How often in life have we been told to hurry up?
Drive faster!
Don’t be late!
Pick up the pace!
But with healthy living after age 50, the opposite is often best.
At the gym, we might naturally think we’re supposed to perform a movement as fast as we can. Maybe we’re competitive, or don’t want to look like we don’t know what we’re doing.
But in many exercises, including weightlifting and other resistance training, we should most times try to slow things down. Move methodically, and with intention, so you can make sure you’re performing the motion correctly. That will give you the most benefit and decrease your chance of injury.
Work with your trainer on balance – important for people over 50 to help avoid falls.
Talk with your trainer or someone else at your gym for more information. At Your Personal Best Training Studio, reply to this email or phone 361-857-5087 and our director of operations, Juan Guerrero, will call you back soon.
Other forms of exercise are great for us, too, and require a deliberate pace. Think about it: No one ever raced through a yoga class.
Meditation lowers blood pressure, stress, and inflammation. It can help with chronic pain and headaches, depression, anxiety, and insomnia, the National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health says.
Studies show older people who meditate also see improvements in:
- Memory
- Cognitive decline
- Digestion
- Stress
- Loneliness
You don’t have to sit on the floor cross-legged. You can meditate in a chair or bed. You can listen to a meditation podcast at your volume, if that’s an issue, or find a class for other seniors. And guided meditations are helpful at this stage of life, because they provide cues to lead you through a section, so you’re not left wandering on your own.
Don’t assume your age means you can’t lift weights, practice yoga or meditate. Just discuss any concerns with the trainers or instructors, who are educated and experienced in making modifications for individual participants of all kinds.
Lifting, stretching, walking, we’ll help you find the movements that are right for you to do, and help you do them at the right speed.
Just don’t wait too long to get started. Let us hear from you today.
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