Elderly people should remember these 5 principles when exercising in autumn and winter

In autumn and winter, there is a big temperature difference between morning and evening. As the elderly age, their various functions and tissues and organs gradually decline, their ability to perceive temperature changes weakens, their ability to adapt decreases, and other special symptoms all put forward scientific requirements for fitness.

The elderly hope to achieve the goals of fitness, disease prevention, anti-aging, and longevity through exercise. Although sports are beneficial to physical and mental health, the elderly should not exercise only out of subjective enthusiasm, rush for quick results, or blindly do it. Otherwise, it will often go against one's wishes, not only will the expected effect not be achieved, but sports injuries may also occur if one is not careful, and the adverse consequences will be regretted. Therefore, the elderly must pay attention to scientific exercise methods when doing fitness exercises. It is recommended that the elderly abide by the following principles when doing exercise and fitness;

01

Sports should be appropriate

In autumn and winter, when the elderly do fitness exercises, it is appropriate to engage in endurance projects rather than speed projects. Among the endurance fitness projects, the elderly can choose sports such as brisk walking, jogging, swimming, cycling, mountain climbing, square dancing, etc. If conditions permit, they can also play badminton, gateball, etc. In addition, among China's traditional sports, Ba Duan Jin, Tai Chi, Tai Chi sword, soft ball and other projects are also good choices. However, one thing to note is that while doing endurance fitness exercises, it is also necessary to appropriately carry out a certain degree of strength training to reduce the decline in muscle strength of the elderly and improve their ability to take care of themselves.

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02

Keep in mind the gradual process

The exercise load and amount of exercise for the elderly should be small at the beginning of exercise. After the elderly are adapted to the exercise load and amount, they can gradually increase and reach the appropriate exercise load and amount. After a period of exercise, if you feel hot and slightly sweat during exercise, feel relaxed and comfortable after exercise, and have a good appetite and sleep, it means that the exercise load and amount are appropriate. The exercise movements should be from easy to difficult, from simple to complex, from slow to fast, and the time should be gradually increased. When the elderly exercise, the amount of exercise can be controlled by the change of pulse immediately after exercise and the recovery time. The appropriate amount of exercise for the elderly can be mastered by controlling the heart rate "170-age". For example, if the pulse of a 60-year-old person reaches 110 beats/minute immediately after exercise, and the pulse returns to the resting level within 5 to 10 minutes, it means that the exercise load is relatively appropriate.

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03

Exercise regularly

Fitness exercises must be persevered. Exercise should be no less than 2 to 3 times a week, and each exercise should not be less than 30 minutes. At the same time, it is necessary to arrange exercise time reasonably and develop a good habit of exercising on time. Only such exercise can bring about good changes in body structure and function and enhance physical and mental health.

04

Plan according to individual needs

Elderly people should have a comprehensive physical examination before exercising. Through the examination, they can understand their health status and the functional level of each organ. According to age, gender, physical characteristics, health status, exercise foundation and exercise habits, they should choose the most suitable exercise and make a reasonable exercise plan, which varies from person to person.

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05

Don’t forget to monitor yourself

Elderly people should strengthen medical supervision when participating in physical exercise. They should learn to observe and record their pulse, blood pressure and health status so as to conduct self-monitoring, prevent excessive fatigue, avoid sports injuries, and improve the effect of exercise and health level. When exercising, they should pay attention to arranging short breaks appropriately, and do warm-up and finishing activities carefully before and after exercise. The atmosphere of exercise for the elderly should be relaxed, pleasant and active. They should try to avoid holding their breath and participating in competitions that are too stressful. If the pulse is too fast or too slow, or becomes irregular during exercise, they should stop exercising and go to the hospital for examination. If they have a cold or other disease, or are overly tired, they should stop exercising and seek treatment or rest in time.

In short, for the elderly, regular exercise is certainly a good thing, but you also have to pay attention to the methods and approaches, especially in winter. You must proceed step by step and do what you can to avoid endangering your health.

Author: Wu Dongming, Associate Researcher, National Physical Fitness Research Center, Institute of Sports Science, General Administration of Sports of China

Review | Ma Yong, Professor of Wuhan Institute of Physical Education

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