“The limits only exist in your mind”, “If you want something, you must work to achieve it” “Age is not an impediment at all”. These are some of the expressions that some people repeat over and over again, to motivate themselves to do anything.
It is true that, sometimes, if we set our minds to something, we can achieve it. But, it is not always that easy. There are times when different factors intervene against us. One of them is age.
When we are young, we are more active, we get less fatigued, and our physical potential is higher, as is our ability to react and our nerve impulses. Not to mention concentration and other vital senses.
Already when entering a certain age, we must be aware of what our limitations are. Not having this clear could cause us many problems. We could be involved in situations that put our health to the test. And it is important to note that health is not played.
An area where it is important to consider age is sports. As much as this is necessary to keep us healthy and active, we must take into account that not all sports are for all people.
If we wish to practice any, we must consider what our personal circumstances are. If we are in good health, if it is not too risky for us, if we have or can develop the skills, if we are old enough, if it will not bring us negative consequences in the future, among other important aspects.
Given that this is a subject of serious consideration, we have decided to dedicate this article to analyzing how age affects sport, so that we can practice it without running unnecessary risks due to ignorance. So let’s know what factors we must take into account when practicing a sport. Let’s see…
Instructions for affects age in sport
It is no secret to anyone what the benefits of practicing a sport are. It makes us more active, considerably improves our quality of life, and prevents the development of acute and chronic diseases in the future, among many other benefits.
But, it is necessary to take into account that, in general, most sports have an age limit to be able to practice them. When we reach this limit, our physical abilities, techniques and strategies begin to wane. So we are no longer as efficient.
Taking this into account, we will be talking about the need to play sports for three groups in particular, for the elderly, children and women. This way we will know which sports are suitable at a certain age.
In the case of older people, some believe that it is best to accept their years with dignity and remain seated reading most of the day. This, for fear of suffering an accident that considerably deteriorates his health.
But, the truth is that the elderly are recommended to practice physical exercise. However, this must be personalized. In this way, the limitations of the person will be taken into account when assigning a sport or exercise.
In some cases, a previous electrocardiogram or even a strength test may be necessary to determine what type of activities you can perform and what the result is after being subjected to a certain amount of physical activity.
In the event that the person suffers from obesity, work will be carried out based on a plan to lose weight. But if the problems are of a joint nature, then you will be helped by starting your movements and exercising.
After having concluded this first phase of diagnosis, the next thing will be to ask the older adult what sport they would like to practice. You can suggest some such as swimming, Tai Chi, or underwater gymnastics.
The sports that are not recommended for them are those where there is some type of impact or they have to jump.
In the case of children, since they are developing, it is important that they can practice some exercises that are related to strength. Of course, the objective is not for them to develop muscle mass, rather that they can use a greater number of muscle fibers when performing a sporting movement.
Skills such as coordination, strength capacity, among others, can be better developed, and at higher levels, in a child athlete.
However, it must be taken into account that strength training can be done when the child has considerably developed his central nervous system, this usually happens after 8 years of age.
When the time of hormonal development occurs at puberty, it will be time to train intramuscular strength. In this way, although he may not be an athlete in the future, he will have been able to develop his abilities in order to have a better quality of life.
Speaking now in the specific case of women, if they combine a good diet with constant physical activity, they can improve their health considerably. In addition, they will be able to prevent diseases that lead to death, such as cardiovascular, cerebrovascular and arterial hypertension.
Not to mention that they will be able to control problems such as obesity, osteoporosis and arthritis and that it helps in the process of menopause. In fact, women can exercise even during their pregnancy. This will help her improve her flexibility a lot and will give her the necessary strength for the moment of delivery.
Since women tend to have more bone loss, regular activities such as dancing, walking, and running can help reduce bone loss. In addition to improving her physical strength and balance. Which makes it less prone to falls and, therefore, fractures?
But the benefits for women are not only physical. Ella can also improve her quality of life by reducing stress, anxiety, feelings of loneliness and depression, since staying active allows you to develop self-esteem and this favors your social integration.
Now, what else do you need to know about the subject?
What do you need to affect age in sport?
Since we have already seen what the benefits of sport are for the elderly, children and women, it is necessary to specify which sports it is convenient to practice for each group, so that their health is not negatively affected.
For example, in the case of athletics, depending on the activity to be carried out, it can be practiced by children and middle-aged people, that is, those who do not exceed 40 years of age. Athletics tends to promote endurance, strength, and fat burning.
However, if not practiced correctly or overstepping the age limits, it can affect the joints and even cause back injuries.
In the case of aerobics and water aerobics, as it is a low-impact activity, it can be practiced by children from adolescence to the elderly. Of course, it is understood that not everyone can practice the same exercises.
In the case of the elderly, they should monitor their heart rate and rest as necessary. It is recommended that you practice every other day. That is, only three times a week.
We cannot ignore walking, but it is not about walking for walking but rather doing it vigorously. This habit should be taken into account at all ages, but especially in the case of the elderly, due to the benefits it brings.
If you wish, you can walk daily as it is a low-impact activity and does not involve a considerable financial expense.
Another very favorable sport is swimming as it helps us strengthen the muscles of the entire body. In addition, it helps us improve joint movement as well as flexibility.
The wonderful thing about swimming is that it can be practiced by people of all ages, including women in pregnancy or after it.
Now, what else should we know?
Advice to affect age in sport
As we have been able to notice, sport will always bring benefits to the person, if it is practiced taking into account the limitations that age brings. Of course, a child does not have the same ability to react as an adult, nor does an adult have the same ability to react as an elderly person.
So, when choosing which sport to play, we must be realistic and accept our current condition. If we have a little difficulty being objective, because we believe that we can still do certain things, we can seek the help of a personal trainer. He will know how to guide us on the path that we must travel for our well-being.
One activity that we do not need supervision for is ballroom dancing. If you like to dance, you will be able to get the most out of this activity, since it does not distinguish between gender and age.
Ballroom dancing helps improve our muscles and bones, as well as coordination, in addition to helping with weight loss, in the case of people who are obese or overweight.
Of course, it is always advisable to exercise caution, especially in the case of the elderly. They must take care of their knees and ankles.
It can be practiced two to three times a week, depending on the intensity. It is always recommended to start slowly and increase the pace over time. In addition to promoting your health, you will have the opportunity to meet other people and have healthy fun in a group.
