Fitness exercises for the elderly

It does not exceed one's own exercise load, conforms to the laws of physiological activities, and there is no discomfort after practice. All the claims that "a certain set of exercises are universal" and "the more standard the movements, the better the effect" are untenable.

When I went downstairs to buy soy milk this morning, I saw a quarrel in the fitness area of ​​the community - Uncle Li, who has practiced Zhanzhuang for three years, said that Baduanjin is "useless to show off", and Aunt Zhang, who has been practicing Baduanjin with a qigong club for half a year, said that standing in Zhanzhuang "makes my knees hurt when I stand, and it is pure suffering." The two of them got red in the face, and there were several recently retired aunts nearby who were searching on their mobile phones, not knowing what to practice.

Nowadays, the sources of fitness exercises for the elderly that everyone is often exposed to are actually quite complex: among the nine sets of popular exercises promoted by the Health Qigong Management Center of the General Administration of Sport, the four categories of Ba Duan Jin, Wu Qin Xi, Liu Zi Jue, and Yi Jin Jing have the widest audience, and are also standard courses in many community colleges for the elderly.； Many teachers in the traditional martial arts circle recommend simplified versions of Chen-style Tai Chi and Zhanzhuang, believing that “movement in stillness nourishes the energy.”” ； Instead, doctors in the sports rehabilitation department often recommend that elderly people with poor foundations start with almost zero-weight-bearing exercises such as seated health exercises and hand swing exercises to avoid sports injuries. No one is right or wrong among the three types of views, and the people they are suitable for are inherently different.

I used to work as an exercise coach for the elderly with the free clinic team of a community hospital for two months. I met 73-year-old Aunt Liu, who has suffered from high blood pressure and knee arthritis for more than ten years. I used to practice with the Tai Chi team in the community. In order to keep up with the progress of others, I had to squat low in the horse stance. After practicing for half a month, my knees were so swollen that I could not go downstairs. Two milliliters of joint effusion was removed before it disappeared. Later, the doctor adjusted her training method, and she practiced the Sitting Baduanjin, which was simplified to only 6 movements. Each session lasted 12 minutes. She did not need to squat or bend over. She just sat and raised her arms and turned her neck. Three months later, she went for a follow-up examination. Not only did her knees no longer hurt, but her blood pressure fluctuations were much smaller than before.

The most controversial thing on the Internet right now is whether zhanzhuang is good or not. I specifically asked the traditional Chinese medicine doctor at the Provincial Traditional Chinese Medicine Hospital and the professor of sports rehabilitation at the Sports University. The two sides have different opinions: the traditional Chinese medicine view is that zhanzhuang can mobilize the qi and blood of the whole body. As long as the posture is adjusted correctly, it has an obvious conditioning effect on the elderly with weak constitutions and chronic cardiopulmonary diseases. Many retired doctors in their department stand for 15 minutes every day.； The point of view of exercise rehabilitation is that 80% of beginners cannot find the correct sense of exertion at all. They either buckle their knees in or hunch their chests. Standing for 10 minutes puts more pressure on the patella joint than walking briskly for half an hour. It is not recommended at all without professional guidance. In fact, both sides are right. The problem is not the exercise itself at all, but whether the people practicing it have found the right method that suits them.

When I give advice to the elderly in the community, I usually don't say "what do you need to practice?", I just let them try it one by one first, and don't compare themselves with others when trying. For example, when practicing Baduanjin, people can touch the ground with both hands. You can just touch your calves. If you can't touch it, it doesn't matter if you put your hands on your hips and gesture. You really have to pay attention to "standards". Your comfort is the biggest criterion. And don’t be greedy for too much. Some people download several teaching videos and practice Wu Qin Xi today and practice Yi Jin Jing tomorrow. In the end, they don’t understand anything and are exhausted. Just choose a set that makes your whole body feel relaxed after practicing and there is no soreness or stiffness anywhere. Practice it for 10 to 20 minutes every day. It is better than anything else.

There is another pitfall that many elderly people easily fall into: they always think that practicing exercises requires "working up to a sweat to be effective." This is actually a big mistake. The physical strength of the elderly is already poor. If you sweat too much, you will be prone to dehydration and electrolyte imbalance. It is good to practice until your back is slightly warm. If you are out of breath after practicing and can't speak, stop and rest quickly. Don't insist on saying that this is a "detoxification reaction."

In fact, to put it bluntly, fitness exercises for the elderly do not have so many mysterious details. The essence is to find a way for the elderly to slowly move their muscles and bones. If you really don’t like to practice these routines, you can take your wife to the park for half an hour after dinner every day, swing your arms and kick your legs, and look at the flowers on the roadside. The effect is no worse than practicing the exercises specifically. If there is anything you should pay attention to, just remember this sentence: no rules are as important as your own comfort.