5 Sports That Will Help You Stay Healthy in Your 50’s

People are living far longer than they used to due to advancements in our diets, better healthcare, among other things. However, as we get older, we need to do much more to better our quality of life. As a matter of fact, the older people get, the more they take charge of their health, sticking to a proper diet and exercising. By staying fit, you don’t have to hit the gym – lifting heavy weights or sweating it out on the treadmill.

You can take part in many sports, in spite of your fitness level, which goes a long way to maintain fitness levels, better overall heart health, and increase strength.

How sports help to fight disease

Sport helps fight several degenerative conditions such as Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s disease, and multiple sclerosis. Moreover, sports help keep depression at bay, as well as helping to combat circulatory problems such as Reynaud’s disease.

While younger people can get away with living an unhealthy diet or a sedentary lifestyle, the fifties are an age when a plethora of issues can come up. Our bodies start to become a reflection of our lifestyle.

Sedentary lifestyles can result in many issues such as a slow immune system, weight gain, weaker bones and muscles, an increased likelihood of diseases such as diabetes, hypertension or cancer. This risk is far higher as you age.

How to stay healthy as you age

The fifties are the perfect age to make a massive difference as far as your health is concerned. The actions you take to stay healthy, the food you eat all have a considerable impact on your health well into your 50s, 60s or 70s.

Even though your life has been sedentary, taking up exercise is a great way to make positive changes that work to undo the damage and start to lay the foundations for a fit, healthy life in your 50s and beyond.

Here are the 5 best sports that are perfect for anyone in their 50s looking to stay fit and improve their muscle, brain, heart and bone health to ward off the common mental and physical problems that arise during old age.

Tennis

Tennis is a sport that can be played despite how fit/unfit you are. You may be deceived into thinking that tennis requires a tremendous amount of strength and energy when you view it on TV.

However, tennis can be quite a laid back sport. A fit person can get a rigorous workout from it, while a less healthy person can get either a moderate exercise from it or take it at a much more leisurely pace.

Running around the tennis court and serving the ball will give you you a great workout, from cardio to increasing arm flexibility. Furthermore, because tennis a load-bearing exercise, it improves bone strength, which is a great way to prevent osteoporosis.

Swimming

Swimming is yet another great choice, which can be done regardless of your level of fitness. Swimming is quite versatile in that it is an excellent sport that allows you to tone your muscles, bettering your flexibility, and giving you a full-body workout as you end up using all the muscles – muscles which would otherwise be unused when playing other sports.

Additionally, because swimming is a non-weight-bearing sport (water supports your body weight), it is an excellent choice for anyone with joint problems. Unfortunately, however, swimming will not improve your bone density like other sports such as baseball or tennis would, but the perfect sport for a full-body workout without running the risk of injuring yourself.

Walking

Walking is quite effective in helping to get a decent workout in. Not only does it come naturally, but it is also straightforward to do, regardless of your level of fitness. Simply get yourself some comfortable walking shoes, and walk out the door. To increase the intensity, switch up your walk to a hilly area, or walk faster. To make things a bit more interesting, try golf, without the caddy.

Golf needs a decent amount of walking and is also a great way to socialize with friends.

Walking has lots of benefits, and walking for as little as 20 minutes a day has been shown to reduce the risk of osteoporosis, boost your mood, strengthen your bones and heart, reduce hypertension.

Softball

Softball is another great sport that you could take part in, mainly because it makes for lots of family fun. Your family could cheer from the sidelines or join in, playing and running bases.

While backyard softball isn’t an intense workout, a typical game could be anywhere between 1 to 2 hours, which includes several demanding movements such as running bases, pitching, hitting and catching the ball. These motions will provide a decent workout which will then boost your agility, strength and overall coordination.

To get started, get yourself, hop over to this website and get yourself a slow pitch softball bat. If you’re a beginner, follow the guide to learn the basics. Remember to hydrate often to prevent dehydration, and wear a baseball cap and some sunscreen to beat the sun.

Cycling

Cycling is an ideal sport regardless of your fitness levels. It’ll give you an excellent cardio workout that’s for your heart, and lungs. Cycling also actively engages your leg muscles, while toning and strengthening your glutes, thighs, and calves.

We love the fact that cycling does not put as much strain on your joints as other sports such as track & field or playing tennis would.

Improve your health forever

You can pick any of these 5 sports and play well into old age because there aren’t any hard and fast rules – these sports can be tailored to fit the needs of the individual in spite of their fitness level.

Better yet, why not try all 5 sports out? They involve a range of different weight-bearing exercises, such as tennis, as well as together with some low-impact activities such as swimming that go a long way to strengthen your heart, your bones, while significantly reducing the risk of many lifestyle diseases.