Morning exercises after 60 years. How to exercise for the elderly. "Backstroke"

You can dial muscle mass, even if they have reached middle age (from 40 to 60 years) or have crossed its border.

Our lab and others have repeatedly shown that in older people, muscles also grow and become stronger.

Markas Bamman, Director of the Medical Center exercise at the University of Alabama at Birmingham

Research Exercise dosing to retain resistance training adaptations in young and older adults., which was conducted by Bamman, men and women aged 60-70 years old were engaged in strength training. Muscle development in them took place at the same rate as in 40-year-olds.

But the process of muscle growth is different in young and old people.

Skeletal muscles are made up of different types of fibers. When we reach middle age, two types of changes occur to them.
Markas Bamman

Some fibers die, especially if the muscles are not exercised. adults leading sedentary image life, lose from 30 to 40% of the total number of fibers in the muscles by the age of 80 years. The remaining fibers shrink and atrophy with age. If we exercise, the size of atrophied muscle fibers increases, but not their number.

It turns out that despite training, you will not increase the number of muscle fibers. However, the atrophied fibers will come to work and increase in size, so the muscles will still get bigger and stronger.

How to train to ensure muscle growth in middle and old age

The point is to practice regularly. Start going to the gym and create a workout plan.

To start the biochemical processes necessary to increase the strength of muscle fibers, it is worth exercising to muscle failure.

In Bamman's study, participants trained with specially designed weights so that subjects could complete 8 to 12 reps to exhaustion. After that, it was time to rest. Participants repeated each set two or three times and hit the gym three times a week.

If you have never done strength training, consult a fitness trainer or specialist.

A clear example of the fact that you can build muscle even in old age is the 73-year-old crossfitter Jacinto Bonilla, who does as much as many young people never dreamed of.

After 60 years, everyone gets the opportunity to appreciate all the “charms” of approaching old age: when muscles, bones, cardiovascular, endocrine and other systems are no longer the same. That's why power training after 60 are no less important for health and longevity than training in 20 years.

Consequences of not exercising with weights

1. Loss of muscle mass

As soon as you reach the age of 40 or 50, your body begins to steadily lose muscle tissue. This process may be partly due to a decrease in the level of physical activity and the production of anabolic hormones.

As you know, there are 2 types of muscle fibers: type I (“slow” muscle fibers) and type II (“fast” fibers). It is the second type of fibers that is capable of producing a force 2-4 times stronger than the fibers of the first type. Unfortunately, as we age, we lose predominantly "fast" fibers. What do you think happens when we lose muscle fibers that are responsible for strength and power?

2. Loss of functionality

Functionality is one of the most important abilities that makes life easier after 60 and can significantly improve its quality in old age.

Below we will consider step by step how, over time, the loss of strength and power leads to limited functionality, and subsequently to disability.

Stage 1 - muscle pathology

Muscular pathology is characterized by the following manifestations:

Loss of motor units.
Changes in muscle fibers.
Amyotrophy.
Decreased neuromuscular communication.
Slowing down the rate of muscle activation.

Stage 2 - Breaking Functionality

This stage is characterized by a decrease in the speed of movement and strength reproduction.

Stage 3 - functional restrictions

At this stage, people take longer to climb stairs and get up from a chair.

Stage 4 - the onset of disability

This is the saddest stage, because without the help of a cane it is difficult for a person to leave the house.

The 4 stages above show how not exercising slowly but surely leads to a decrease in the quality of life.

Training after 60: strength or power?

If you are over 60 years old, strength training in its classical sense is not the best option for you. The optimal type of training for people of age is speed-strength training (power training).

If classical strength training involves performing movements at a slow pace (for example, 3-4 seconds per repetition in the bench press), then speed-strength training means performing exercises with maximum speed.

A number of studies have shown that it is power that is responsible for the ability of older people to cope with daily activities such as walking in the park, walking up stairs, getting up from a chair. Scientists also consider power to be the main ally of functionality.

In 2011, Swiss experts analyzed several studies and concluded that speed-style training provided more benefits for older people in terms of functionality than classical strength training.

Training after 60 years: tohow to train power?

Power training involves performing movements at the fastest possible pace. However, this type of training should not be confused with weightlifting training. Power training is a regular workout in gym, which involves lifting weights at maximum speed (of course, with perfect technique).

Most of the studies used simulators rather than free weights. Exercises were performed in 2-3 sets for large muscle groups, which were trained 2-3 days a week. The intensity of training was at the level of 70% of maximum weight, which the subjects could lift, which was 8-10 repetitions per approach.

Training after 60 years:safety

Most of the studies involved older people who did not experience problems with bones, joints, and the cardiovascular system.

If you are not a robust energizer, choose more low level training intensity. Do exercises with a range of not 8-10, but 15-20 repetitions. So you are safe from possible negative consequences workouts.

CONCLUSIONS

If your age is approaching 60 years or more - do not give up weight training. By limiting your motor activity under the pretext "I'm already old, my bones and heart will not withstand the stress", you are doing yourself a "disservice".
Train in a speedy style, so you can improve functionality and provide a more comfortable standard of living in old age.
Train your muscles 3 times a week for 2-3 sets of 8-10 or 15-20 reps.
Do not forget that each of us is individual. Don't go overboard with the intensity of your workouts.

To prolong life expectancy and its quality, both men and women, it is extremely important to streamline eating behavior in time, give up bad habits, activate and diversify physical activity. It is recommended to do physical exercises for older women from the age of 40, until the onset of menopause.

In this case, this complex process of hormonal restructuring will pass more or less easily, and the rest of the inevitable, usually pronounced, signs of biological aging will appear not by the age of 60-75, but later. And this is proven in practice and confirmed by medical research.

However, if you "did not have time" to start training on time, do not despair. It is never too late to start exercising regularly for health purposes. The information, photos and videos in this article will help older women begin the process of working on the body and psyche, even if their level of physical training and health is unsatisfactory.

Presented below weekly plan physical activity is maximally optimized in terms of preventing and stopping typical diseases inherent in aging women. However, in the presence of pronounced chronic pathologies of the second, and especially the third stage of development, a set of these measures must be approved by the attending physician.

Benefits of exercise for older women

Aging human body inevitably. Age-related shifts occur at the cellular level: protein biosynthesis changes, the oxidative activity of enzymes decreases, the number of mitochondria decreases, and the functionality of cell membranes (membranes) is disrupted.

However, many of the natural physiological changes that occur in a fading female body, can be significantly slowed down, and some even temporarily stopped, with the help of regular physical activity and compliance healthy lifestyle life.

Here is a list of such conditions and diseases:

osteoporosis;
osteochondrosis;
arthritis, arthrosis, gout;
metabolic syndrome (weight gain), type 2 diabetes;
violation of urodynamics and renal blood flow, decreased tone of sphincters, prolapse of the pelvic organs, urinary incontinence when sneezing or laughing;
increased blood pressure;
cardiac ischemia;
diseases caused by atherosclerosis, including damage to the veins in the legs;
night cramps;
sleep disorders;
psychosomatic disorders;
depression.

On a note. With other diseases, injuries and fractures, physical exercises also successfully fight. Moreover, in many cases, exercise therapy is not an auxiliary, but the main type of treatment.

Training plan for the week and the basic rules of training

Unfortunately, but there is no one physical exercise or a complex of different movements that would fight aging universally. However, alternating anaerobic loads with aerobic, static stress and relaxation with dynamic gymnastic exercises or yoga asanas, balance exercises and outdoor games, you can draw up an indicative lesson plan recreational physical education for older women.

It should include:

morning exercises and evening hitch - daily;
gymnastic set of exercises - 3 times a week for 45 minutes;
aerobic exercise - 2 (3) times a week for 60 minutes;
outdoor games and art therapy - during the week (according to well-being and mood).

In order for physical education to be as effective as possible and not harm women of elegant age, the following “golden” rules must be observed:

exercise regularly;
the complex of physical exercises for older women should include exercises from joint gymnastics, stretching movements, exercises with dumbbells, Kegel exercises, coordination exercises, balances on one leg, breathing exercises;
the pace of classes and exercises should be slow and / or medium;
increase the level of physical activity should be gradually;
you should not train during colds or infectious diseases, exacerbation of chronic pathologies, in the presence of elevated body temperature, high blood pressure, pain in any organ or part of the body.

Starting classes, even those older women who believe that they are in good physical form, you should carefully consider the dosing of loads. Not everyone will be able to immediately enter a full-fledged weekly training schedule with the recommended duration of classes: for gymnastics - 45, and for cardio 60 minutes.

Here's how to do it:

For gymnastic workouts for older women at home, first, for 2 weeks, do only 2 blocks below the exercises presented in a standing position. Then, for another 2 weeks, add exercises while sitting on a chair, and so on. Yes, this method has a drawback. Not all muscles and joints will immediately be worked out in full. Nevertheless, it is better to increase the load in this way, because most will not be able to evenly distribute efforts for the entire duration of the session, and therefore will be forced to interrupt it in the middle or at the end, or will receive muscle strength as a negative consequence.
To increase aerobic loads, focus on your own feelings. Walk, swim, row, or pedal on the machine until you feel tired. Then take a break to rest. Then continue the training for another 3-5 minutes (at a slow pace), and finish the session. As the cardiovascular and respiratory systems the first time period will gradually increase on its own. This method of dosing cardio loads will not allow harm due to overcoming a specific distance or a period of time through “I can’t, but I need to.”

Note. You need to do it with a smile, literally forcing yourself to be in good mood. This approach is an effective, medically proven method of dealing with automatic (negative and obsessive) thoughts and depressive senile conditions.

morning exercises

One of the best options morning exercises for older women - this is the popular author's system "The Eye of the Renaissance". Peter Calder created it after visiting a Tibetan monastery. Practice shows that this complex, with its regular implementation, really has a healing and rejuvenating effect on the body.

Perform the exercises in the order shown in the figure. You should start with 3 repetitions of each of the movements. The dosage is increased gradually.

As a rule, +2 repetitions are added every week, but you can take your time, focusing on the sensations. The maximum number of repetitions of each exercise is 21 times, which are performed at a calm pace in 15 minutes.

If necessary, pay special attention to the joints of the wrists and fingers, increasing the number special exercises for them by inserting them in part 6.

How to do 5 Tibetan pearls(rituals or exercises), what are the requirements that must be observed in relation to the entire selection of exercises can be found in this video. This is one of the best and most competent demonstrations of this complex.

For those who do not like such morning exercises, such a video set of exercises for older women may be suitable.

Universal gymnastics complex for older women

For women over 40, it is important to start maintaining coordination of movements and tone of the musculoskeletal system, slow down the inevitable development of osteoporosis and osteochondrosis, keep body weight normal, maintain correct posture, flexibility of the spine and range of motion in the joints of the limbs.

For this, a set of exercises is suitable, which must be done according to the following rules:

the optimal number of classes per week is 3 times;
the duration of one lesson is 45 minutes;
the time of the lesson is 30 minutes after the second breakfast (11-30) or before dinner, but so that at least 20 minutes pass between the end of the lesson and the meal;
the sequence of the exercises - strictly in the order indicated below;
the number of repetitions of each dynamic exercise- strictly according to sensations, to a feeling of slight fatigue.

Attention! If pain occurs during the exercise, immediately stop doing the exercise. You are doing it technically incorrectly, incorrectly calculated the dosage or the force of tension (stretching). After a pause, you can try to continue training with next exercise, but in case of resumption of pain, stop exercising. There is a reason to go to the doctor.

For the lesson you will need equipment:

3 balls for tennis or other items suitable for juggling;
dumbbells or comfortable plastic bottles suitable weight- individually (from 0.5 to 2 kg);
stable chair;
large towel;
mat.

You should wear loose clothing and bare feet. It is worth taking care of musical accompaniment and the availability of drinking water in advance. Shortly before training, you should ventilate the room.

Warm up

Before any physical exercise, it is necessary to do a warm-up. In our opinion, the best preparatory exercises are movements from the above vortex warm-up of the joints.

Standing exercises

Table 1 - Exercises for the joints and muscles of the trunk, arms and shoulder girdle:

Images and title	Brief instruction
	Do exercises in the following algorithm. In the first 10-15 seconds, take a position so that the stretch is minimal and comfortable. Then exhale and strengthen it a little for another 10-15 seconds. Breathe evenly and shallowly. Areas where you need to feel stretching are highlighted in orange, and tension is highlighted in red. Additionally stretch in the direction of the purple arrows.
	Do 10 twists left and right. At the end of each turn, look at the wall, exhale, and try to touch the wall with your palms (A). After completing the last twist, freeze, turn your head away from the wall as much as possible, look up, breathe shallowly (B). Feel the muscle stretch for 10 seconds (blue zone), exhale, and twist a little for another 10 seconds. Repeat again, but with a final fade in the other direction
	Stretch out into a string, fold your hands in prayer mudra (forearms parallel to the floor). Squeeze your palms with force. Keeping chest motionless, inhale and exhale with your stomach (protruding it on inhalation, and retracting it on exhalation), raise your hands up for 10 counts, without relieving pressure in your palms. Lower your arms slowly as well. Do the exercise 3 x 3 times.
	Place your feet slightly narrower than your shoulders. Keep your head straight. Keeping the correct posture, raise your arms to the sides until they are parallel to the floor. During abduction, inhale, and lowering your hands - an accentuated exhalation. Repeat arm extensions to the sides until tired. Rest, and do 2 more sets, remembering to leave enough rest in between.
	Spend 5 minutes juggling. it great exercise not only for coordination of movements. It perfectly stimulates the work of the cerebellum, helps to increase concentration, strengthens the muscles of the eyes. To avoid chasing dropped balls, work on a sofa, bed, or chair. Don't be afraid and don't despair. It would seem complex movements, but they will turn out pretty quickly.

Between 2 blocks of exercises performed in a standing position, we suggest performing simple movements that, despite their simplicity, will support the vestibular apparatus. This is important because age-related changes (disturbances) in its work affect gait, and are the cause of dizziness and spontaneous falls in the elderly.

For one music track (3-5 minutes), walk with your feet in line:

forward and backward - with side steps (the toe of one foot touches the heel of the other), on high half-toes;
forward - with a sliding step;
at the end of the line of motion, make smooth 180-degree turns, rising on tiptoe;
while walking, change the position of the hands - to the sides, up, behind the back in the castle, holding an imaginary balancing pole or a fan of tightrope walkers in your hands.

Advice. It is possible to strengthen the training of the vestibular apparatus while walking along the line by increasing the number of turns or complicating them by performing a half, or maybe a full (360 degrees) turn on the toe of one leg, with further maintaining balance on an imaginary rope.

Table 2 - Exercises for the joints and muscles of the trunk, pelvic floor and legs:

Image and title	Brief instruction
	Starting position: main stance, dumbbells in both hands. 1. Spreading both hands to the sides, set aside left leg to the side. You can put it on the toe, you can lift it up. Inhale. 2. Standing on the right leg, touch the left knee with the right elbow, lowering left hand way down. The back is straight, a slight turn of the torso is possible. Exhalation. 3. = 2 (inhale), 4. = 1 (exhale). And on the other leg. Repeat until slightly tired.
	Starting posture: main stance 1. Cross lunge with your left foot back, leaving your body weight on the "front" right foot. Exhalation. 2. Raise your straight right hand up, passing it through the side. At the same time, sit down a little lower. Inhale. 3. Return to position 1. Exhale. 4. Take the starting position. Inhale. Do the exercise on the other side. Repeat until slightly tired.
	Starting position, as in the photo. 1. Inhale, keeping your chest and arms still, with your belly sticking out. 2. As you exhale, lower your arms down, pull in your stomach and strongly tighten your pelvic floor muscles. This Kegel tension is the main movement of the exercise. All attention is on him. Freeze without breathing for 3-7 seconds. While inhaling, slowly return to the starting position. Repeat 6-12 times.
	Stand with your feet wider than shoulder width, with your toes turned outward. Interlace your fingers, place the resulting lock in the center of the sternum. Do slow (4 counts) half-squats, and the same slow returns to the starting position. Keep your back and neck straight. When you squat, inhale, and when you stand up, exhale. Dosage - individual (4-20 times).
	In order to swing with the fullest possible amplitude, swing by holding a wall or the back of a chair. Condition - all parts of the body, except for the legs, must be motionless. Breathing is shallow, voluntary. 1. Make a “pendulum” with your knee back and forth. 16-20 times. 2. Perform 10-12 side knee abductions. Repeat with the other leg.
	1. Rest your forehead and forearms against the wall, placing your legs in a lunge with parallel feet. Move the pelvis towards the wall until there is a part of the tension in calf muscle and Achilles tendon. After 10 seconds, tighten the tension for another 10 seconds. 2. Relax the tension in the lower leg and in the same algorithm (10 + 10) stretch the side of the body at the level of the hip joint, moving the shoulders to the opposite side. Repeat all with the other leg.

On a note. In any, especially in old age, and especially women over 45, it is necessary to drink enough clean drinking water. It is necessary for the normal rate of regeneration of bone and cartilage tissue, as well as to maintain the elasticity of the intervertebral discs. If you are thirsty during a workout, quench it with a few sips of water or unsweetened compote.

Exercises while sitting on a chair

Image and title	Brief instruction
	Paying attention to maintaining the tone of the muscles of the thigh and buttocks is extremely important. Their flabbiness can also result in an accidental fall, injury, and fracture. Repeat until tired: 1. Lift your buttocks off the chair, keeping your back straight. Inhale. Return to the sitting position slowly, do not plop down. 2. While exhaling, straighten your legs and turn your feet to the left, and on the next repetition, to the right.
	Take dumbbells. 1. Spread your arms bent at the elbows, inhaling with your stomach. The chest is motionless. 2. As you exhale, bring your hands together in front of you, pull in your stomach and tighten your pelvic floor muscles. Hold for 2, maximum 3 seconds. Repeat 10-12 times. Take a rest. Do the series again.
	Sit on a chair backwards. 1. As you exhale, tilt to the side, pulling one dumbbell under your arm, and try to touch the floor with the second. On an inhale, return to a straight position. Repeat on the other side. There are 12 slopes in total. 2. Immediately do 12 twists of the torso (left + right), holding hands as in the photo. Exhale at the extreme turning points.
	Continue to sit on the chair backwards. Raise the dumbbells up. 1. As you exhale, bend your arms. Do not spread your elbows to the sides. The forearms should be parallel to the floor. 2. While inhaling, and without moving your arms and head, bend in the thoracic region. 3. Exhale as you return to position 1. 4. While inhaling, straighten your arms up. The pace is medium, smooth. Repeat 12 times.
	1. Sit on the edge of a chair with your feet on tiptoe. Check your posture. Stretch your crown up. 2. Trying not to move your torso, lift your knees up. Freeze for 20-30 seconds (or as long as you can). Don't hold your breath. Breathe shallowly through your chest. 3. Slowly (!) Return to pose 1. 4. Relax (you can round your back). Repeat 3-6 times.

Note. It is not by chance that a lot of exercises with dumbbells are included in this complex. They are recommended for older women as one of the main types of exercise for inhibiting the processes of osteoporosis, controlling body weight and blood sugar levels. In addition, movements with dumbbells help maintain the elastic line of the inner part of the shoulder, which at this age begins to sag ugly, preventing you from wearing short-sleeved clothes.

Exercises sitting on the floor and standing on all fours

Image and title	Brief instruction
	1. Sit with your feet resting on each other. Cross your arms, placing your palms on the inside of your knees. Within 5 seconds, push your knees apart, but at the same time try to connect them. 2. Press down, 5-7 seconds, on one, and then, for the same amount of time, on the other knee. 3. Lean forward for 5 seconds, exhale, aggravate the bend, and freeze for another 5 seconds. Repeat 3 times.
	It is necessary to step with the buttocks in 4 directions - forward, backward, left and right. This should be done for a long time, within one musical track, about 3-5 minutes. It is not forbidden to "help" yourself with your hands. However, you should remember the recommendations of the author of this exercise - Dr. Neumyvakin: 1. Do not slouch, do not tilt your head. 2. Do not bend your knees.
	From a kneeling position, extend your left arm and right leg. Look straight down. Don't arch your lower back. Breathe calmly. Freeze for 30 seconds. After a few seconds of rest, repeat the hold, extending the other arm and leg. If there are no problems with the knee joints, then the exercise can be done 2-3 times.
	Do 4-6 cycles consisting of a smooth change in positions: 1. The cat is fawning - the back is bent (exhale). 2. The cat is angry - the back is rounded (inhale). 3-4. Aligning the back, and exhaling, while holding the breath, “the cat looks at the tail” through the right and then through the left shoulder, trying to reach the hip joint with the shoulder.
	Get on your knees, rest on your palms, without bending your elbows. Arms and thighs should be perpendicular to the floor. After inhaling, as you exhale, "pass" one arm under the other, twisting, but not rounding the back either in the chest or in the lower back. In this position, you need to stand for 10 to 20 seconds. Then rest, and repeat the twist in the other direction.

Important! During gymnastic class felt short of breath, very tired, heart suddenly pounding in your ears or throat? Be sure to take a break during which you don't breathing exercises. They can only make the situation worse. Calmly, not deeply and rhythmically breathe for a few minutes. Drink some water.

Exercises in the prone position

Images and title	Brief instruction
	Lie on your stomach. Place the insteps on the floor with your toes extended. Place your palms on the floor close to your shoulder joints. Do 6 “push-ups”, arching your back, but do not lift your hips off the floor. On the rise - inhale, when lowering - exhale. On the 7th time, freeze for 10 seconds, breathe shallowly. Then, as you exhale, slightly increase the force of the deflection, and stay like this for another 10 seconds. If desired, this series (dynamic + static) can be repeated 2-3 times.
	Lie on your stomach with a rolled towel under your stomach. As you inhale, bend your elbows and knees. To begin with, the movement can be done not at the same time, but in turn - first bend your arms, and then your legs. As you exhale, return to the starting position. Make at least 3-4 frog movements. The maximum number of repetitions is 16.
	Continuing to lie on your stomach on the rolled up towel, work your shins, keeping your knees together. Try to "pat" your buttocks with your heels. After doing 20-30 movements, proceed to the second part of the exercise. Widely spread your knees and feet. Connecting the toes, bend as in the photo, while breathing in. Exhaling, return to the starting position. Do the exercise on the other side. Only 6-12 repetitions.
	1. Remove the towel from under the abdomen, rest your fingers on the floor, stretch your arms forward, tearing your shoulders off the floor. Do not throw your head back, look straight down. Count up to 10. 2. Bend your elbows, bringing your hands to your shoulders, with your palms facing the floor, and count to 10 again. 3. And wake up for 10 more counts with your arms extended back. Relax and do it all over again.
	Spread straight arms and legs to the sides. When viewed from above, the body with limbs should resemble a narrow letter "X". Raise your left arm and right leg. At the moment of their lowering, stretch up your right arm and left leg. Work at an average pace. Change the position to the account "once - and". Count to 30. Breathe spontaneously and shallowly.

Side lying exercises

Image and title	Brief instruction
	1. Lie on your side, as in the photo. Grab the left ankle with the left palm and pull it towards the left buttock. Hold the stretch for 15 seconds. 2. Leaving the grip of the left ankle, bend the right knee, placing the right palm on it. Push them into each other for 10 seconds. Do not hold your breath, breathe voluntarily and not very deeply.
	Do 20 leg raises (movements are indicated by arrows). Work your foot monotonously, like a minion, and do not drop it on the floor. Please note that the toes of both feet should be pulled over. Do not do the exercise with the other leg, but move on to the next movement.
	Continuing to lie on your side, bend your knees. Slowly and very carefully, for 3 or 4 counts, raise the knee of the “upper” leg, and then at the same speed return it to the knee joint of the “supporting” leg. Do not do the exercise in jerks! Even in a warm state, but in the presence of osteoporosis, the hip joint can be seriously injured. Do a pelvic opening motion 6 times and immediately begin the next movement.
	Before starting this series of movements, which must also be done very carefully and responsibly, again at a medium or slow pace, the legs should be slightly unbent. Raise your leg (1), touch your knee to the floor in front (2), lift your leg again (3), touch your toe to the floor in the back (4). Repeat 4-6 times. Well, now turn on the other side and start doing a series of exercises from the very beginning (see above).
	Bend your legs, stretch your socks, raise your hands to the ceiling, as in the photo. As you inhale, reach up behind your arms, bending at your side, and lifting your lower shoulder off the floor. As you exhale, return the shoulder girdle to the starting position. Repeat 6 times, and then do the exercise, lying on the other side.

Exercises in the supine position

Image and title	Brief instruction
	Starting position: lying on your back, legs bent at the knees, arms with dumbbells extended to the ceiling. Returning all the time to this position (on exhalation), while inhaling, do: 1 - Raising the arms to the sides. 2 - institution of dumbbells behind the head. 3 - bending the arms, forearms vertically. Dosage: 3 sets of 6 series.
	Starting position: lying on your back, head on the floor, arms along the body, legs bent at the knees at an angle of 90 degrees, hips perpendicular to the floor. Lift your head at the same time, and pull your fingers and toes towards you. The angle of flexion of the ankle and wrist joints should be maximum, but the chin should not touch the chest. Dosage: 2-3 times for 15 seconds.
	Before stretching the groin, as in the photo, doing this 3 times for 5-7 seconds, perform Kegel contractions. Lie straight, legs straight, arms along the body. Quickly, 10-15 times in a row, contract the muscles of the perineum, which are located around the sphincter that stops urination. Rest for a few seconds and repeat contractions 1 or 2 more times. Pay attention to the fact that the buttocks do not strain.
	1. Pull the left foot towards you, and place the right heel on the toes of the left foot. Turn your feet to the right, then to the left, trying to get your right toe to the floor. After 6-8 turns, change the position of the feet and repeat. 2. Hold the position as in the photo for 30 seconds for each leg. 3. Bend one leg, and twisting the lower back, place the knee on the floor. In such positions, you must also lie down for 30 seconds.
	Starting position: lying on your back, arms along the body, legs apart shoulder-width apart and bent at the knees, soles are parallel and as close to the buttocks as possible. Do 10 pelvic lifts up, and 11 times linger in the "bridge" for 10 seconds. After giving the muscles a rest, repeat the exercise (dynamic + static) again.
	1. Stretching into a string, maintain the stretch position for 5 seconds. 2-3. Now stretch at the same time, 5 seconds behind the left leg and right hand, and then 5 seconds behind the right foot and left hand. 4. Perform the final 5-second stretch by pulling your stomach in.

Finish the set of exercises with 2-3 minutes of calm lying on your back, spreading your arms and legs to the sides. If necessary, place a roll of rolled towel under your lower back.

Aerobic exercise

Aerobic exercise is the performance of movement or physical exercise of low and / or medium intensity. They help strengthen the work. vascular system and myocardium, maintaining normal weight body or weight loss, improve well-being.

One of the best views aerobic exercise in old age - water aerobics and dosed swimming, as well as work on cardio simulators, are not available to many. However, walking is available to almost everyone, but in order to get the most out of metered walking, it is better to engage in Nordic walking with sticks.

Their price is not too high, and you can buy them on the Internet. You can learn about how to walk correctly and competently increase the load when exercising with such equipment from the article on our website “Nordic walking with sticks: walking technique for the elderly, benefits and contraindications”.

By the way, it can be boring for creative people to walk, swim or pedal for a long time, even if these cyclic loads are performed to the music. For such pensioners, and especially for those who love and know how to dance, it is recommended to try Chinese health gymnastics.

Are such complexly coordinated physical exercises of low intensity suitable for you to maintain the vestibular apparatus and of cardio-vascular system? Try! Here is a short video of the tai chi complex, compiled especially for beginners. After a short introduction, the instructor clearly explains and demonstrates all the movements of the “dancing tree”.

Evening hitch

The daily plan for improving the health of older women with the help of physical exercises necessarily includes the so-called evening hitch - a short complex of several light physical exercises. Usually these are stretching movements and corrective and “calming” yoga asanas, which are performed before taking an evening hygienic shower, shortly before bedtime. You can also do a hitch after a shower, since physical activity will be minimal.

Try to do a hitch before going to bed, and you will feel the result pretty quickly:

accelerate the transition from wakefulness to sleep;
during sleep, the joints will become less numb;
the strength and number of night cramps will decrease or they will disappear altogether;
the number of awakenings will decrease;
stop having "bad" dreams;
after waking up, the sensations of a night's rest will be more complete.

For example, we suggest doing so much in the evenings simple exercises that the instructions for their implementation fit in one sentence.

Photo gallery "Evening hitch for older women":

And in conclusion, we suggest watching another video with a set of exercises for older women. Perhaps it is "pure" yoga - this is the kind of gymnastics that you will love and will do regularly and with pleasure.

In contact with

Physical activity in old age is very important: only by moving you can stay in good shape. We are not talking about high physical activity, but walking and a specially designed articular gymnastics for the elderly at a calm pace should be in the arsenal of every person who has crossed the sixtieth anniversary, but has not put an end to his life.

About the benefits of walking

Walking refers to moderate activity that does not cause discomfort or pain. If possible, it is worth replacing the movement with public transport for short distances on foot at a measured pace.

Age should not be a reason for refusing to walk, go shopping, visit public places, meeting with friends.

Walking has a comprehensive effect on the body:

activates the work of the muscular and ligamentous apparatus;
increases blood circulation and blood supply to organs and systems;
metabolism is accelerated, decay products are more efficiently excreted;
immunity increases;
gas exchange increases, tissues are supplied with oxygen, energy processes are launched;
efficiency, vitality, mood increase, well-being improves.

Walking involves many muscle groups, relieves spasms and excessive tension, which has a positive effect on the health and condition of the musculoskeletal system.

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We have been told about the benefits of physical activity since childhood: sport develops strength and endurance, shapes the figure and tempers ...

The result of systematic moderate physical activity will be:

healing and strengthening of the heart and blood vessels. Walking makes the blood move faster, lowers cholesterol and the risk of atherosclerosis;
improvement of well-being, nervous and mental tension disappears, chronic fatigue;
activation of acupuncture points on the feet, and, as a result, improvement of the processes of digestion and bile secretion, facilitation of defecation and cleansing of the body.

Gymnastics for the elderly

Complex number 1 - warm-up

The exercises of the complex are recommended for warming up, they can be performed both after waking up and during the day. No need to overstrain, everyone is free to choose the intensity of physical activity. It should bring pleasure and a little fatigue, not pain and discomfort.

Gymnastics allows you to stimulate not only physical, but also mental health, maintain thought processes, memory at the usual level.

Sit on a bed or chair, stretch your legs. Pull the toes towards you, hold them in this position for 5-10 seconds, then relax. Pull the toes away from you, similarly linger, relax the feet.
Raise the right and left hands alternately above the head (10 times); then, raise the legs above the floor (to the possible height), alternately, 10 times.
"Bridge" - emphasis on the palms and feet, bend the body, linger for a few seconds. Exercise is recommended to be done on the bed, so as not to hurt yourself in case of a fall.

Breathing during exercise should be even, deep.

Complex No. 2 - main

To stretch the muscles of the neck, you need to lower your head and rotate it from side to side. Muscles should not be tense, breathing should be even.
Keep your head straight, bend to your shoulders, trying to reach your shoulder with your cheek as much as possible.
Head rotation clockwise and counterclockwise (4 times each).
Starting position - hands on the shoulders, elbows bent. Circular rotations of the elbows forward and backward.
Bend your arms at the elbows (palms pointing up), rotational movements arms forward and backward.
Tilts forward - backward, performed on inspiration, at the moment of tilting the arms are spread apart. Performing back bends, you need to bend your back as much as possible.
Starting position - heels together, toes - to the sides, hands - at the waist. Do not deep squats(semi-squats) for 4 counts. Knees during the exercise are bred to the sides.
Perform deep squats while simultaneously making rotational movements with your hands.

Exercises for women

Starting position - sitting, legs apart. While inhaling, tilt to the right leg, trying to reach the foot, then take the starting position and repeat the tilt to the other leg.
Starting position - legs together, stretched forward. While inhaling, stretch your fingertips to your toes, then take the starting position and repeat again.
Starting position: the right leg is straight, extended forward, the left leg is bent, the fingers are pressed into the thigh of the right leg. While inhaling, stretch to the toes of the right foot, exhale, change the position of the legs, repeat.
Starting position - sitting, knees bent. While inhaling, try to put bent knees on the floor, tilting them to the right, at the same time tilt your head to the left (and vice versa).
Starting position - sitting, knees bent. Stretch the right leg up, then tilt, trying not to bend, to the left, again - up and lower. Repeat with the left leg.

Healthy knees: exercises from Tatyana Lisitskaya

We offer you a mini-workout to stabilize the knee joint and strengthen the muscles that surround it. It will help get rid of knee pain, avoid injuries or rehabilitate after them.

The knees are one of the most fragile parts of our body. If you're experiencing pain in your knee joints, such as when you're climbing stairs, it's time to strengthen your knees with exercise.

Half toe raises

Place your feet slightly wider than your pelvis, bend your knees slightly, place your palms on your hips, slightly tilt your body forward. At a slow pace, stand on your toes and then lower your heels.

Control the position of the knees: they should be exactly above the feet. Perform 2-3 sets of 8-10 reps.

Lunges to the side

Stand up straight, place your palms on your hips. Bending your knees, lunge to the right. Then, without straightening your knees, lunge to the left and transfer your body weight to your left leg. Make sure that the knee of the supporting leg is kept exactly above the foot.

Perform 2-3 series 4-6 times in each direction.

Stretching the quadriceps and anterior thigh

Bend the leg back, lifting the heel to the buttocks, grab the foot with your hand. Try to keep your knees together.

Feel the stretch in the front of your thigh muscles. Concentrate on the ankle of the skating leg for better balance.

If you find it difficult to balance, hold on to the back of a chair. Hold the pose for 8-10 seconds, then switch legs. Do 2-3 sets.

Bend your leg forward, bringing your knee up to your chest, and grab your shin with your hands. Make sure that the hip joints are in line, keep the torso straight. Hold the pose for 8-10 seconds, then switch legs. Do 2-3 sets.

"Martin"

Stand up straight and raise your hand up. Bending at the hips, lean forward to parallel with the floor and lift your leg back also to parallel with the floor. Look down, try to keep the body, arm and leg in line.

Concentrate on the ankle of the skating leg for better balance. You can hold on to the back of the chair, releasing the support from time to time. Hold the pose for as long as you can. Then pause for a minute and repeat with the other leg.

If you are confidently standing in the “swallow”, perform the “swallow” in a semi-squat: slightly bend the knee of the supporting leg.

Leg raise with dumbbell

You will need a chair, a dumbbell (or a water bottle), and a belt. Fasten one end of the belt to the dumbbell, and the other, after 20-30 cm, to the ankle.

Place a chair next to the mat, lie on your back, raise your legs and put your shins on the seat, throwing a dumbbell over it.

As you exhale, straighten your leg with a dumbbell in the knee joint, while inhaling, bend again, but do not touch the chair. Repeat at a slow pace 8-10 times on each leg.

This mini-workout takes no more than 15 minutes. Do it three to four times a week. I wish you success!

Preventive gymnastics

One of the options for preventive gymnastics is presented in the video, if you wish, you can choose the appropriate exercises and form your own complex:

The pace of exercises and their intensity are selected individually, depending on the physical condition. Both should be increased gradually, reduce the load in case of fatigue or poor health, but, if possible, exercise regularly.

Surely, many understand that sitting idle, the problem will not be eliminated, but only like a snowball, it acquires volumes. What is collateral good health? Physical activity!

I came across a wonderful course by an experienced specialist who helps to eliminate the problem with the joints.

I really want each of you to clearly realize that you don’t need to write everything off for age and so on! Don't you want to extend your life and improve your health so that you can spend more time with loved ones and do what you love?

If you are suffering from joint pain, then you must understand that the pain will not go away on its own. And it's a great medicine. good gymnastics.

BUT! It is also important to understand that not all exercises will be beneficial, many of them may not only not help, but in most cases harm and exacerbate the problem.

Therefore, the right approach and the choice of a competent and professional specialist are important here.

Do not try to get rid of the problem by inaction and swallowing a handful of pills. It will only aggravate your health. Prove to everyone that age is not a sentence of time!

The human body begins to age from the age of 26-28. These processes become especially intensive after 50 years. In women, this period is marked by the onset of menopause, and in men, the withering of the body largely depends on the stabilization of reduced testosterone secretion, which in most occurs at the age of about 60 years.

Women and men age differently, therefore, life extension programs, namely physical exercises for older men, are different from “women's”.

It's never too late to start exercising. The information and video in this article are intended for elderly men (60-75) who have decided to come to grips with their own health, spend their free time on maintaining it, prolonging the life and quality of life.

Benefits of exercise for older men

When compiling the following weekly exercise plan, typical diseases that are characteristic of older men were taken into account:

problems with lumbar spine, prostate, skin and colon;
arthritis or arthrosis;
prediabetes, overweight and/or type 2 diabetes;
disorders in the work of the heart and vascular system, high arterial pressure, elevated levels of "bad" LDL cholesterol and triglycerides.

If these diseases have not yet manifested themselves before retirement, then it's time to take care of their prevention, but if they are, physical exercises will help, if not cure, then slow down or completely stop their development.

As a result of regular health-improving and / or physiotherapy exercises, the following changes occur in the body:

local, general and cerebral circulation increases, the volume of circulating blood increases;
muscle tone and elasticity of ligaments, coordination of movements, speed of muscle responses, body orientation in space are maintained;
improves the biomechanics of external respiration and gas exchange in the lungs;
manifestations of osteoporosis in bone and degenerative-dystrophic changes in cartilage slow down;
the mobility of the joints, the flexibility of the spine, and the correct posture are preserved;
the regressing synthesis of oxidative food enzymes and the sex hormone testosterone is stimulated;
metabolic processes are accelerated, fats are burned;
the elasticity of the skin and metabolic processes in them are maintained;
indicators of the fall in the level of vision, hearing, indicators of various types of memory and operational thinking are maintained or reduced;
the psycho-emotional background is normalized, the level of lability of the nervous system and anxiety decreases, stress resistance increases, mood improves.

Note. The presence of a partner and regular classes different types physical exercises allow men over 70 to maintain potency and physical strength for a normal sexual life until the very old age.

Contraindications

Older men should postpone physical education for a while (wait for recovery or normalization of the condition) if:

the body temperature has risen;
blood pressure is too high or "jumps";
there is an acute period of an infectious or catarrhal disease;
exacerbated chronic pathology;
there is pain in any organ or part of the body.

General rules and weekly lesson plan

Weekly preventive health training for an elderly man should include the following types of exercises and activities:

morning exercises. Charging must be done daily. The main purpose of charging is to smoothly wake up the body, and not to train it. Therefore, it includes simple general developmental exercises for all joints, performed at a slow and medium pace. Its duration should be small - 10-15 minutes.
A set of exercises for older men should consist of 2 parts: exercises with dumbbells or on power simulators+ cyclic cardio load, which can be obtained on a rowing, skiing or exercise bike, stepper or during nordic walking with sticks. Such a lesson should take place either 2-3 times a week, or every other day. Exercising more often is impractical, and can harm. Between strength exercises and cardio training, you can take a short break to rest, change into a different sports uniform. Loads and duration increase gradually.
Other days of the week worth devoting sports games according to mood. The list of “useful” games for older men is quite extensive:
1. big and table tennis, badminton;
2. billiards;
3. bowling;
4. petanque, small towns;
5. cricket, golf;
6. darts, archery, other sports shooting.
Evening hitch. The duration of a selection of stretching exercises, which should be performed shortly before going to bed, should be the same as morning exercises - no more than 15 minutes. You can do such a complex every other day, but daily is better. These exercises will help improve sleep quality, reduce strength and reduce night cramps, and relieve joint stiffness.

Advice. Don’t just forget, but be sure to include “mind exercises” in your weekly physical education plan - intellectual desktop and computer games. It is also shown to play music, sing, compose poetry, draw and engage in other types of artistic creativity. A separate line is the occupation ballroom dancing. If there is a partner for this, do not neglect such a complex coordination type of physical activity

An example of morning exercises for older men

There are quite a few varieties of morning hygiene exercises for older men. For those who love variety, this can be a monthly alternation of selections from the usual general developmental exercises, which, by the way, can be performed even while lying in bed, a series of yoga asanas or complexes of health-improving oriental practices of wushu, tai chi or qigong.

For those older men who are not afraid of monotony and want to get a powerful effect of healing and rejuvenation, we recommend doing gymnastics as a morning exercise. Tibetan lamas or 5 magical rituals (pearls) described in Peter Calder's book "The Eye of Rebirth".

The main rules of the Eye of Rebirth system, which require strict observance:

You have to do it daily.
It is important to follow the instructions for breathing while doing the exercises.
For beginners, it is permissible to violate the technique of performing rituals. However, if you want to get the maximum effects from the Eye of Rebirth, learn how to perform the exercises strictly according to the description and original author's pictures.
The tempo-rhythm of execution should be slow and smooth, without pauses between repetitions of movements. But between exercises, you can and should rest.
The load should be increased gradually - starting with 3 repetitions of each of the five exercises (rituals, pearls), adding 2 repetitions every week.
The maximum number of repetitions of rituals is 21 times.
If there was a break, for example, due to illness, then the practice starts from the very beginning - with 3 repetitions of each pearl (+ 2 every week).
Take a hygienic shower or hardening douche before (!) doing the exercises, and after, if necessary, you can wipe yourself with a warm, damp towel.
For those who have “reached the ceiling”, you can either start additionally practicing the “Eye” in the evening, or find on the Internet a diagram of a special meditative breathing through the chakras, which is performed during each of the rituals.

It is better to practice at dawn, ideally in the fresh air. The dress code is free, barefoot. To practice, you will need a flat place and a mat. Calm musical accompaniment or sounds of nature are welcome.

Before exercising, do a little joint warm-up. Each of circular motions shown in the figure below, do in the indicated sequence, 6-8 times in each direction (out and in or clockwise and counterclockwise).

Image and title	Brief instruction
	Stand up straight, spread your arms to the sides. Make non-stop clockwise rotations. For starters, it's 3 turns. After stopping, if you feel dizzy, do some breathing exercises, waiting until the dizziness passes.
	Starting position (I.P.): lying on your back, palms near the hips rest on the floor, toes stretched over themselves. 1. Starting to inhale, first pull your chin to the sternum. 2. While inhaling, raise your legs to a 90 degree angle. Pay attention, the feet are stretched "on themselves." 3. While exhaling, simultaneously and slowly place your head and legs on the floor, in I.P. To begin with, if it is difficult, you can raise your legs with bent knees.
	The starting position is rather uncomfortable, but it should be taken correctly. On your knees, join your ankles, rest your toes on the floor. Place your palms under your buttocks. The chin touches the sternum. The back is straight. 1. While inhaling, pull your chin up, arching your chest slightly and spreading your elbows back. Don't arch your back. 2. Exhale as you return to the starting position.
	I.P .: basic sitting, legs together, toes stretched over themselves, palms resting on the floor on the sides of hip joints, the chin touches the sternum, the back is straight. 1. Starting to inhale, tilt your head back. 2. While inhaling, lift your pelvis up. The line of the spine and hips should be straight and parallel to the floor, and the arms and shins should be vertical. 3. Exhaling, return to I.P.
	I.P .: emphasis lying, straight legs are connected and do not touch the floor, palms rest on the floor in the projection of the hip joints so that the arms are perpendicular to the floor, the head is thrown back. 1. On an inhale, lift your pelvis up. Ideally, the legs should be straight, the heels on the floor, the chin touching the chest, and the line of the spine and arms should be arched. 2. As you exhale, return to I.P. without lowering your hips to the floor.

Attention! We want to warn about the consequences that await people who decide to stop doing the Eye of Rebirth. For several weeks, the state of health will sharply worsen, working capacity will decrease, and chronic pathologies may become exacerbated.

A set of strength exercises

For those older men who do not have the opportunity to visit the gym, we have prepared a selection of videos with exercises with dumbbells that can be performed at home. Choose the optimal weight of dumbbells individually, but for this age group it is recommended to work with weights of 1.5-2 kg.

Before performing a power complex of exercises with dumbbells, do not forget to do a vortex warm-up of the joints, and then a few exercises from the school physical education program- tilts to the side, twists, lunges, squats. It is not necessary to repeat each movement many times. It will be enough 6-8 times.

Keeping in mind that after power load cardio training awaits you, start with strength exercises for the legs, then work with the press and back. Recall that to begin with, each of the exercises should be performed at a slow pace - at the expense of 2 or 3, lift the weight, and lower it for the same amount of time.

At each end point of the movement, you need to pause for 1-1.5 seconds. At the same time, do one approach from the maximum number of repetitions for you - until slight discomfort or pain in the muscles. Between exercises, take breaks for rest, in which do not forget to drink some warm drinking water without gas.

Attention! For those who have problems with the lumbar region, exercises in a standing position, in the name of which there are the phrases " deadlift” or “tilt row”, it is better not to perform.

Now work on the shoulder girdle and chest. Here is a video of exercises with dumbbells for seniors that will help maintain tone and strengthen the muscles of the upper body, and when correct execution and dosage to increase their volume.

When can I switch to 2 and 3 sets of one exercise in a row, while slightly reducing the number of repetitions? It depends on the original physical training and general condition health, but in any case, do not rush. Better load up dumbbell gymnastics with time gaps of 1.5-2 months.

After a short rest, change your clothes, take a flask of water and go for a walk in the fresh air with special sticks.

nordic walking

Nordic (Finnish) walking with sticks is the best type of cardio training for older men, especially for those who are just starting to engage in recreational physical education.

It has a number of advantages over other cyclic types of loads:

all-season - you can walk at any time of the year and in any weather;
all-terrain ability - you can walk on asphalt, cinder or unpaved surfaces, on grass, but it is better to practice away from highways, and start walking over rough terrain only after 2-3 months of training;
no monthly subscription fee is required for visiting the gym or buying expensive home exercise equipment;
special sticks are affordable, they can be bought both in sports stores and on the Internet (it is better to buy telescopic models that allow you to accurately adjust their length to your height);
the use of sticks protects against accidental falls, and also includes the joints of the hands, the muscles serving the shoulder girdle and the deep postural muscles of the back.

On a note. Compared to normal walking, Nordic walking increases physical activity by 15%, while smoothly redistributing it between all parts of the body, and unlike jogging, it does not give long vertical concussions of the spine and internal organs.

Set aside some time for learning before you start Nordic Walking correct technique walking with sticks.

Before looking at this topic a short but very good video explanation, see typical mistakes to avoid:

simultaneous extension forward of "one-sided" arms and legs;
taking the legs forward and placing the foot flat;
sluggish, unaccented repulsion with the foot of the leg located behind, without its active flexion and high heel lift;
too high raising of the "front" hand up;
vertical setting of the stick or ejection of its lower end anteriorly before repulsion;
at the moment when the hand is behind, the hand continues to squeeze the handle;
too wide setting of the legs and arms.

It is worth increasing the load gradually. To begin with, walk slowly, while it is better not to focus on the number of steps, but to dose the load over time. Start with a 7-10 minute walk, making sure you start back down the route halfway through.

To control the required intensity of the load received during dosed walking or on dynamic cardio machines, periodically monitor the heart rate. Special heart rate bracelets allow you to do this on the go. If there is no such gadget, it does not matter. Stop and count the pulse on the carotid artery.

Keep your heart rate between 65 and 85 percent of your maximum possible. It is calculated by the formula: 205.8 - (0.685 * your age).

The recommended duration of Nordic walking after strength training is 20-30 minutes. After cardio training, coming home or being in the gym, do not rush to take a shower. Rest 15-20 minutes.

An example of an evening hitch complex for older men

Many older men neglect to do stretching exercises. Gerontologists recommend at least a little, but to perform this type of physical exercise.

The best time to do them is shortly before going to bed. Regular evening stretching in old age will help:

remove clogging skeletal muscle, and maintain the tone of smooth (!) Muscles;
slow down the aging (stiffness) of the joints;
reduce the rate of loss of elasticity of muscle fibers and ligaments;
maintain the secretion of intra-articular synovial fluid;
to avoid the accumulation of lactic acid in muscle fibers, which means to reduce the inevitable manifestations of krepatura that occur after strength exercises with weights;
remove insomnia, normalize the quality of sleep, reduce or completely get rid of nighttime swelling of the joints and muscle cramps.

On a note. Got prostate problems? Stretching exercises for the groin and hip joints are one of the forms of treatment and prevention of diseases of this organ.

Before you start doing stretching movements, be sure to warm up all the joints with the help of circular movements of the vortex warm-up.

Then perform each exercise, observing the following rules:

unlike strength exercises, stretching should not cause pain, on the contrary, bring pleasure;
do each stretch in 2 steps - hold the position with a minimum stretching force for 10-15 seconds, then, simultaneously with a deep exhalation, slightly increase the stretch, and hold it for another 10-15 seconds;
perform exercises only in the specified sequence;
during exercises, do not hold your breath and do not push - inhalations and exhalations should be rhythmic and superficial;
if desired, each of the exercises can be repeated not 1, but 2 or 3 times;
do not be zealous, the main thing in stretch marks in the elderly is not the result, but the process itself.

Advice. To enhance the calming effect on nervous system, study to melodic music or recordings of nature sounds.

Standing stretch marks

Image and title	Brief instruction
	1. Gently tilt your head back and to the right side, increasing the stretching of the front muscles of the neck by pressing the fingers of the hand. 2. Then tilt your head forward and to the left, helping yourself with your hand. Stretch the neck in two other directions - back and to the left, forward and to the right. 3. Having fixed the lower jaw with your left hand (a second chin should appear), stretch your neck up with your right hand, holding the back of your head.
	1. Place both palms (back side) on your lower back. Bring your elbows back. 2. Stretch your left arm down and to the right towards you, clasping its elbow with your right hand. 3. Now pull your elbow up and towards you to the right. Repeat step 1 and stretch (2-3) for the right hand.
	Do this series of stretches also in a row. First, pull the muscles on one arm, and then on the other. 1. Standing sideways to the wall, rest against it with the palm of the “nearest” a little bent arm. Stretch, turning away from the support. 2. In this position, the triceps are stretched. 3. Grasping the door frame, and leaning forward, we “work” with the biceps.
	1. Bending back, for safety reasons, place your feet shoulder-width apart. How you hold your palms depends on the stretching of the muscles of the shoulder girdle. Therefore, repeat the exercises several times, changing the position of the palms. Make sure your breathing is rhythmic. Breathe shallowly. 2. Lateral muscles Stretch your torso by grasping the doorway, placing your legs almost right next to it. Don't forget to do the exercise on the other side.
	1. Stand one step away from the wall. Standing on your right foot, place your left foot on your heel, resting its toe and palms against the wall. Push your pelvis forward without bending your knee or lifting your heel off the floor of your left leg. 2. Make a cross lunge (right leg supporting), helping to rest your hands on the wall. 3. Stand on your right knee so that all the angles in the joints of the legs are straight. Tighten your buttocks and tilt your pelvis forward. Repeat all movements with the other leg.

Stretching in starting positions on the floor

Image and title	Brief instruction
	1. Get on your knees, rest your palms on the floor, and then spread your knees as wide as possible. Slowly lower yourself down onto your forearms. Unlike the photo, do not arch your back, and do not throw your head back. Look at the floor. 2. Take a position, as in the photo, coming out at close range, bending over from a lying position on your stomach, palms in emphasis near shoulder joints. If it is difficult to hold such a “Cobra” pose, then the legs and pelvis can not be torn off the floor.
	1. First, within 5-7 seconds, press the inner part of the cole into each other in the palm of your hand, being in the position as shown. Then do a groin stretch. Grasp your feet with your hands, and without rounding your back, lean forward a little.
	Lie against the wall, pressing against it with your buttocks and the back surface of straight, vertically raised legs. Slowly, simultaneously and symmetrically spread your legs to the sides. If it is difficult to bring straight legs together, then bend and bring your knees together, press them to your chest, roll to your side.
	Lie on your back, put your hands strictly to the sides, palms on the floor. Making a twisting movement in the lower back, take the position as in the photo. At the same time, to enhance the stretch, you can turn your head. In this case, to the right.
	1. Do the first stretch for the left and right legs with a bent knee. 2. To facilitate stretching of the hamstring and buttocks while keeping the leg straight, the other leg can be bent with the sole on the floor at a comfortable distance from the pelvis.
	1. If stretching the 4th head muscle of the thigh, the front of the lower leg and foot in this position is difficult and painful, then first do this exercise while lying on your side, while slightly bending the knee of the leg on which you lie. 2. To complicate this exercise, the second approach can be done with legs spread apart, and in the third, if the flexibility of the spine allows, put your knees near your ears.
	Lie on your back. Try to straighten the spine as much as possible, and press all its parts, including the neck, to the floor. 1. For 5 seconds, simultaneously reach for your palms and heels (toes stretched towards themselves). 2. For 5 seconds, stretch "obliquely" - behind the right arm and left leg, and then vice versa. 3. For 10 seconds, stretch as in step 1, but pull your stomach in while breathing from your chest.

As a final cool-down exercise, we strongly recommend doing balance on one leg. For starters, the position of the arms and legs is absolutely not important.

The main thing is to stand on one and then on the other leg for 3-5 minutes. During the exercise, close your eyes, open your mouth, rest the tip of your tongue against the upper palate, try not to think about anything.

After you manage to maintain balance in a “simple” motionless state, you can move on to more complicated positions, including standing on soft surfaces, for example, barefoot on a pillow.

And in conclusion, we advise you to watch a video in which older professional bodybuilders give advice to beginners at a respectable age - men over 50. Despite the fact that most of the recommendations relate to exercises on weight machines, there are also tips on nutrition, working with dumbbells, and also tell different nuances that will come in handy and will be useful for those who will work out not in the gym, but at home.