If you’re over 50, you may not have been so active during the winter, so it’s good to get rid of the dust of atrophy by moving your body in ways that build back your muscle tone and get lubricating fluids flowing in joints again.
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Those who want a thorough refreshing (and de-aging) of the body, should try to increase their range of motion with simple stretching.
You may have cleared out clutter and freshened up the basement during spring cleaning, but what about spring cleaning your body?
If you’re over 50, you may not have been so active during the winter, so it’s good to get rid of the dust of atrophy by moving your body in ways that build back your muscle tone and get lubricating fluids flowing in joints again. This is also good for folks who haven’t been active in years.
Here is an easy total fitness program to identify weak spots and help you strengthen them. Step 1. Lie down on the floor in a spread-eagled position. Step 2. Stand up (If you use a cane, check with your doctor first.)
This exercise uses nearly every muscle in the body and requires balance, reflexes and a strong core. When it starts to get easy, lie down and stand up in different positions. Use muscle, not momentum. Do this at least four times a week, and do about four or five reps. It’s easy to overtrain when you’re past 50, so go easy at first. There should be no pain in any muscle or joint.
Another good thing about using this exercise to refresh your body: Some folks may at first have a problem getting up without using the furniture or something to help them up. Within a month, most will be able to stand up without assistance.
While refreshing your muscles and joints, don’t neglect your cardiovascular system. You don’t have to run, walking is excellent exercise. You can change the pace or walk on more challenging terrain to work your body at different intensities.
Those who want a thorough refreshing (and de-aging) of the body, should try to increase their range of motion. This is simple stretching, but its purpose is to restore pliability to the white tissues — tendons, which attach muscles to bones, and ligaments, which connect the bones of the joints together.
Joints stiffen and contract if they aren’t used, but atrophy must be worked away very gradually. Do it too quickly and that will damage fibres in the white tissues and perhaps muscles as well. If you can now only toe-touch down to mid-shin, it may take six months or more of work to be able to touch your toes. However, increasing your range of motion will make movement much easier.
Spring cleaning your body to get rid of atrophy will meet strong resistance at first. You’ve been in this sedentary habit pattern for a while, and your body has become used to it. It won’t be comfortable to go for a walk or to use certain muscle groups. This discomfort will disappear in less than two weeks. Meanwhile, you must force yourself to keep that spring cleaning going.
But if you do end up letting the physical spring cleaning process go, don’t fret. Just start spring cleaning your body again, even if it’s the end of July.
Wina Sturgeon is an active boomer based in Salt Lake City who writes about anti-aging and staying youthful at adventuresportsweekly.com
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