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Practise, train and go!

Practise, train and go!

Posted by Monica Chia on 20-May-2021 12:45:00
Monica Chia

This is Part 2 of 3 series of the exercise blogs from The Community Service Interest Group (CSIG) in the School of Life Science and Chemical Technology (LSCT) at Ngee Ann Polytechnic.  CSIG aims to encourage students from LSCT to serve the community.  

For Part 2, these exercises need some practice however most people would be able do it on their own.

What are the activities you can challenge yourself but still can do it on your own?

1. Box / Chair Squats
2. Jogging
3. Dancing

Always be aware of you own health condition before you start on a new routine.

Box/Chair Squats (contributed by Zavier Ong)

A simple yet beneficial activity for the elderly would be box/chair squats. This exercise can be done in the comfort of our home.  A stable chair would be required to carry out this exercise.

Start by standing, with the seat just behind us and arms perpendicular to our bodies.  We then slowly lower our body onto the chair into a sitting position.   Next, we stand up from the sitting position while our arms are still perpendicular, or for some assistance, we can do so with the help of a table in front of us, or the arm rests of the chair.

A few sets of 10 to 12 repetitions will help the elderly strengthen their legs and build the much-needed strength to stand up from a sitting position.  This will improve mobility and stability.

Start by standing Lower to a sitting down position

Read Part 3: Up your game!

Jogging (contributed by Wong Zhuo Zheng)

Jogging is a simple exercise that only requires about 20 to 30 minutes per session.

Jogging is one of my favourite exercises, as it helps to clear my mind after a busy day. We only need a pair of running shoes.

Jogging regularly can help with weight management, improve our cardiovascular health, and even maintain our agility as we age! This exercise is suitable for people of all ages, as the intensity of the exercise can be customised to own's fitness level.  We can jog on our own or with our friends or family members as a bonding session!

Jogging for everyone

 

Dancing (contributed by Gouri Binu)

Dancing is an expressive form of exercise which gets our heart pumping at the same time!

Dancing can improve our strength, mobility and balance, hence decreasing the risk of falling.  Dancing is also a great cardiovascular exercise that improves our heart health.

Here, I share a Dance-a-long video, with the song "Smile" from Katy Perry.  We can focus on the arm movements, and when we are more confident, we can do the turn.

I hope you will enjoy dancing as much as I do!

Dance-a-long video

This is Part 2 of 3 series of the exercise blogs from The Community Service Interest Group (CSIG) in the School of Life Science and Chemical Technology (LSCT) at Ngee Ann Polytechnic.

Part 1: Start, stretch and Lift
Part 3: Up your game!

CSIG aims to encourage students from LSCT to serve the community.  During the pandemic, all volunteers activities with direct physical contact with our elderly residents is suspended.  Hence, the group decided to contribute to our Home with this series, recommending elderly-friendly exercises and sports.


NgeeAnnPoly-LSCT-CSIG

Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect those of St. John's Home for Elderly Persons.

St John's Home for Elderly Persons is not a government-subvented Home and depend largely on the public's generosity to enable us to continue our work as a Registered Charity.

Please support our Home by donating generously: https://www.giving.sg/stjohnshomesg

 

Topics: Health, Happiness, Wellness