Functional Fitness for Older Adults

It is a universal truth that humans need exercise for maintaining their optimal health. Take a look in nearly any gym, however, and it is common to see people exercising for a whole host of motivations, including the desire to lose weight, build endurance toward a particular fitness goal, or simply to “look ripped.” Older adults often have an additional motivating factor for working out: maintaining an adequate quality of life.

Numerous everyday tasks can become much more difficult for older adults. Getting up from the floor, climbing the stairs, and lifting and carrying heavy things can present challenges as strength and coordination decline. Therefore, the concept of functional training for seniors should incorporate exercises that promote endurance, strength, balance, and flexibility. Ideally, individual exercises can address all four simultaneously. Here are some basic, yet extremely effective functional fitness exercises for older adults.

Walking
Walking is, without a doubt, a fitness workhorse. It addresses all four kinds of functional fitness areas, and it can be done anywhere, making it one of the most accessible components of a fitness routine. Walking works to strengthen major muscle groups, and also promotes endurance, balance, and flexibility.

Climbing Stairs
The act of climbing stairs strengthen leg muscles, and also boosts flexibility in the hip and knee joints. Anyone who has ever climbed a flight of stairs can attest to the increase in cardiac function required. Similar to walking stair climbing is a fairly accessible exercise, as most people have convenient access to a set of stairs.

Chair Squat
This is another exercise that can be done anywhere one has access to a chair. Repeating this exercise several times a few times a day can lead to a dramatic increase in muscle strength and balance.

Wall Push Ups
Building up upper body strength is critically important for older adults to maintain the ability to lift and carry heavy items and, if needed, get up from a fall. The wall push up improves conditioning in the arms and chest. As with the other exercises listed, this one can be done, literally, anywhere. The only equipment needed is a wall.

All of the exercises share important qualities, in that they can be done without joining a gym or purchasing special equipment, target each of the core functions needed, and can be modified upwards or downwards to accommodate a wide range of fitness levels. In short, they are ideal exercises designed to promote the functional fitness critical for maintaining a satisfactory quality of life for older adults.