Why do some of us end up in assisted-living facilities when we get older? The answer is in the title: someday in the near future, you may not even be able to get off the toilet. Doesn’t sound inviting, I know, but it can definitely happen.
Fitness needs of the aging population can vary by degree, not kind. Standing up from the toilet is basically an air squat. If you’ve ever done burpees, then you have fallen and gotten back up! If you bring groceries in from the car? Guess what? You have done farmer carries!
As you get older you may not be breaking too man gym records, but you can still perform modified versions of everything the rest of the class is doing—and MOEfit coaches will know how to guide you. Intensity is relative. Movement and range of motion goals typically stay the same, but intensity can vary and hopefully increase overtime.
Strength training is critical. Aging adults need strength to prevent and reverse osteoporosis (brittle bones). Simply slipping and falling can result in broken bones in older men and women if they have low bone density. Lifting heavy objects will increase that bone density and reduce risk of injury.
Group fitness classes aren’t always the answer for all aging adults. At MOEfit, we have several 50-plus-year-old athletes, and they kick ass in group classes. Some start with private sessions. The point is that they get or remain active.
I am not an elite athlete. Winning competitions is not one of my current goals anymore. I won’t be breaking any records. I joke about it a lot, but that’s not why I work out. I work out every day so that I can be the one helping people, not the one being helped—and also so I’ll never be trapped on the can!!
Inspiration provided by Nikole Gessler at CrossFitRecursive.com.