Like a good conscience, confidence, and lifelong trustworthy friends, a strong core will always hold you up. In fact, core strength becomes even more critical as you age because it improves stamina, posture, stability, and coordination. It will also reduce the risk for fall-related injuries and help with balance.
Seniors rank as one of the top groups of people who should regularly do core strengthening exercises because targeting your midsection with such exercises is critical for staying healthy and active.
So, what exactly is a core exercise, and what are some of the best core exercises for seniors? Read this post to the end to find out everything you need to know.
What Is Your “Core?”
The human “core” is much more than just the visible ab muscles that most of us see displayed in popular fitness magazines. The core typically consists of the back muscles, abdominal muscles, hip, and pelvic muscles. Every body movement is generated from this area.
The core also acts as your body’s primary stabilizer, protects the entire spine, and is at work for every physical task you perform. Almost everything from walking down the hallway to picking something or putting items on the shelf utilizes the core muscles.
Therefore, your biggest objective should be to ensure your core muscles stay strong and healthy even as you age. Performing exercises that target the core muscles regularly is an excellent idea.
The 6 Best Core Exercises for Seniors
Now that you know what the human “core” is and why it is essential to keep it strong and healthy, let us discuss some of the top core exercises for seniors. Your aim should be to perform these exercises daily to keep the muscles strong and healthy.
1. The superman
The superman pose is an excellent exercise that targets the back and glute muscles which aid in sitting, standing, and walking.
To perform the superman pose, lie face-down on the floor and carefully stretch your arms out in front of you.
Now lift your head, left arm, and right foot simultaneously, bringing your arm and leg up to about two inches off the ground. Hold this pose for a few seconds.
Return to the initial position and repeat the process with the opposite side of your body (raise your right arm and left foot simultaneously).
Repeat the poses several times for each side.
2. The bridge pose
The bridge pose is another great core exercise for seniors that target the gluteal muscles. To perform this exercise, lie on your back with both knees bent at right angles over your hips and your feet flat on the floor.
Place both hands beside you with palms facing down to support your upper body. Now raise your bottoms off the floor and hold the pose for a few seconds.
Return to the initial position and repeat severally.
3. Wood Chops
Wood chops are an effective core exercise that targets the oblique muscles, particularly the side waist region.
Lie face-up on the floor with knees bent. Now stretch your arms to either side of you in line with your shoulders.
Lift your feet off the ground, so only the heels are touching it.
Now rotate both upper body and lower body simultaneously to the right side. At this point, your legs should be at an angle that makes them parallel to the floor. Return to the initial position and repeat on the other side.
An excellent modification to this exercise is to sit in a chair and carefully chop both of your arms down towards your outer right knee. Carefully lift your arms back up and then repeat the movement on your left side.
4. Knee plank
The knee plank is a great beginner exercise that targets the major core muscles. It is generally considered to be the most effective of all beginner exercises for seniors.
This exercise is quite simple, but it takes some time to master good form and achieve stability in the pose.
To do this, lie face down on the floor with your palms beneath your shoulders and elbows tucked in close towards your body. Now raise your knees a few inches off the ground and hold this pose for as long as you can manage.
If you cannot maintain this pose for more than a few seconds at first, that is fine. Slowly build up your holds over time to thirty seconds or even a full minute.
5. Pelvic tilts
The pelvic tilt is an excellent beginner’s exercise that is simple and straightforward. This is another great core exercise for seniors which you can perform daily.
Lie on your back with your knees bent at right angles and feet flat on the floor. Place your hands either beside your body or behind your head to avoid blood flow to your neck.
Now tuck your chin in to ensure that the back of your neck is not compressed. Gently arch your lower spine up towards the ceiling, hold this pose for five seconds, then relax. Repeat several times daily.
6. Dead bugs
Dead bugs is an excellent core exercise for older adults because the entire back is fully supported throughout the workout. It mainly targets the abdominal muscles.
To perform this exercise, lie on your back with your knees slightly bent and both feet flat on the floor for support. Now slowly raise both arms and legs off the ground, forming a straight line from head to toe.
Carefully lower them back down to the starting position before raising them again. Repeat several times for best results.
A Strong Core Is Essential to Your Overall Wellbeing
As you age, your core muscles naturally weaken. These exercises can help you strengthen your back and abdominal muscles to better support the spine and prevent injury.
If you’re looking for a physical activity that will improve balance, strength, posture, or flexibility without putting too much stress on joints like knees or hips (or causing pain), these six movements may be worth trying out!
Many seniors are turning to at-home fitness routines for their exercise needs, whether it’s because of chronic conditions such as arthritis or something more specific like sciatica – which affects over one-third of people aged 50 years old and up.
Try out these workouts, and let us know how it goes.
