Improving endurance and flexibility

[vafoodie]

I know I’m getting older (62 F), but I’m a bit discouraged by how tired I’m getting walking around when I travel. I’m also concerned about a lack of flexibility. Can anyone suggest exercise routines that will help in these two areas?

 

[audreyh1]

Yoga helps with both as well as balance important for an older person.

Getting tired? Is that a fitness issue or a health issue? Have you had a medical checkup?

Walking longer distances at home as part of “training” for a trip may be needed,

 

[COcheesehead]

My Apple Watch or use of another fitness tracker has helped me. You can track things like VO2 max, resting heart rate, heart rate recovery time, etc, all of which act like a dashboard to give you insight into your fitness. Walks, bike rides help a lot.
I found that adding intensity with longer, harder hikes or rides - couple times a week -really helps my fitness as I aged.

 

[MarieIG]

Walking, stationary bike, Pilates, yoga - but I would recommend a physical to rule out any potential health issues that may need attention sooner rather than later.

 

[Midpack]

I’m 69, but I play golf 3 times a week (walking 4-9 miles), pickleball 2 times a week (2 hrs a pop) and walk 2-4 miles from home a couple times a week. I also do 8 strength exercises using resistance bands, and I just added these 5 exercises for balance and flexibility. Just look on YouTube, there are hundreds of exercise for seniors videos. Bottom line, stay as active as you can.

 

[Ronstar]

Do lots of walking, some weights and flexibility exercises, and improve your diet if you are not eating healthy.

 

[jollystomper]

I agree with getting a thorough physical with blood work as a first step, to see if anything might be contributing to that. Then address (if any) weight and diet issues, and move on to steady consistent physical activity (the types mentioned above) on a daily basis.

 

[badatmath]

I'm hopeless with flexibility but the only way for me to build endurance is to well endure. In other words, keep at the exercise you want to be good at all year long.

 

[ElizabethT]

I just completed hiking and walking some 200+ miles along the Camino in Spain. I'm 60, my spouse is 68, and our two traveling companions are both 70. Additionally, we were surrounded by people our age and older. Everyone kicked #ss, so I don't see age as an issue in remaining vibrant, energetic and strong, medical situations obviously not withstanding. What I do see as an issue with getting older is consistency. We can't necessarily shoulder through the way we could in our youth. We need a foundation, and we need to be careful how quickly we build up from that foundation lest we get injured.

The good news is that it is never, ever to late to build up endurance. Start modestly, build modestly, but keep going. We all came to the start of our Camino walk well trained, but even still I was astounded at how quickly we all adapted to day-after-day distances of 15-21 miles, even at our mature ages. I thought it was pretty stinking awesome actually!

And onboard 100% with others who recommend yoga for flexibility.

 

[fh2000]

DW (62) and I (67) joined our local community college senior programs in 2020. We were told that ours is the 2nd largest in the nation (1st one been somewhere in New York).

All classes are online thru Zoom. We have yoga, arobic, strength classes in the morning, and art classes in the afternoon. We log on to classes when we are not traveling or visit families.

I used to have back pain and DW used to have knee pain. After 3 years, we are doing a lot better.

So, check if you are in a large city and if there are community college offering senior programs.

 

[edmund]

morelifehealth.com

This site has many exercise videos for people 60plus created by an Australian physiotherapist: morelifehealth.com. All are excellent.

 

[athena53]

I agree with getting a thorough physical with blood work as a first step, to see if anything might be contributing to that. Then address (if any) weight and diet issues, and move on to steady consistent physical activity (the types mentioned above) on a daily basis.

Yeah, it mostly boils down to "eat less, move more". A 70-year old friend was unhappy at how easily he tired walking around Montreal on a visit and started walking the track at the local community center and changing his diet (heavy in starches and comfort foods). So far he's lost 30 lbs. and wants to lose 30 more.

If you need to lose weight- think about how it feels if you pick up something heavy (like a 40-lb. grandchild) and walk around. You breathe harder, you feel it in your hips, your back, it's harder on your heart.... it's a burden 24/7.

I found an exercise video that works for me- the people in it are 30-somethings so I can't quite keep up with them, but it's mixed cardio, low-impact. It includes some jumping around, which is good for balance, too.

 

[DrRoy]

I’m 69, but I play golf 3 times a week (walking 4-9 miles), pickleball 2 times a week (2 hrs a pop) and walk 2-4 miles from home a couple times a week. I also do 8 strength exercises using resistance bands, and I just added these 5 exercises for balance and flexibility. Just look on YouTube, there are hundreds of exercise for seniors videos. Bottom line, stay as active as you can.

Interesting video.

 

[OldShooter]

I know I’m getting older (62 F), but I’m a bit discouraged by how tired I’m getting walking around when I travel. I’m also concerned about a lack of flexibility. Can anyone suggest exercise routines that will help in these two areas?

Not sure it could apply in your situation but about a year ago I started an hour per week program with a personal trainer. She is actually an advanced practice nurse who does this as sort of a hobby. Everything she does is targeted to specific muscles (triceps, etc.) or behaviors (balance, etc.). She has made a major improvement in my overall activity level. Definitely a worthwhile BTD endeavor.

 

[RunningBum]

Terrific advice here, all of it. I encourage you to try them all and see what works for you. I have two pieces of advice to supplement these:

1) Find at least one activity that you like, so that you'll do it regularly. For me, it's running. Even at 61 I'll keep up with this, but it's not for everyone. Walking may be better because it's low impact. Pickleball has become the rage and it's a lot of fun and you're doing it with others. It almost doesn't matter what as long as it gets you up and active, and you'll keep at it. If it gets boring, switch to something else.

2) Look at your physical weaknesses, and figure out how to improve, which is exactly what you are doing. But you still have to follow through. This is harder, because you're not so likely to enjoy it. Hopefully you can find some where you can tell it is making a difference and that will encourage you to continue with it.

 

[Aerides]

Did you have a go at any of the ideas from your prior thread? That might help us eliminate of find similar things to those you liked.

 

[ElizabethT]

Yeah, it mostly boils down to "eat less, move more". A 70-year old friend was unhappy at how easily he tired walking around Montreal on a visit and started walking the track at the local community center and changing his diet (heavy in starches and comfort foods). So far he's lost 30 lbs. and wants to lose 30 more.

If you need to lose weight- think about how it feels if you pick up something heavy (like a 40-lb. grandchild) and walk around. You breathe harder, you feel it in your hips, your back, it's harder on your heart.... it's a burden 24/7.

I found an exercise video that works for me- the people in it are 30-somethings so I can't quite keep up with them, but it's mixed cardio, low-impact. It includes some jumping around, which is good for balance, too.

I read something once that stayed with me- in order to remain slim and trim as we age, one in general needs to embrace hunger. It took me aback when I first read it, but I now totally get it. It bites, but we simply have to curb our eating as we get older and our metabolism drops. Or accept that we will gain weight.

 

[Chuckanut]

The problem with getting used to hunger is that we may not get enough nutrients. So eating a variety of real foods is important. For example, Protein needs go up as we age. The same with calcium. Our bodies don’t process them as efficiently. Timing is also important. A huge protein binge at one meal is wasted since our bodies can only process a certain amount of protein each hour. The rest goes down and out it. So I’ve been told.

 

[braumeister]

we simply have to curb our eating as we get older and our metabolism drops. Or accept that we will gain weight.

I'm reminded of a great line from Garrison Keillor (Prairie Home Companion) a number of years ago. He was commenting on the fallacy of the "3 meals a day" meme, and said that when we get older (I forget exactly what age he mentioned) it should be "one meal and two snacks" instead. That made a lot of sense to me and still does. In fact, I'm now doing more like one meal and one snack at my advanced age.

 

[CDRE]

+1 for yoga.

 

[bloom2708]

Yoga, pilates, core. Active and passive stretching.

If you are an Apple user, consider adding Apple Fitness +

You can do 5,10, 15, 20, 30 minute classes on your phone, iPad, TV.

Yoga is the most impactful, but you really do have to do it nearly daily to make meaningful gains. I like to do too many things, but I still get benefit from yoga 3-4 times per week.

 

[marko]

I'm a firm believer in flexibility being more important than strength as we age.

We have a stretching clinic in the next town and after my recovery from surgery on Thursday, I plan to sign up for a number of sessions. Not cheap ($29 for a half hour) but I think it will be worthwhile. Some strong person just stretches the crap out of you.

My current ailment has me walking like an old man!

 

[Palmtree]

I was relatively heathly and fit all through my 40 and 50's. Hiking, sports, scuba, etc. All I know is that right around 60 my body sort of went. "Ok, remember all the crazy things you did when you were young? It payback time." Over the past two plus years I've had podiatry problems, lower back/tailbone problems, eye & vision problems, pinched nerves, high blood pressure, and some loss of hearing. Every day something hurts somewhere. Now I have to do stretches every single day to keep the pain at bay.

 

[onabreak]

To be honest, I think the bigger question is what you would do consistently, rather than the activity.

I signed up for an on-line group for hiking trading. We were given exercises to do 5 days a week, with weekly check-ins. This worked to get me in the routine of working out daily and I learned a bunch of exercises, stretches and core work. I am now keeping up with it on my own and consulting the web to alter my routines.

At the same time, my sister started the same journey, but joined a gym with many different types of classes and workout machines that offered a beginner sampler membership. She found she liked some classes better than others, but all provided some mix of balance, strength and cardio. She then stuck with the instructors she enjoyed, which for her was more important than the activity.

Good luck finding what works for you!

 

[george76]

Not sure it could apply in your situation but about a year ago I started an hour per week program with a personal trainer. She is actually an advanced practice nurse who does this as sort of a hobby. Everything she does is targeted to specific muscles (triceps, etc.) or behaviors (balance, etc.). She has made a major improvement in my overall activity level. Definitely a worthwhile BTD endeavor.

Do you mind sharing how you found her as I'm looking for a personal trainer that has the experience that yours does? Were you just lucky in finding her or did you do a special search to find her?

Thanks in advance.