Each week this January, the Well desk will suggest a program of workouts to help you get moving. So far, we’ve covered beginner workouts, intermediate workouts and exercises for pain and injury prevention.
As you get older, you may notice that you don’t move as easily as you once did. Your golf swing is shorter and playing catch with your kid feels harder.
Mobility is crucial to aging well, and it’s easy to lose it over time if you don’t make an effort to maintain it.
“A lot of times people will say, ‘Well, I’ve never had to stretch before,’” said Dr. Miho Tanaka, the director of the Women’s Sports Medicine Program at Mass General Brigham in Boston. “And I say, ‘Well, you’ve never been 45 before.’”
Just as losing collagen in your skin causes wrinkles, losing collagen in your ligaments and tendons — also a natural part of aging — changes how you move, Dr. Tanaka added. To counter that and maintain mobility, you have to train your flexibility and strength.
Practicing movements you don’t do every day, whether that’s through yoga, dynamic stretching or tai chi, can help you stay flexible. Dr. Tanaka does a quick three-minute movement routine, focused on her back, neck and hips, whenever she’s feeling stiff or knows she won’t be able to exercise much that day.
There isn’t a universal standard for range of motion, Dr. Tanaka added; some people just aren’t very flexible and never have been. It’s more important to watch for changes to your range of motion over time, especially if they’re lopsided, she added. For instance, you might notice that your right shoulder doesn’t go back as far as your left one, or that your left knee is stiffer than your right.
Strength is the other main component of mobility. Dr. Tanaka stressed the importance of exercises that mimic daily life as well as eccentric movements, which challenge your muscles while they’re extending rather than contracting. Almost any exercise can become eccentric by simply slowing down the phase when you’re lowering the weight or your body weight.
As you age, think of mobility the same way you see cardio — a regular part of your weekly plan. Here are five workouts to help you build and maintain your mobility and flexibility.
Warm up without stretching.
Most fitness experts today believe that static stretching — or holding a position without moving — before a workout does not improve performance. Instead, try a dynamic routine that gently stretches your muscles through movement.
How long: Nine minutes
What it’s good for: Gently engaging many of your joints and muscle groups before exercise
How often: Before a workout
Enjoy a midday yoga boost.
Yoga can be an excellent way to improve your flexibility, a key component of mobility. It can also have a calming effect and help you reset in the middle of your day. Try this short routine to slip in a movement break.
How long: 10 minutes
What it’s good for: Loosening your body and offsetting the effects of sitting
How often: Once per day
Work on your mobility.
As you get older, you should consider adding specific mobility sessions to your routine in the same way you might focus a workout on strength training or cardio. This is an effective overall mobility workout to get you started.
How long: 15 to 30 minutes
What it’s good for: Gentle strengthening and loosening your joints for easier movement
How often: Daily for two to four weeks, then several times per week
Improve your posture with Pilates.
Sitting or standing in a way that’s good for your body often comes down to having core strength, which Pilates helps develop. Try this routine at home to build your core, improve your spinal mobility and stabilize your pelvis.
How long: 10 to 15 minutes
What it’s good for: Loosening and strengthening the joints and muscles that support your neck and back
How often: Two or three times per week
Prevent running injuries.
Running has many health benefits, but it can lead to injury if it’s your only form of exercise. Mobility work — along with strength training — can help you fend off aches and pains.
How long: 20 minutes
What it’s good for: Loosening and strengthening the joints and muscles important for running
How often: Before or after a run
Erik Vance is a staff editor for The Times’s Well desk, where he focuses on coverage of fitness and a healthy lifestyle.
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