells
- Resistance bands
- Your own body
Our fitness trainer, Wendy Clyman, offers one-on-one training to residents in our Independent Living community, including those who need help continuing their progress after rehab. She can help you find a routine that fits your lifestyle and abilities, instills confidence, and brings joy to the process.
6. Yoga and Tai Chi
Yoga is a gentle exercise that combines stretching and holding poses with mindfulness and breathwork. The poses increase flexibility, and holding them builds balance. Breathing exercises and mindfulness reduce stress and improve sleep. Chair yoga is also available, with benefits for people of all ability levels.
Tai chi also has a mindfulness aspect, but it focuses on balance during movement. It is one of the most well-researched methods of preventing falls in older adults. We have a yoga studio and offer group classes for both tai chi and yoga as part of our Chai Wellness programming.
7. Dance
Dance is one of the best low-impact cardio exercises because it helps with so many functions, including:
- Cardiovascular health
- Balance and coordination
- Cognitive function
- Stress relief and joy
Traditional dance has a long history in Jewish culture, and it’s one way we celebrate our heritage. You don’t have to dance alone here. Anyone can benefit from our group dance therapy.
Stay Active with Low-Impact Exercises for Seniors at Knollwood Place Apartments
Our fitness classes are included in the monthly rent. If you’re exploring senior fitness after 60, Knollwood Place Apartments might be the right next step for you. We’re an Independent Living community that offers just the right balance between support and freedom. Download the Independent Living Guide today to learn what that could look like for you.