You may ask, what could make me live longer in the later years? What are some ways that I can keep my body healthy?

Some sports that are recommended for adults who have these questions are swimming, pickleball, golf, dancing, cycling, yoga, tennis, and kayaking. There are so many other good activities and sports but these are the more popular ones. 

Sports 

 I interviewed one of our amazing PE teachers, Mrs. Kelley, here at Pentucket and she recommended: “Slow pitch softball, tennis, golf, disc golf, and pickleball are all activities that have no physical contact and are easier on the body.” 

Golf

Golf is a moderate form of exercise with a range of health benefits both physical and mental. If you walk all 18 holes, you put in about five miles and can burn up to 400 calories.

Swimming & Water Aerobics 

For all stages of life, swimming is one of the most recommended workouts. It’s one of the best senior-safe sports because it’s easy on the joints, but a great full-body exercise. 

Swimming is a cardiovascular workout that strengthens the heart as well. It improves flexibility and builds muscles, which are often ignored by other workouts. As if that weren’t enough, it also relieves stress and supports emotional health. Even walking or wading through a pool can be great exercise. For water aerobics, the water supports the weight of your body, taking off stress on your bones. It provides natural resistance to tone and builds muscles. 

Cycling

Biking is a cardio exercise that can be light on the muscles and joints. You can combine getting around town or going shopping with getting exercise, for better comfortability look for comfortable bicycles designed specifically for seniors. 

Yoga 

The slow movements and deep breathing of yoga increase blood flow and warm up muscles. It does not only improve strength by holding a pose but also improves flexibility and balance. Yoga can also ease the symptoms of arthritis. This makes yoga one of the safest of the senior-safe sports.

Rowing, Kayaking, and Canoeing

Leisure activities like these provide a workout for all the major muscle groups. All three strengthen your core, back, legs, and arms while burning more calories than either running or cycling. Since kayaking and canoeing mainly work the upper body, they’re often recommended for people who’ve injured their knees earlier in life.

After College 

Mrs. Kelley also gave me some insight into her opinions about staying active after college.  

She said  “Gyms offer a variety of activities, resistance training, group classes, yoga, swimming, and lifelong sports like racquet sports. Some people get into running road races, CrossFit, or adult sports leagues. Playing basketball,  soccer, floor hockey, ice hockey, volleyball, flag football, hiking, skiing, and snowboarding are also great ways to be outdoors.”

Just being outside comes with a ton of benefits. Even if you aren’t quite capable of doing a sport, being outside can help not only your mental health but also your physical health. 

 What are the Benefits of Keeping Yourself Acctive Through Adulthood?

 As you age there are so many great benefits of staying active.  I asked Mrs Kelley what the benefits are and she said these main ideas.

Staying active will help people maintain a healthy weight and body composition. Physically it will increase bone density and help prevent injuries, along with reducing risks of chronic illnesses such as heart disease, strokes, type two diabetes, and some cancers. 

Mentally it can help with memory loss and reduce the risks of dementia. Staying active will also help with getting good sleep and also help with anxiety and depression. 

Socially, staying active and playing sports with others can create a sense of community.  

 I also asked Mrs. Kelley, do you know what teachers here at Pentucket do in their free time to keep themselves active?

 She said “I know people workout, weight train, run and walk. Some play tennis and pickleball.” She talked about how when people age they need to be more considerate of their body and play less impact sports, so that is why strength training racket sports, and running are perfect ways to get exercise.  

I also interviewed Mrs. Kastiglioni, the athletic trainer at Pentucket. She said that overall you should play sports that you are passionate about but racket sports are a good way to move your body because “they are less challenging. She also added that she does running and strength training which she does to keep herself active which she also recommends.  

Lastly, I got to interview Mrs. Lapar, one of our science teachers. She told me what she likes to do in her free time to keep herself active. “After college, I did more workout classes along with still playing field hockey. I have been playing since I was in fourth grade. As you know I do like to run.”

Mrs. Kelley’s Insight on Pickleball 

 Did you know that Coach Hayden, Mrs. Beaton, Mr. Bub, and Mrs. Maloney all play pickleball together? 

“Pickleball has been around for a long time, but has suddenly become so popular and is a great sport to play. There are many outdoor and inside facilities being built all over for people to join leagues for all skill levels. Pickleball is a great sport to play. I encourage everyone to give it a try.”