It's important to incorporate lifting weights into your exercise routine as you get older to maintain muscle mass and fight the natural bone loss that comes with aging. Lifting weights can also help with functional fitness, making it easier for you to bend, pick things up off the floor and get in and out of a chair or bed. Here are some easy exercises you can do with just a small set of hand weights and a small space on the floor of your apartment at The Gardens at Springfield. Make sure to get your doctor's approval before you get started.
A front shoulder raise starts with your hands and weights at your side. Your palms should be facing backward, and your grip should be firm but relaxed. Inhale and then on the exhale, slowly raise your arms straight out in front of you until your arms are parallel to the floor. In the finished position, your palms should be facing the floor. Focus on keeping your shoulders down and away from your ears and staying straight and steady on your feet. Don't let your back arch or try to add any momentum to the raise. On the next inhale, bring your arms slowly back to the starting position.
The starting position for an overhead shoulder press is with your hands up at your shoulders, with your palms facing forward and your elbows tucked in next to your rib cage. Make sure your wrists aren't rotating in or out. On your next exhale, push the weights straight over your head. Keep a slight bend in your elbow and don't let your arms lock out. Inhale and slowly bring your arms back to the starting position.
Rowing exercises your arm and back muscles and can help you build balance and stability. The traditional row position is to be slightly bent over with a flat back. If this is too difficult, you can start from a hands and knees position and then bring one arm up toward your back as best you can. Start by standing with your feet in a split stance, which means to have one foot forward and one foot back. Put the weight in the hand that's on the side where your foot is back. Bend over to a 45-degree angle, keeping your back straight, and pull the weight up to your side before slowly lowering it back down. Concentrate on using your back muscles to pull the weight up.
Being able to squat down with good form is an important part of functional fitness and can help you maintain your independence and mobility. If you're not used to this movement, it may be challenging enough without weights, but you can eventually work up to holding hand weights, which helps with balance and builds muscle. Hold the hand weights loosely at your sides, and have your feet about hip distance apart. Turn your toes slightly outward and slowly start to bend your knees and put your bottom back like you were sitting in a chair. Go as far as you're comfortable — even if it's just a few inches — and then exhale as you stand back up. If you feel like you're losing your balance or you're not sure how far down to go, you can place a chair behind you and squat down to the seat and then back up.
Gentle and controlled wrist rotations with a very light weight can help you build muscle that can help support your joints. You can do these holding your hands out straight in front of you or relaxed and down at your sides. Gently rotate your wrist 90 degrees in one direction. Then, come back to the starting position and rotate 90 degrees in the other direction. Be careful not to use momentum during this exercise, as that can actually cause more harm than good.
The right weight to use for these exercises depends on your current fitness level and any other limitations or health issues you have, such as arthritis. The exercises above can be used with anything from 1-pound to 5-pound hand weights. If you're more physically fit, you can up the weight to 8 pounds or just increase the number of repetitions as it becomes easier. The right weight should feel challenging — but not impossible — for the last couple of repetitions, and you should be able to maintain proper form throughout the entire set.
It's also important to warm up before doing any kind of exercise, and working out with hand weights is no different. Some brisk walking for a few minutes and some stretching before you get started is a great way to get your blood flowing and your muscles ready. It's just as important to cool down appropriately as well. Allow a few minutes after you're done to stretch and focus on taking deep, slow breaths to lower your heart rate and let your body know it can slow down.
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1302 W. Sunset St.
Springfield, MO 65807
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