seniors fitness: 'anything not on the couch is amazing'

dee simpson has just wrapped a rewarding fitness session with an 84-year-old client. but the toronto-based personal trainer with vintage fitness, which offers fitness training and exercise classes to those who are 50-plus, has been watching the covid-19 pandemic evolve over the past few weeks and is well aware her clients’ needs are changing. she knows that despite holing up at home, seniors are going to need to be in good physical shape over the coming months. and many will have to get creative at home to ensure that happens.

kate maliha, lead programmer with love your age fitness in vancouver, says that exercise can also help keep chronic illnesses in check.

drink water. staying well-hydrated is imperative, says simpson. this can prevent any feelings of lightheadedness.  

stagger your workouts. having small bursts of exercise throughout the day is more advantageous than one big workout. simpson suggests starting small, walking around your home each time you go to the bathroom, for example. if someone is in good physical shape, “i would suggest starting in the morning and exercising in two to three short bouts of 20 minutes through the day,” says kaliha. exercises of higher intensity can be performed earlier in the day, with gentler exercise and mindfulness activities later on in order to encourage a good night’s sleep.

change it up. kaliha suggests alternating between strength exercises, such as using weights, and cardio, which could involve climbing stairs. when using stairs, she suggests only using one or two steps rather than ascending and descending the entire staircase.

cue the cardio . simpson says a great cardio workout is going up one step — leading with the right foot, then bringing the left foot up. “then go down again to the floor — leading again with the right foot and bring the left foot onto the floor,” she says. she suggests five to 20 steps leading with one foot, followed by the other. make sure you have a wall or support nearby for balance.

kitchen exercises. simpson says the kitchen can be a great workout space.

• she suggests holding lightly under the counter with fingertips and doing as many tiny squats as possible until reaching 20. “hold each one longer at the bottom each time,” she says, to work glutes, knees and calves.
• another counter-holding exercise is to stand facing the counter, lifting each knee to 90 degrees, one at a time, and holding the position for five seconds. this exercise, which can be done 10 times, works the hips and improves balance.
• a third kitchen exercise is to use the counter to do push-ups. “take your feet as far back as you can,” she says, with feet shoulder-width apart. lean forward, your spine straight and abdomen pulled in, until elbows are at 90 degrees to your body and then then move back to your original position. this works the triceps. she suggests a family member stand by for support especially when beginning a home exercise routine.

living room . chair sits are critical for ensuring seniors can use the toilet safely, says simpson, because they build abs and glutes. she suggests finding a solid, hard chair and sitting down, with knees at 90 degrees to the floor. she says the aim is to slowly get up out of the chair and then to slowly sit down. “try not to use your hands,” she suggests, though that’s fine at the beginning. “start with three or four and aim for 20,” says simpson. once you’ve mastered the hard chair, you can use a sofa or soft lounge chair to perform the same exercise. “it’s that much harder,” she says.

use the wall for lower-body strength. kaliha suggests finding an empty wall with clear space. “place your back against the wall, and slowly slide down the wall a bit, bending your knees and then walking your feet out away from the wall. do not go too low or you may have trouble getting back up, and you may also have knee discomfort,” she says. she advises keeping your hands on the wall for balance, and holding the lower body contraction for 10 to 30 seconds, working up to one minute.

get creative with household items. simpson says homemade weights can be as simple as two tins of beans. these can used for six to 12 bicep curls, with the seated person slowly lowering the can of beans to 45 degrees beyond the base of the chair and then slowly back, flexing the bicep muscle each time. the key, says simpson, is to not straighten the arm completely.

take it up a notch. a sturdy back pack can be loaded with heavier kitchen or household objects, such as bags of flour, sugar or other objects, says kaliha. “placing the back pack on your back can make cardiovascular exercises at home, such as stair climbing or marching exercises, more challenging,” she says.