Update: The new calendars and menus for Kane County and Fredonia seniors can be found on A8 in this week’s issue of the SUN. Also, Medicare Plan presentations provided by United Health Care will be held at the Kanab City Library on November 13 at 2 p.m. and Houston’s Trail’s End on November 19 at 2 p.m.
Story: “The squat is the most important exercise for seniors,” says Eric Daw, a personal trainer dedicated to older adults in Toronto, Canada. “When you go to the washroom, that’s a squat. When you get in the car, that’s a squat. Every time you sit down or stand up, that’s a squat. If you don’t do them well, it affects the way you live.”
Squats strengthen all the muscle groups in your legs, as well as muscles in your lower back and core. Those muscles provide the foundation for most activities of daily living.
They can also help protect your joints, improve your balance and prevent falls, says Denise Austin, fitness expert and author. “Squats strengthen the muscles of the lower body and also protect two joints we need help with on a regular basis - our knees and our hips.”
How to get started:
1. Get in position: Choose a spot where you can hold on to the kitchen counter, a table or another steady surface. Set your feet about shoulder-width apart. (If you have hip issues, it’s OK to have your legs a little farther apart.) Toes should face slightly outward.
2. Lower into a squat: Keeping your back straight, chest up and heels planted, push your hips back like you are sitting in a chair. Try to keep your weight evenly distributed on both feet as you do the exercise. Make sure your knees do not extend forward over your toes. If you have knee or hip issues, you don’t need to do a deep bend.
3. Repeat - Work your way up to two sets of eight, at a tempo of two seconds down, two seconds up. Inhale on the way down and exhale on the way up. For the best results, do the exercise two or three times a week.
Always check with your personal physician before starting a new exercise routine!
Source: American Association of Retired Persons
