Training in the senior swimming pool is not only safe, but also an extremely effective form of exercise. Elderly people should try to keep the body in good condition, which will help them prevent diseases of old age and reduce the aging process. Swimming in the pool is an ideal type of exercise for almost every senior citizen.

Exercising in the swimming pool for seniors is one of the most frequently recommended physical activities for seniors. Exercises for seniors at swimming pools usually take place in groups. Some of them may be free, some cost but the prices are not high, e.g. PLN 12 a month for classes once a week, and PLN 25 for classes 2-3 times a week. If there is a swimming pool in your area, find out if they have activities for the elderly and take advantage of them. Your body will thank you for it.

Check the benefits of exercising in the water for the elderly, learn about the types of training that a senior can choose and learn how to exercise in the pool thanks to our example training for active seniors.

Contents:

    1. Swimming for seniors - is it safe?
    2. Pool training for the elderly - advantages
    3. Pool training for the elderly - contraindications
    4. How a senior should exercise in the pool - basic rules
    5. Types of pool training for the elderly
    6. Sample training at the swimming pool for seniors

The aging process of the body is a natural physical process that affects everyone. In the elderly, it affects the deterioration of systems and organs in the body, and also increases the risk of many diseases. Seniors are inherently less tolerant to aerobic and anaerobic exercise, and with age they experience degeneration of the nervous system, which affects the speed and reaction time. The elderly most often notice the first signs of aging on the example of the locomotor system. Most people over the age of 70 lose 10% of their bone mass, and fat mass and interstitial fat increase significantly. It affects, among other things, the limitation of mobility in the joints and the reduction of muscle and joint strength and endurance.

The aging processes will not bypass any of us, but we have an influence on how quickly they will progress and how much they will change in our body! Regular physical activity, especially in peopleolder people suffering from various diseases, it can slow down the aging process or mute existing diseases. However, it should be remembered that the body of a senior will not respond well to strong physical stimuli, therefore the activity highly recommended for seniors is swimming. Swimming and training in the pool is a completely safe sport for the elderly, and it can bring them many he alth benefits.

Swimming for seniors - is it safe?

Swimming is a sport in which the risk of injury is minimized to almost zero. Why? Thanks to the movement in the aquatic environment, our body does not have to bear almost any additional loads apart from the natural resistance of the water. The human body weighs approximately 90% less in water than on the surface. For this reason, training in the pool is especially recommended for elderly people suffering from 1st and 2nd degree obesity.

Training in the pool also increases the mobility and mobility of our joints, and many movements or positions in the water are much easier to perform. Elderly people who have joint and muscle limitations due to various types of contractures, muscle tonus or muscle atrophy can successfully train in the water. Water will be their ally, and swimming will make their movement system work as it should during training in the pool.

In water, it is also much more difficult to overload, strain muscles or injure joints. The swimming pool makes every movement much easier and takes place with much less muscle activation. Of course, water is also a natural resistance for our body and with the help of certain positions or exercises (e.g. aqua aeorobics) we can restore the muscles to fitness and stimulate the nervous system to work more. However, it still takes place without much risk of injury.

Older people should enjoy the benefits of training in the pool also because the water prevents all kinds of falls, trips or mechanical damage to the body. Additionally, swimming strengthens skeletal muscles, and just being in the water is a kind of therapy for the body.

Pool training for the elderly - advantages

The advantages of swimming are many, and the advantages of training in the pool increase especially when the senior starts swimming! The most important he alth benefits and benefits of swimming for seniors are:

  • improvement of motor coordination
  • increase in lung volume and increase in lung ventilation
  • acceleration of metabolism
  • fat reduction
  • counteracting osteoporosis
  • improvement of circulation and reduction of edema
  • increasemobilization and joint and muscle mobility
  • blood pressure regulation
  • improved well-being and reduced risk of mental illness
  • minimized risk of injuries and injuries
  • self-massage of muscles and fascia via water
  • slimming the figure and firming the skin

Training in the pool for the elderly is one of the best solutions when we want to improve joint mobility and muscle functionality. Swimming has virtually no disadvantages, but the few diseases and dysfunctions we have can exclude us from training in the pool.

Pool training for the elderly - contraindications

Swimming will not be recommended for people who have active injuries and surface wounds. Elderly people who are afraid of water should also be careful with them, as it may have a negative impact on their safety. Contraindications for swimming for seniors will also be infections, chronic bronchial diseases, diabetes, tracheotomy, lack of physical control and some congenital defects of the locomotor system.

How a senior should exercise in the pool - basic rules

When we train in the pool under the supervision of a qualified instructor or swim where there is a lifeguard and medical services, we do not have to worry about our he alth. However, we do not always swim or exercise in the water in organized activities in the pool. For this reason, we must pay attention to several important principles and determinants of physical exercise in water.

  1. Before starting any activity, remember to warm up a little in order to prepare the joints and stimulate the nervous system to work. It can be made dry or in water.
  2. Each training session in the pool should consist of the following components: aerobic part, strengthening part, relaxation and relaxation, active stretching.
  3. If we start exercising in the water ourselves, remember about constant progression, i.e. increasing repetitions, exercise duration and training load.

Types of pool training for the elderly

There are many types of pool workouts available today, but not all will be suitable for older people. What is recommended to seniors include:

  1. He alth swimming- he alth swimming is recommended for people who want to cure diseases of the psychomotor and motor systems through water.
  2. Aqua aerobics- this is a training focused on aerobic exercise in water.
  3. Hydrorobic- this is a similar type of trainingfor aqua aerobics.
  4. Aqua walking- characterized by a variable training pace and consists of walking in the water at a certain pace and in fixed positions.
  5. Aqua yoga- this is yoga in water, with the additional use of equipment available at the pool.
  6. Aqua aerobics senior- aerobics prepared especially for seniors.

Good training in water should consist of lessons in balance and stable posture, lessons shaping the circulatory and respiratory system, lessons shaping strength endurance of individual muscle groups, lessons with variable intensity exercise, lessons in relaxation and relaxation.

Additionally, training in the water may be characterized by exercises with the use of specific accessories. Such trainings can, in turn, be divided into:

  • supporting, i.e. abundant in movements towards the water surface
  • resisting, i.e. movements towards the bottom of the pool
  • relieving, i.e. movements along the water surface with resistance.

Sample training at the swimming pool for seniors

Sample training in a senior swimming pool includes aerobic and endurance exercises. It can be performed by people who do not suffer from any serious movement disorders. The training is intended for seniors who want to improve their efficiency and strengthen the musculoskeletal system.

Perform a sample training in water two to three times in one training session. Remember to warm up briefly before exercising (this can be even slow water movements or light swimming) and to relax immediately after exercising.

ExerciseNumber of repetitionsDurationNotes
Backward circulation of hands in water15Extend your arms and place them on the sides of your body at shoulder height. Make vigorous backward movements of your hands and leave your hands in constant tension.
Abduction and abduction of hands at chest level12Keep your elbows slightly bent while performing the exercise, and place your hands in a boat in a vertical position. This will increase water resistance and make exercise difficult.
March in the water30 secondsWhile walking, perform vigorous movements of the hands and feet. Try to control your body and do not raise your knees higher than your hip height.
Turning the legs to the side10 repetitions per pageRaise your leg up to the knee of the leg you are standing on. Try to keep your balance without supporting the railing.
Półprzysiady8 repsDo the squat only up to a right angle in the knees. Keep your abdomen tight and your back straight.
Free Swimming1 minuteYou can choose any style of swimming, but try to avoid the frog with your head above the water - this way of swimming puts a lot of strain on the spine, especially the cervical and lumbar spine. We only recommend the covered frog.

Safe traffic for seniors

Epidemic restrictions no longer apply to outdoor traffic. Swimming pools will also be opened soon. At the same time, spring days are getting warmer and greener. Nature from behind the window lures us to go outside.

We feel that we have to do something for our he alth, for ourselves, "and give it a breath, and give blood to us." The hardest thing to get off is, it's true. That is why we will help you inaugurate a he althy start.

But, less obviously, it's also quite difficult to stop. So we will advise you when to stop, so as not to harm yourself.

For more information, see today's Super Express issue.

Category:

Geriatrics