Five Best Sports To Play As You Get Older

Many people hold the incorrect belief that senior citizens should not participate in sports or other physical activities because of their increased susceptibility to injuries and falls, but staying active is actually quite beneficial if you are an older person. Staying active will increase your mental and physical health, improving conditions such as high blood pressure, obesity, impaired joint flexibility, and declining bone health. Playing team sports also provides a way to keep your social life healthy because you can keep up with friends and meet new people.

Let’s discuss five great sports to try if you are a senior.

1. Swimming

Despite being a low-impact exercise that is easy on your joints, swimming offers a full-body workout. It makes your muscles stronger and improves the health of your cardiovascular system, but it can also help you relax. The buoyancy makes your body feel lighter. This is ideal if you are overweight or have arthritis. You can join a water aerobics class to boost the workout power of swimming.

2. Golf

Golf is a calm sport that requires walking and is a good way to get fresh air and enjoy nature. A wide range of motion is needed to swing your golf club, and this works your torso – especially your arms, back, and shoulders. You also need physical and mental precision in hand-eye coordination and focus on making a shot.

3. Badminton

Badminton is a rain-or-shine sport that can increase your flexibility, hand-eye coordination, muscle reflexes, stamina, and strength.

4. Yoga

Yoga is a pretty calm type of exercise in that there is no movement like running or walking. Instead, yoga utilizes breathing, meditation, and stretching activities to get you physically and mentally engaged. Yoga helps you develop better balance and stability, making you less likely to suffer a fall. Yoga will also make you more mindful of your posture and more able to utilize a healthier posture. If you have a hard time sleeping, yoga can even help by eliminating your mental and physical stress.

5. Nordic walking

Like swimming, Nordic walking also gives you a full-body workout that won’t stress your joints. For Nordic walking, you use a pair of a certain kind of walking stick to involve your arms in your walk. You put one arm and one foot forward at a time. Nordic walking benefits your arms, gluteal muscles, pectoral muscles, and shoulders. It also helps you increase your endurance.