3 Healthy Aging Exercises To Improve Your Endurance

By : Reuben John
When most people think of what it is like to be a senior person, terms such as frail and weak come to mind. Such stereotypes are completely inaccurate but unfortunately, they are all too common.

Luckily, in this article, I am going to show you once and for all how you can defy the common image of old age by enjoying your retirement as a healthy, agile, strong and energetic person by using these simple healthy aging tips to preserve your endurance.

In fact, when it comes to healthy aging and endurance, daily exercise is the most important think one can do. Exercise does wonders for anybody.

Think of all the football training and regular gym visits that you went through in your youth and ask yourself: Why should anything be different just because I am 40?

You can still lift weights go for a run and push your body to the limit and even though the limits may not be the same as 20 years ago, you can still grow your muscle mass and keep your body in good shape. Several forms of endurance training are very useful both for preserving endurance and for healthy aging in general.

Of all endurance exercises, jogging is one of the easiest. However, it is important to face the fact that your body probably is not what it used to be 20 years ago. Pushing yourself too hard too fast may harm you instead.

Therefore, it is recommended to start your endurance training exercises slowly. For example, if you run out of breath or start experiencing any form of pain especially in your chest, it is probably a sign that you are running too fast and it is best to slow down for a while. A good rule of thumb is to increase the distance you travel distance by 10 percent whenever you feel you are ready to take on a bigger challenge. Keep in mind that injuring yourself is not the point of healthy aging.

However, if you are like me and absolutely hate jogging, then swimming could be a good alternative endurance exercise that works just as well for healthy aging. Swimming is one of those rare forms of exercise that is both pleasant and effective. It is high-resistance but low-impact. Unfortunately, it is also very easy to get carried away and push your body harder than necessary.

Therefore, take frequent breaks, especially if you are running out of breath. Definitely get out of the water and get some rest for a while if your heart starts to hurt. Swimming can be very exhausting especially if you did not exercise before but it is very effective because it forces all your muscle groups to work together, helping you improve both your coordination and endurance. Swimming is a great healthy aging exercise that can do wonders for your body.

Cycling is another great healthy aging activity that I personally quite enjoy. Compared to swimming and jogging, it is a lot more dynamic and can offer a welcome change of scenery.

Besides, with so many cycling events for different age groups taking place all over the country, you will always have an opportunity to meet some like-minded individuals and make new friends. Not only does cycling help you improve endurance, but it can also be a lot of fun!

As you can see, there are many healthy aging activities that you can get involved in to improve your endurance. Whichever you choose, it is important to get at least 30 minutes of exercise every other day or almost every day, if you can.

However, it is also recommended to set one day every week apart to allow your body to recuperate from all this intensive training. If you do put effort into it, however, do not be surprised if a few months down the line you suddenly start feeling 20 years younger.