LITTLE ROCK — As we age, fitness priorities should alter according to lifestyle and physical changes. While body composition may have been the most important fitness component in our 20s, joint stability and balance are of greater value in our 60s.
This week, I’ll suggest ways to evaluate age-appropriate fitness goals, and I’ll introduce a great exercise designed with the older adult in mind.
Many exercisers fail to recognize the changes their bodies undergo, particularly when they are on the cusp of moving into another phase of life. This recognition is not only important for maximizing your workout effectiveness, but also for maintaining motivation to accomplish fitness goals over time.
Men in their mid-to-late 30s often fall into the trap of believing their bodies can sustain the same activities they did in their early 20s. This delusion can lead to over-aggressive workout structures that increase your risk for injury. Rather than trying to re-create high school football workouts, I advise these guys to look at the big picture. Fitness goals in your late 30s should reflect the fact that your knees, shoulders and other major joints have another decade of use to content with.
The same is true for exercisers in their late 40s or early 50s. Another 10 to 15 years of usage makes the joints, tendons and ligaments that much more susceptible to injury. So, the exercise program should reflect a higher level of protection against potential injuries.
The key is to recognize that your body accumulates miles of usage, much like a car. At 10,000 miles, any car has fresh tires and only needs an occasional oil change. When the car reaches 100,000 miles, it’s best not to drive it so hard to reduce wear and tear on the engine. Think of your body the same way and respect it, and you’ll get more quality years of usage and enjoy your workouts significantly more.
This week’s exercise is perfect for the older adult looking to continue strengthening the gluteal muscles without performing a weight-bearing exercise that could affect the hip and knee adversely. The BOSU Glute Bridge is easy to perform and is appropriate for all fitness levels.
Position the BOSU ball with the ball side facing up.
Lie on your back on the BOSU so your head and neck are supported.
Cross your right foot over your left knee and position your left foot forward with your hips on the floor.
From this position, simply raise your hips up until the lower back, hips and knees are parallel with the floor.
Squeeze your gluteal muscles for 3 seconds, then lower back down until you almost reach the floor.
Raise back up and continue this pattern for 12 repetitions, then switch legs and repeat.
The BOSU Glute Bridge is an excellent hip-strengthening move that allows the exerciser to address important muscle groups without putting stress on the knees. It is a perfect example of an age-appropriate workout modification, yet even young whipper-snappers will benefit from this unique move.
Matt Parrott has a doctorate in education (sport studies), a master’s in kinesiology and is certified by the American College of Sports Medicine.
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ActiveStyle, Pages 30 on 10/31/2011