This video features a 5-minute exercise warm up for older adults to be used alone or before other exercise. Consider doing this routine before taking a walk!
Follow Go4Life fitness instructor Sandy Magrath as she leads a group exercise warm up designed specifically for adults over age 50. These warm up exercises can be done at home, at work, at the gym—almost anywhere!
Sandy begins this easy exercise warm up with a simple march-in-place. She then changes the routine to a step-touch, noting the importance of keeping good posture during exercise: abdomen muscles in, shoulders back, and head up. The group then switches back to a march, keeping their feet shoulder-distance apart.
Sandy demonstrates how older adults can exercise using a chair to warm up the quadriceps. The group participates in a series of stand up/sit down reps. On the last rep, the group remains seated to continue to exercise while sitting down. The next exercise works the calves and ankles. Sandy demonstrates by stretching her legs out and placing them shoulder-width apart. Pointing her toes, she instructs the group to perform a series of reps by stretching and flexing their legs.
Next, Sandy shows the group some strength and balance exercises. First, they perform a set of arm curls using weights. She asks two members of the group to remain seated to show how to modify the exercise using a chair. With feet shoulder-distance apart, the group performs ten arm curls. She then demonstrates how to perform the overhead arm raise, showing the group how to hold their arms at a 90-degree angle using weights, such as soup cans, water bottles, or dumbbells.
The Go4Life Campaign from the National Institute on Aging focuses on encouraging older adults to make exercise and physical activity a part of their daily life. Use the Go4Life Everyday Exercises to practice the four types of exercise that are important for older adults: strength, balance, flexibility, and endurance:
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This video was developed by the National Institute on Aging ( part of the National Institutes of Health (
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