Keep Your Balance!
Many seniors struggle with keeping their balance in check as they get older. Because of this, mobility and independence can be greatly compromised if balance isn’t addressed. On top of normal balance exercises, older adults also need to do a agility and quickness exercises to help keep their balance in tip top shape. Let’s look at why that is, and what a few ways to work agility in a safe manner.
Why Agility?
When an individual ages, they usually use the ability to move quickly throughout their daily lives. This is typically because of a lack of inactivity, and practice working their muscles in a quick fashion. Although agility exercises are typically done with athletes to get better at their sports, they can also be done in a safe manner with older adults to help them move better in life. As noted in the video above, the ladder we will be using in the video won’t have any raised edges, and will instead be a taped space on the ground. For full video demonstrations on what to do, consult the video linked above! Also, I will link below our recommended agility ladder if you wanted to pick up one for yourself.
Agility Ladder
Agility Ladder Drills for Older Adults
Forward and Backward Ladder
A great starting point for ladder drills is trying out some forward and backwards ladders. This will challenge your ability to move quickly with your feet, but not with too much dynamic movement.
Side to Side Ladder
This exercise is similar to the last one, except you’ll be moving side to side as quickly as you can. This differs from the last one, in that you will be challenging your ability to move right and left, which is often not challenged much by older adults.
Ladder Run & Stop
The ladder run will have you stepping each foot in the ladder, following the other foot, and then doing that motion down the run as quickly as possible. Once you hit the end of the ladder, you will then stop on a dime as fast as you can. This will challenge your ability to rapidly change your center of gravity quickly.
Side Run
This agility drill will mimic the last one, except you will instead keep one of the feet outside of the agility ladder, trying to be precise with the foot placement of the foot that is moving.
In and Outs
In and outs will greatly challenge your ability of your feet to move quickly and precisely. This will have both feet starting in the center of the ladder, stepping out with one foot to the right, other foot to the left, and then moving back up to the next one bringing both feet in. Continue this movement all the way until the end of the ladder.
2 Up 1 Back
As simple as it gets! Quickly move up into two hurdles as quickly as you can, and then step backwards one. Repeat this all the way until the hurdle is all the way done. Be careful going backwards as this is incredibly hard on your balance.
Hold On There!
If you want to continue to improve your health and knowledge of the gym, regardless of where you currently are at in life, you need to subscribe to our blog. Once you’re done doing that, feel free to check out this other video I created below, showing you a few more agility drills specifically designed for seniors!
Agility Drills for Seniors – (Reduce Falls Easily) – Hurdle Agility
Having appropriate quickness and agility is incredibly important when trying to reduce the risks of falls happening in seniors and individuals that aren’t steady on their feet. Unfortunately, this is often neglected, since most seniors think they simply need to “balance better.” Balance exercise, of course, is important in staying steady. But what if you…
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