Five Areas of Fitness For Healthy Aging
Aging Successfully Requires Effort in These Five Key Fitness Areas
May 31, 2009
Regardless of age, we need to extend ourselves physically in five fitness areas. Doing so will extend life quality and help us age more successfully.
These five areas of health are critical to healthy aging. Extending ourselves in these areas is central to living well.
Five Components to Physical Fitness
- Cardiovascular Heart Fitness
- Muscular Strength
- Muscular Endurance
- Flexibility and
- Body Composition. Regardless of age, extending ourselves in these five key areas of health are critical to healthy aging. There are additional areas not traditionally considered part of physical fitness like balance training and mental training but will be considerd in upcoming articles Understanding these five areas of healthy aging will provide a needed base of awareness for aging well. Remember, implementation is central and establishing a way to implement good health habits is an absolute must for healthy aging. Read the basics below and look for upcoming articles on implementation of fitness components for healthy aging.
Cardiovascular Fitness
- Minimum 20 -30 minutes 4 days a week
- Heart rate at minimum of 70 %. Formula is 220 minus age multiplied by .70 = HR minimum. Example for a 71 year old minimum at 70% is 104 beats per minute while exercising the heart. *Those on beta blockers will not use this formula and should consult their doctor on exertion levels.
- Exercise must use leg muscles and be a continuous motion to be considered cardiovascular in nature. Ex. walking, biking, stair climbing, jogging, elliptical trainer, cross country skiing.
Muscular Strength
- How much upper body can lift for one repetition. How much lower body can lift for one repetition. * Should not try this one rep maximum especially if training has been minimal. There are rules that apply additionally depending on the age of the person.
Muscular Endurance
- How many repetitions upper body can lift in one minute. How many repetitions lower body can lift in one minute.
Flexibility
- The range of motion in such areas as the hamstrings ( back of legs), upper and lower back areas, shoulders, hips, neck, and quadriceps ( front of thigh.)
Body Composition
- Being at a weight that is comfortable for the individual given his lifestyle needs. It includes being at a weight that does not contribute to elevated blood sugars, lack of energy, cardiovascular risks, osteoarthritis, and other increased body fat health issues.
- Includes being at a body fat that is considered within normal range. This varies but typically men should look at a range from 10-18% depending on age and lifestyle needs and women at 18-26%.
Regardless of age, we can and should extend ourselves in these five key health areas. Doing so, in fact , studies have shown, is absolutely necessary for aging well
The copyright of the article Five Areas of Fitness For Healthy Aging in Mind/Body Fitness is owned by Kim Miller. Permission to republish Five Areas of Fitness For Healthy Aging in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.
