Baby boomers are not taking retirement sitting down ? they are heading out the door into active lifestyles.
The athletic mid-lifers are sparking new fitness programs designed to help them pick up where they left off in sports or try new ones altogether.
At around 77 million, baby boomers ? those born between 1946 and 1964 ? are the largest population group in U.S. history. For those 65 and older, longer life expectancies are fueling interest in healthy habits and fitness. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, physical activity is on the rise in this age group.
One program that targets this age group is Bumps for Boomers, a skiing program created and taught by boomers for boomers in Aspen, Colo. The four-day program gives skiers the tools they need to conquer difficult terrain ? moguls and powder ? in a way that works best for them. Bumps for Boomers clients learn techniques that minimize fatigue and aren?t so hard on the knees.
?It?s for someone with a boomer state of mind,? says Joe Nevin, Bumps for Boomers founder. Even if you?re in your 20s and 30s, you may want to go back to the basics of balance and control and learn mogul tactics, he says.
Three-fourths of Bumps for Boomers clients are 50 and older. The program has grown about 30 percent annually since being founded in 2002, Nevin says.
?We get emails from people saying they ski the whole day now and don?t feel as tired as when they used to ski just a half-day,? Nevin says.
Mike Denicola, a 63-year-old Bumps for Boomers client from Bear Valley, Calif., credits the program for helping him learn how to ski on all kinds of terrain. After completing the program, Denicola says he had renewed confidence and a strategy to build on.
?I was about to give up skiing,? Denicola says. ?Bumps gave me new life.?
BoomerTennis.net, meanwhile, is a virtual clubhouse that fosters tennis for a lifetime. For a small fee, new and experienced tennis players over 40 get access to expert education, discounts on tennis products and services, and social networking.
Boomer Tennis founders and husband-and-wife team Bob and Lace Milligan, of Newport, R.I., put together a staff of experts in orthopedics, physical therapy, nutrition, training, psychology and travel. The experts publish weekly articles in their expertise relating to tennis. They are also available to answer questions and speak with club members.
?There are so many aspects of your game that need to change in order to continue to enjoy it,? Bob Milligan says.
Boomer Tennis, which was founded in 2010, will soon offer clinics at local tennis clubs specifically geared toward boomers, he says.
Bumps for Boomers and Boomer Tennis are on track with other initiatives nationwide. The National Institute on Aging?s Go4Life campaign, for example, is an exercise and physical activity program geared toward helping older adults fit fitness into their daily lives.
Everybody knows exercise is good for you, but not everyone knows where to start, says Chhanda Dutta, PhD, chief of the clinical gerontology branch at the National Institute on Aging in Bethesda, Md. The Institute on Aging hopes to help people answer questions like how do you start, how much should you do and how to pick the right exercise options.
Physical activity helps reduce the risk for chronic conditions common in older adults ? including diabetes, heart disease and osteoporosis ? and it may even reduce feelings of depression, Dutta says.
Dutta says that exercise studies have shown that physical activity can actually help reduce the pain from osteoarthritis, which is not what people who suffer with painful joints would expect.
The common misperception is that it?s safer for older adults to not exercise, but it is even more dangerous for them to lead a sedentary lifestyle, Dutta says.
?For any kind of exercise you do, there is a way to do it and do it safely,? she says.
Dutta recommends boomers incorporate strength training, endurance, flexibility and balance work into their routines to get the most out of their exercise.
Adults should strength-train at least two days a week and do at least 2 1/2 hours of moderate-intensity activity a week, according to the 2008 Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans. Activity does not need to be done all at once, but can be broken into 30- minute intervals or even 10-minute chunks.
?I think that people should be aware that being physically active ? as much as possible ? is a good thing,? she says.
It is good to be active, but be smart about exercise and know your body and your limits. Always speak with your doctor before beginning or changing a fitness routine. No matter your state of health, it?s important to increase your activity gradually.
Source: https://client.myoptumhealth.com/myoptumhealth/guest/page.esync?view=prelogin.learn.learnLanding&command=article&article=5db07349fb486310VgnVCM100000294ab10a____
Source: http://www.homehealthsandiego.com/fitness-for-life-baby-boomers-pick-up-the-pace-with-exercise/
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