HOW OFTEN SHOULD I EXERCISE?

You probably know that you should exercise, and that fitness for seniors is important, but you may not know how often or what kind of senior workouts are best. Many people exercise because it helps them lose or maintain weight, which are great reasons to get active. However, there are numerous benefits of senior fitness that can have a powerful impact on your life at any age. These benefits can help you live longer and live better. Whether you do chair exercises or standing exercises, the benefits of low impact exercises are tremendous.

IMPORTANT: Please seek the advice of your healthcare provider to find out what workout routine is best for you before starting any exercise program. Always listen to your body. If you feel any pain or discomfort during exercise, stop immediately and speak with your doctor.

You will get the most out of your fitness program when you exercise regularly. Aim to exercise for at least 30 minutes a day, 3–5 days a week. Be careful not to overdo it. If your workout routine is primarily doing my videos only, skip a day in between. It is important that you only do weight training (dumbbells, resistance bands, etc.) 2–3 days a week and never train the same body part two days in a row—your body needs time to rest and recover.

On your off days, you can do light cardio (such as walking, swimming, biking), balance, and stretching if you choose. My videos called Off Day or Walking Express can also be done during your off days because these workouts do not contain any strength training.

Recommended Weekly Routine:

• Try to do 15–30 minutes of continuous aerobic activity 3 times per week. My videos always include at least 15 minutes of cardio, so I have you covered—but feel free to add walking, bike riding, swimming, dancing, or any other cardio activity you enjoy.

• Do balance exercises at a level that challenges you but that you can perform safely for a few minutes at least 3–5 times a week. (If needed, hold on to something stable or have a spotter accompany you.) You can do balance exercises every day if you choose.

• As you build your strength and stability, integrate weight training 2–3 times per week, focusing on exercises to strengthen your legs, trunk/core, and arm muscles. Remember, you can do more harm than good by doing strength exercises too often. Don’t exercise the same set of muscles two days in a row.

• Include stretching exercises in every workout to promote flexibility and prevent tightness that can lead to poor balance and injury. It is very important that you always warm up for at least 5 minutes before stretching.

This may seem like a lot of information to process, but the good news is... if you do my workout videos every other day, I take the guesswork out. Everything you need is in my workouts. That’s why you see me doing a lot of compound movements that incorporate balance, strength, and cardio all in one. As I always say in my videos, "Just stick with me. We’ll do this together."

SAMPLE WORKOUT SCHEDULE

• Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays: Curtis Adams’ Total Body Workout Videos

• Tuesdays, Thursdays (optional): Light Cardio, Balance & Stretching