Golf is a great way for seniors to have some fun and get fit at the same time, especially if they're able to skip the golf cart and walk the course instead. Walking is one of the best low-impact cardiovascular exercises for seniors. It's easy on the joints, burns calories, and builds muscle and bone density. If you're new to walking for fitness, don't worry at first about how far or how long you walk. Start by doing what you can and work your way up to 30 to 60 minutes of walking, three or four times a week, by adding a few minutes to your walks each time you head out.
Even if you're not able to do much walking, golf is a beneficial activity for the older crowd. The swing helps with balance, strength and flexibility, and it's just plain fun to get outside with friends and hit some golf balls.
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Training exercises can not only improve your golf game, but they also help prevent injury. Common problem areas for seniors in golf are the ankles, hips and shoulders, and you can do a number of exercises to help improve your strength and flexibility in these areas. You'll also want to work on toning and stretching muscles that work hard during a golf game, like your legs and back.
Exercising the muscles you use in your golf game can be beneficial at any age, and seniors are no exception. While there are many older people that are in great shape, in general, endurance, strength, balance and flexibility tend to decrease as we age, so golf exercises that focus on improving those issues are particularly beneficial for senior golfers.
On the next page, we'll look at some of the best golf exercises for building and maintaining strength.
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