Pictures
of
Senior Citizens Exercising

So many of you asked to see more pictures of senior citizens exercising. You said you wanted to start exercising, but, followed that with these excuses:

• “We’re too old to exercise.”
  
  
• “Exercise is for young people.”
  
  
• “Why bother? We’re old already.”
  
  
• “I can’t even stand up. How can I exercise.”
  
  
• “Forget about it. I’m 90 now.”
  
  
• “I know it’s good for me. I just don’t feel like it.”
  
  
• “Can you show me anyone else my age who exercises?”
  
  

On, and on, and, on, and, on……

There are no good excuses.

Did you know, everyone who can move, even the elderly and very old, can exercise and enjoy the benefits exercising brings?

Whether you're a senior athlete, or, confined to a chair or bed, there are exercises you can enjoy. Yes, enjoy!

Exercising your muscles can be a wonderfully pleasant thing to do. And, if it is, you will probably want to do it every day. Right?

So, in this article you'll see the"standard" exercises most of us dread. BUT, you will also see pictures of senior citizens exercising in ways that you may not have realized are excellent exercises.

Things like:

• Dancing
  
  
• Walking
  
  
• Bicycling
  
  
• Playing Ping Pong
  
  
• Croquet
  
  
• etc, etc, etc....

Seniors of Every Age
are
Exercising

As you read down, or even scroll down this page, you’re going to see dozens and dozens of pictures of senior citizens exercising. Seniors of Every Age. There are fun physical exercises and activities for everyone. Even our elderly and down right old seniors.

Remember: You’re never too old or too young to start exercising. And, there are still many sports that we seniors can still enjoy.

But, the question for many of you is: "What should I do first?"

What's
The First Step?

You need to know what your current abilities are, and, if there is anything that will keep you from doing the physical activities you are thinking of doing.

So, the very first thing you need to do is go to your family doctor for an exam and get his OK. Have him tell you what kind of exercises will be OK for you to do, and, what will not.

We’re older now. Things wear out. Things get “rusty” and tight. Things just don’t quite work the way they used to. And, they never will again.

So what?

That won’t stop you from doing a lot of pleasurable things. You just have to know your limits and current abilities.

No matter our current condition, there are still plenty of great exercises that most of us can do. And, there are even wonderful exercises that those who can not walk, or even those who can not stand, can do. And, we're going to be sharing pictures of senior citizens exercising in all kinds of pleasurable ways.

As long as you can move anything,
there are refreshing, strengthening exercises for you.

We’re going to be showing you pictures of senior citizens exercising who just became seniors. Pictures of senior citizens exercising who are elderly and even quite old. And, all the rest of us in between.

So, go get that exam, get an OK from your doc, and then come on back here and take a look at what you can look forward to.

Remember:
Never Give Up!

We need be conscientious of our fitness as long as we live. Even when we are "elderly" and very old. That’s just a part of living.

Sure, when we were young we could get away with all kinds of transgressions to our bodies, then, go to sleep, and then wake up ready to go! Right? Remember?

We ALL know it doesn’t work that way anymore. But, that doesn’t mean we can not stay fit and enjoy all kinds of great activities now.

And, it’s not that hard. In fact, it’s not hard at all. We just have to commit to doing it!

We All Still Need
to
Keep Active

Unless you’re a Superman, you’re not going to be doing the same exercises the 20 and 30 year olds do when you are 62. And, you're not going to be doing the same exercises the 62 year olds are doing when you’re 90. And, if you are, you’re probably not going to be doing them as hard or as well. Make sense?

That’s life! That’s the rule of nature. Don't feel bad or unable. You're still able. Just more moderately able.

We NEED to keep active. Our whole life. Young, senior, elderly, old.

Why do we often give things up just because we can’t do them as well as we used to? That’s the road to old age, misery, and early death.

Especially if we are still able to enjoy these things in a more moderate way, and, we are able to enjoy the pleasure and good feelings we get from them.

Don't Be
Like Erika!

I used to work with a lady named Erika, who, at the time, was only 38 years old. We were talking about skiing. She told me she, “I gave it up years ago.

I asked, "Why?"

"I used to be a real 'hotdogger' (someone who skis fast and daringly) she told me. "I can’t do that anymore. So, what’s the point of skiing now?”

I asked her if she missed it. She said she did. Very much.

So, why not go enjoy it some more??? Right? She’s only 38!

Personally, I didn’t even begin skiing until I was 33. Yes, on the beginner “Bunny Hill”. With the nine year olds.

It was so much fun for me, I didn’t care. I just loved being out there. As many times as I fell (and that was a LOT) I got up and skied some more. I went back every week all winter long. Year after year. At age 52 I was skiing the double diamonds (the most difficult hills on the mountain) in Mammoth, California.

38 years young. And, she quit… Who of us wouldn’t like to be as strong as we were at 38?

Shame on her!

Don't be like Erika! There are so many things you can still enjoy. At any age.

Let’s Keep Having
FUN!

If we keep fit, we can! If we keep exercising, we can.

Staying active, keeping fit, and feeling GREAT doesn’t mean we have to work out like super athletes.

Staying active means only that: “Staying Physically Active.” That’s the key to feeling great every day. That’s why we exercise. It also makes everything else we do easier.

And, exercise, as senior citizens, doesn’t mean working our bodies to the point of discomfort and misery.

To the contrary. All we need to do is keep moving and exercise our muscles in the most fun ways possible.

Yes! That really works.

Yes! That’s really ALL we need to do to feel great and enjoy each day.

Take a look at the smiles on the faces in these pictures of senior citizens exercising. That joy means they are doing it right!

Remember:  Unless you’re a Superman, you’re not going to be doing the same exercises the 20 and 30 year olds do when you are 62. And, you're not going to be doing the same exercises the 62 year olds are doing when you’re 90. And, if you are, you’re probably not going to be doing them as hard or as well.

That’s life! That’s the rule of nature.

But, why do we so often give things up all together just because we can’t do them as well as we used to? That’s the road to real old age, misery, and early death.

Especially if we are still able to enjoy these things in a more moderate way, and, we are able to enjoy the pleasure and good feelings we get from them.

Continuing to HAVE FUN is what life is all about. Being a senior, being elderly or even very old doesn't mean the fun has to stop. Right? Otherwise, what’s the point?

As Senior Citizens
We Still Need to Exercise

Yes. This is not a time in our life where we can just sit on the porch, in the rocker, and feel amazing. Well, we can. If we’re ready to rot and die.

No. As human beings all need exercise. At every age. It’s a major thing that keeps us feeling good and in good working order. In fact, it’s more important now than ever before.

One of my physical culture idols who we all know, the late and Great Jack LaLanne used to say: “Exercise is King. Nutrition is Queen. Put them together and you have a Kingdom.”

And, everyone who does, knows this is true.

Different Exercises
for Us Senior Citizens

No. Everyone is not going to be skiing at 80. Or, playing tennis. Or, baseball. A bowling ball might even be too heavy for some of us now. We must adjust our activities to our current abilities.

What most people don't recognize is that even when we are elderly or just plain darn old, we still have abilities. Enjoy them!

So, if you're way up there in years, what about Badminton? Croquet? Bocce Balle?  We can enjoy these things. Get some great exercise. AND, play with our grand children and great gran children. We're never too old to play something.

We have to take into account what condition we are in and what our goals and realities are.

Did you know that just going for a walk each day may be all you ever need to feel really good each day? My neighbor Les did that. Other than that one walk each day, he liked to sit around and study mathematics. He lived happily until he was 92.

And, there is my friend Phyllis (Phyllis Sues) who took up sky diving at 88! (I won’t do that! EVER.). She still dances Tango (that’s where we met). And, does yoga. As of this writing, she is 97! Take a look:

My friend Winn ran 75 mile to celebrate his 75th birthday! (something I will never be able to do…..) No one ever called him "old". This guy was a Superman!  I am proud of the fact that I can do 1 1/2 miles three times a week. It took me a pretty long time to get up to this distance too. And, I'm really kind of slow. BUT, it makes me feel great ALL DAY.

My friend Shirley walks 5 blocks to and from the store every day to buy her groceries. She is 81.

Different people have different physical needs and desires. But:

We ALL want to feel good and have plenty of energy

That is what exercising can help us achieve. At any age. 60, elderly, old (90+).

We ALL need exercise of some kind every day. Or, at least 5 days a week.

So, we are hoping these pictures of senior citizens exercising will help inspire you to get moving again.

What Exercise
Should YOU Begin With?

Remember to get the exam first. OK?

Then, ask yourself: "What would I like to do?" That's probably the most important question for choosing your exercise(s).

As you just learned: Start with something easy.

Want to run a mile each day?

Start by walking to the end of the block and back.

If that feels good, the next day, WALK 2 blocks and back.

Don’t progress until the distance you do feels good and doesn’t leave you aching the next day. And, don’t make progress too fast. Take your time. Feel good each day.

"Do I need a personal trainer?" If you have lots of money and can afford a trainer, great. BUT, no, you don’t need one. Your body will tell you if you are excising too much.

Better to do a little too little, than a little too much. If something hurts, stop immediately. Do something else. Just keep doing something.

Remember the saying: “No pain, no gain.”?

That's pure CRAP!! Nonsense. Unless you're a competitive athlete under 40, forget about it!

That’s the road to trouble.

That saying doesn’t apply to us senior citizens. The older we are, the more gently we should progress.

We are more fragile and have to be more careful. Remember that. So, it's better to make progress too slowly and feel good. ALL THE TIME.

Start With
The Easy Stuff

This is a point I can not stress too much: Start with the easy stuff. Especially if you are old (no, "old" is not a bad word...), or, haven't exercised in a number of years.

See how almost ALL the people in these pictures of senior citizens exercising are smiling? That's how it should feel. If it feels bad, you are either doing it wrong, doing too much, or doing something you shouldn't be doing.

You know, the BIGGEST mistake most people make when they begin an exercise program is:

Doing too much too soon.

We go to the gym the first day, or into our living rooms all filled with energy and desire. We Run, Hop, Jump, Twist, Turn, Bend, Swing our arms like crazy….. Sweat like pigs…. And, then feel like we are on our way.

Until… that night. Worse: the next morning. Right? When we wake up and can not remember the truck that hit us and ran us over. "Where's the Ben Gay??"

EVERYTHING HURTS to move. EVERYTHING hurts just laying still… OMG! What Happened??? At that moment, we know we will never be stupid enough to exercise again. Or take the stupid advice that says exercising is good for senior citizens. Am I right?

Have you done that already?

Most of us have.

So here’s our very best advice:

SLOW DOWN!


Start with Easy Stuff.

Start again (after you recuperate) with stuff that seems too easy to be doing you any good at all.

See how you feel the next day. If you don’t hurt. You’re on the right track. If you still hurt. Do LESS the next time. It takes time to get in shape. And, for us seniors, it takes a bit longer. BUT, we can all get there.

Over time, if we keep doing, even the very easy stuff, we become stronger.

Exercising Should Be Fun
and
Refreshing!

If you’re not having fun, you picked the wrong thing for yourself, or, you're doing it wrong. And, you’re going to quit. For sure.

Make sure the exercise you choose is fun. If it’s not, do something different.

Exercising is not supposed to be torture. On the contrary. Exercising, done properly, in the right amount, is Refreshing!

When you look at these pictures of senior citizens, elderly, and even very old people exercising, do you notice that almost everyone is smiling? That's very important! It means they're exercising properly. When we do, It Feels GOOD!

We’re not 19 and going to the Gym trying to set world records in weight lifting. Or, break records running the world’s fastest sprints. We’re not trying to swim across the entire Atlantic Ocean. Right?

And, if we can lift a 10 pound weight, or, a 20 pound weight, or, even a 3 pound weight, it doesn’t matter. What matters is that we are lifting that weight a few times every week.

What matters is that we are walking our mile, our 3 miles, or our 100 yards a few times a week.

If we are doing 50 push ups or even just 3 modified (easy beginner style) push ups a few times a week, and it feels good, we are doing great!

Why?

BECAUSE: We are doing these things. A few day EACH week. And, that is getting us stronger. More able. Feeling better and better.

We may never be the strongest person in the class. I never was. We may never be the strongest senior citizen in the class. That was not me either. That doesn't matter.

All that matters is that we are in the class, in the gym, in the living room with the video instructor, dancing, or walking outside a few times each week. And, we are doing our best and enjoying our exercise. Enjoying our exercising.

That’s all that matters.

Remember:  Doing something, even something very small each day, is 1,000 times better and more productive than doing nothing.

pictures of senior citizens exercising:
Walking

What about walking? Just walking?

Yes!

Walking is our most natural exercise.

Walking is one of the very best and THE very most basic exercise there is. If you’re in a wheel chair, roll yourself the distance. To the end of the block and back. Or, a mile or more each day. Whatever you are comfortably capable of.

If across the room is the best you can do right now. Start with that. Just do it. Every day. Then do it twice a day, and so on…. And, spend a little time just out there each day. Look at the beauty of Nature and our world. ENJOY that time. It's a true and amazing gift!

Always remember:
This isn’t a race or a contest.

The whole idea is to do the best you comfortably can. At least 5 days a week. Work up to at least 20 minutes a day.

You’ll soon see how much easier everything becomes. Even if you’re over 80. Or, 90!

pictures of senior citizens exercising:
Dancing!

Now, if you never do anything else, may I suggest that you dance?

Yes, DANCING is probably the very best exercise there is. Even for the elderly and very old.

Yes. Please keep reading and see how....

You can dance in any way you want. In a class. At a ballroom. In your bedroom. Anywhere you can. Even in your wheelchair in the living room. To whatever kind of music you like. (Doesn’t that sound good already?)

I have to tell you: We have elderly and old readers that are in their 80s and 90s. Some in wheel chairs (chair dancing).

And, they write to me telling me how much fun they have and how much better they feel dancing (one of the best exercises for senior citizens).

Yes, dancing is possible for anyone who can move any part of their body.

No, at this point, none of us will become Fred Astaire or Ginger Rogers. But, who cares?

We can all move and enjoy the music. Did you know, I didn’t even begin taking dancing lessons until I was 59 years old! That’s when I took my very first class! Tango. And, I still love it (69 now).

If you think you're too old for dancing, you need to watch this VIDEO:

WoW! Those seniors are Awesome!

Can't even stand up? NO PROBLEM! We got ya covered.

Here's a Chair Dancing VIDEO for those who can not stand, to dance along with:

pictures of senior citizens exercising:
Water Aerobics

I have to tell you about Water Aerobics. Especially if you feel exercising is just too hard. Especially if you think you are too elderly, or too old.

Water aerobics are one of the very best ways for senior citizens to get exercising again. Especially those who have not exercised for a long time.

Why?

Because in the water you don’t have all the weight on your joints (the water holds you up). There is less stress on your body, and, your muscles still get a full refreshing work out.

Water Aerobics can do amazing things for us. My friend Angie was 62 years old. She weighed 412 pounds. Yes, she was a BIG girl. She wanted so badly to start exercising and lose weight. But, regular exercising made her hurt. Terribly.

So, she tried Water Aerobics. She loved it! No stress. No strain.

She cut her food in half (not easy). 18 months later she is now weighing 165 pounds, can walk 5 miles 4 days a week, and is as proud of her figure as a Peacock!

Water Aerobics is a great place to start if you think exercising is too difficult.

And, you don’t need to be able to swim. You’ll never go into deep water.

It’s Never Too Late
to Begin

No matter how old you are, if you're moving, it's never too late to begin.

My friend Al. Former dentist and self proclaimed ladies man (we don't believe him....). Started playing tennis when he retired at age 65. To meet women.

Is Al a great player? No. Is is good? Not really. Does he have fun? Yes! Does he feel good? He says, “Better than in the previous 20 years.” And, he meets some nice single ladies!

OK,
Sometimes I Talk Too Much!

I’ve made you wait long enough.

Let’s take a look at some more pictures of senior citizens exercising (and having FUN):

pictures of senior citizens exercising
Indoors

pictures of senior citizens exercising
Outdoors

pictures of senior citizens exercising on
Bicycles

pictures of senior citizens exercising
Playing Golf

pictures of senior citizens exercising
Playing Tennis

pictures of senior citizens exercising
In The Water

pictures of senior citizens exercising
Skiing!

editors note:  Skiing requires a great amount of skill, strength, and balance. It is not for everyone. In fact, skiing is not a good idea for most seniors. These pictures of seniors skiing are just to show you what is possible. If you're not a skier already, this sport can be much too dangerous. It's much too easy to fall and break something.

pictures of seniors exercising
Over Ninety Years Old!

How about those
pictures of senior citizens exercising?


Are You Ready to Begin?

Got the idea?

If exercising isn't fun, you're not going to do it. At least, not for very long. You'll quit.

If "exercising" is something FUN, you'll do it until your last day. Am I right? Why would we stop doing something we like and that makes us feel so good?

We hope these pictures of senior citizens exercising have inspired you to get up out of your chair and move. In any way you can that you enjoy.

Have a Most Wonderful Day!  ~ William, Fiona, and Charlotte