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eLearning Series:
I'm an Active Senior
Who Wants To Stay Healthy
( 50 aticles in this series )
Strength
and Weight Training
for Seniors with Grandchildren
Having
grandkids over to stay over for a week can easily take
up all your reservoirs of energy. The smaller
your grandchildren are, the more activity you will be required
to do. Changing diapers, waking up in the middle of the night,
catching falls, and playing games with them are just a few
of the activities which will take up your time and take away
from your retired time. All these chores and tasks will bond
you with your grandchildren, but they will also require that
you make sure you are able to perform them.
You have been a parent before, so you know all the tasks that
will be involved, but when the time comes to take care of your
sweet grandchildren, you can do a few things to be prepared.
Strength and weight training should be at the top of your list.
You are going to want to pick up your grandkids as much as
possible. Building up your arms, chest, back and stomach will
provide you with some of the strength you need. There are plenty
of ways to work these parts of the body at home, either with
an exercise DVD or by writing down your own routine. If you
work by yourself, make sure that you walk or bicycle for at
least five minutes before you start, and that you cool down
with stretches and plenty of water.
Push ups
Push-ups are one of the quickest ways to build upper-body
strength. Try to increase the number of push-ups you do each
day or each week. If a regular push-up is too difficult to
start with, do them with a cushion placed under your knees,
with your feet up behind you. This takes some of the weight
out of your push-up. These can also be done standing up, with
your palms on the wall. Results with push-ups are noticeable
after just a few days and will help you do the extra lifting
that grandchildren require. You can counteract small sets of
push-ups (five to ten) with sets of crunches. Magazines, books,
gyms and the internet can help you find some interesting ways
to work your abs. One that does not require lifting up the
shoulders off the ground (which relieves the neck of having
to get involved), is to lie on your back, place both arms straight
up, bend the knees and take your feet off the ground. While
leaving the other limbs stationary as possible, take your left
leg and right arm straight down toward the ground, then raise
them back up. As soon as your left leg and right arm get back
to their original position, switch and do your right leg and
left arm. This is based on the “dead bug” series in yoga and
really works the core muscles.
Weights
Walking with a little extra weight can also get you ready
to chase and entertain your grandkids. There are Velcro weights
which you can attach to your ankles and/or wrists. The extra
weight will make your walk more intense. Remember to work yourself
up to further distances slowly. Just feeling the weight come
off after your walk will make you feel stronger. Bicycling
and swimming are great for building leg and body strength and
are something your grandchildren will enjoy doing with you
immensely.
Gym
Self-motivation is not always the easiest tool to conjure
up. Some people prefer to visit the gym where they feel more
focused on their workout. This can work in your favor since
a gym can supply you with a complete weight training circuit
for every muscle in your body. Lifting weights, even if its
10 or 15 pounds to start, will also help build up your bone
mass which lets you feel more comfortable about a little rough-housing
with your grandkids. Remember that it does not have to hurt.
Your body will appreciate and reward you for being gentle to
it. Also, make sure you feel comfortable with the information
you have about using any of the machines. Whether at home or
in a public setting, let your doctor know that you want to
build up your strength for the grandkids, and they can make
sure that you get on the right program for you. # # # # #
SolveYourProblem.com
: 2006
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