FITNESS queen Michelle Bridges has teamed up with her mum in a bid to get more seniors moving.
The former Biggest Loser trainer and her mother Maureen Partridge have come together to develop an exercise guide for older Australians for in-home care provider Home Instead Senior Care.
Exercise for Seniors: A guide to help seniors move, mobilise and maintain fitness provides straightforward exercises that mirror their everyday actions and can be completed in just five minutes in the home.
“As we age, it becomes all too easy to let our exercise go,” said Michelle, one of Australia’s leading personal trainers.
“We lose the physical prowess we had when we were younger so it becomes more challenging to move the way we used to – so many people end up moving less and less.”
“I am excited to collaborate with Home Instead Senior Care and the five-minute exercise routine we’ve developed can help maintain your mobility, bone density, muscle mass and balance.”
As well as a printed guide there is also a video, in which Maureen demonstrates the exercises.
“I’m delighted that my mum demonstrates the exercises in the video,” said Michelle.
“Select simple, short sequences of exercises that you can do in your own home. Aim for exercises that mirror your everyday actions, and then make them part of your everyday activity.”
Home Instead Senior Care co-founder Martin Warner said the guide was important with research showing just under half of those aged 65 and over (48 per cent) are not sufficiently active.
“People over the age of 65, more than any other age group, require adequate fitness levels to maintain independence, recover from illness and reduce their increasing risk of disease,” he said.
“You are never too old to get moving and we hope this senior care resource helps seniors move, mobilise and maintain fitness for better health, wellbeing and quality of life as they age.”
Five minute Simple Everyday Home Workout for Seniors:
1. Sit to stand
Repetition of this basic movement is great for your whole body strength as it uses your legs and core and is beneficial for your heart and lungs.
Start by sitting in the chair feet flat on the floor, looking straight ahead. Push down through your feet, squeeze your bottom and stand up.
2. Push ups against a wall
Adjusting this popular exercise by doing it on the wall makes upper body strength training achievable for older people and also helps keep the range of movement through fingers.
Stand facing a wall and put your hands on the wall about shoulder width apart and elbows just below shoulder height. Bend your elbows and lower your chest towards the wall, then push through your hands, squeeze with your chest and return to your start position.
3. Single leg balance
“Balance deteriorates as we age, so practising this exercise helps guard against common balance issues such as falling. Holding the chair or using the wall, put your weight on your outside leg and lift your inside leg so you are just on its tippy toes.
“Look straight ahead, press into your outside foot and squeeze your bottom as you do this. Count to three, then put your foot down flat, turn around to do the same thing on the other side.”
4. Side steps with arms reaching overhead
“This powerhouse movement targets strength, mobility, balance and co-ordination. Make sure you have enough clear space to take three spaces side to side.
“Step out to the side as you raise your arms into the air over your head, then step your feet together as you bring your arms back down. Take two more steps like this, then step back three steps so you are back at your starting position.”
- To download the Home Instead Exercise for Seniors guide click HERE
Read more: Over 60s exercise guidelines published