ExRx.net

Hey everybody,
I am starting a new activity next week for elderly people. The activity consists of walking in town or in some trails around Edmundston, New-Brunswick. Anyways, I am looking for some warm up exercises for them just before they go walking.

I thought about dynamic stretching, but I'm trying to find something else, fun and interesting. Hope you can help me!

Why would you need a 'specific warmup' for someone going walking?

Surely walking itself is of such low intensity it is infact a warmup?

Also, if you are going in a 'group' you are going to get off to a relatively slow start anyway, taking a little while to get to a decent pace to start with.

Seniors do have special needs. Walking can be high intensity training for them especially if it's over uneven ground.

This site provides the conventional wisdom: http://seniorhealth.about.com/cs/walkin ... warmup.htm

I assume that this is what you're trying to get away from. I don't believe it works anyway.

This one is better as it focuses on warming up first, then stratching:
http://www.tourismvictoria.com/Content/EN/297.asp

I think this one is best as it doesn't focus on stretching as much as joint mobility which I think is more important.
http://www.pbs.org/americaswalking/heal ... ewalk.html

There may be some ideas here as well although this is for race walkers:
http://www.walkinghealthy.com/walkinghe ... Drills.asp

Beyond that, starting out slow is the best approach.

Cool down and stretch afterwards and encourage hydration.

Stu

Your right, but like stu said, it is for elderly people. And just walking may be a streneous exercise. If it were younger adults I wouldn't do any warm ups. The warm up will help them bond together because they don't know each other as much. Just by talking to other people and to make them feel comfortable about this activity.

Dynamic movements alone have been known to get rid of minor niggling injuries. They just groove your body into the range of motion it's 'supposed' to move in and also increase blood flow in and around your joints, which can't ever be a bad thing, surely...

I sit at a desk all day and also have been correcting bad posture... Some times a get lower back pain throughout the day and 99% of the time, i get rid of it with 5-10 minutes of dynamic movements... completely get rid of it, and the more frequently I have been doing these movements, the less minor issues i've been having. Emphasis on minor though i.e. tightness here and there, minor aches and pains that go almost un noticed...

I would imagine that walking will stress the knees more than anything and if that is the case, then doing some dynamic movements with a focus on lower body (namely ancle and hip mobility) would surely be a benefit...

I'm no expert and i'm quite young, FYI, just wanted to add my bit... Dynamic drills all the way even if your not doing any activity :-)


KPj

Hi Element!

I have worked with older people and kids as an outdoor activities instructor and activities organiser and there are some fun warm ups like the hokey cokey, salsa and the conga ( walking instead of jumping ) which include singing and are generally fun to do you could follow these with dynamic stretching which should offer something more interesting. older people are great because they don't have as many hang ups as people in the their 20's and thirties so I think they'd enjoy this type of warm up.

let me know what you think!!

nicole :0)

This is kind of an old thread. You should check the dates on these.
Your posts are very clear and concise now though. Very nice. Good to see that you're back in top form again.

Hi Ironman! good to hear from you! yes i've been really ill as you may have noticed but as you say am back in top form!

thanks again! it's good to be back!

nicole