How To Adjust Your Fitness Routine As You Age
You probably already know how important fitness is to aging gracefully. But admittedly, the body’s ability to keep up with intense physical activities declines as the years catch up, and you can’t move like you used to. Also, with age comes an increased risk of injuries associated with strenuous activities, as the bones, muscles, and tissues gradually lose their strength. Despite the limitations aging puts on the body, you can still enjoy good fitness by making the necessary tweaks to your regimen to match your age. Here’s how to adapt your routine as you get older.
- Focus more on strength and endurance exercises
The older you get, the less energized you feel. You’ll notice you can no longer push through as many sets as you once did, which is normal. Sometimes, your naturally declining energy levels can affect your motivation to keep pushing through sets. The aging process also causes muscle mass loss due to cellular changes, resulting in fatigue during workouts. The solution? Exercise more. Yes, it sounds counterintuitive, but focusing more on strength and endurance exercises is a great way to overcome fatigue and push your workouts. And speaking of fatigue, the next point is also important.
- Consider energy-boosting supplements
Sometimes, you don’t need to be in the gym to feel tired. Lack of energy and regular fatigue are common occurrences the older you get, meaning motivating yourself to even start exercising may become challenging. If you find yourself constantly low on energy, do two things. First, speak with your doctor to rule out any health issues. Two, consider adding energy-boosting supplements to your fitness program. There are different options to choose from, so be sure to speak with a nutritionist, a personal trainer, or a doctor to determine what’s best for you. Some supplements or products, like Fladrafinil solution, can also help reduce fatigue by boosting focus and promoting wakefulness.
- Work with a certified physical trainer
If you’ve been exercising alone all the years, it’s probably time to start consulting a certified physical trainer to design a fitness routine best suited for your age and changing needs. Doing this is super important for preventing frequent injuries during your workouts. A trainer can help modify your weight bearing exercise and workout intensity levels with the aim to increase safety and prevent injuries. Additionally, you can also stretch longer than you used to before and after your workouts, as it might take longer to ‘lubricate’ your muscles.
- Use more machines than free weights
Regardless of how confident you feel with weights, it’s best to start using more machines in your workouts. Workout machines reduce the risk of injuries by controlling and guiding the range of motion. That is particularly important as your muscles and joints might be more susceptible to stress and fatigue. Also, you’ll have better stability, balance, body posture, and coordination, as most machines come with fixed pathways. These facilities also have built-in safety features, and you can adjust them to suit your physical limitations.
On the other hand, free weights put no limits on your range of motion, increasing your risks of accidents and injuries.