By Jason Greenspan
Silver Stars Fitness is a fitness studio that specializes in working with the baby boomer & beyond client.
Our clients are very diverse. We see people who are very fit and function like they’re fifteen years younger than their calendar years, as well as people who have been inactive for a long time and have various orthopedic concerns.
Silver Stars often draws clients who have been fed up with the large commercial clubs that generally cater to the younger crowd. They want a place that offers personalized attention and really understands how to design programs that are suited for them – not a 25-year-old.
Jason Greenspan, owner of Silver Stars Fitness.
We offer small group classes and private services such as Personal Training, Yoga, Pilates Tai Chi, Massage Therapy and Stretch Therapy. Our most popular classes are Balance/Fall Prevention, Total Body Strength, Pilates, Yoga and Tai Chi.
Our fitness philosophy is to build your foundation first and then focus on more FUNCTIONAL movements that are important for everyday life. The below exercises require you to stand (at Silver Stars, we stand when we work out) so balance is involved, and they use your core to stabilize your spine and work a lot of muscles at once, making them time-efficient and effective for building whole-body strength.
After the foundation is built through exercise that improves core, hip and shoulder stability, we move on to some really important movements that everyone should incorporate, but that become even more important as we get older.
TOP EIGHT EXERCISES
- Bridge: This exercise is important for many reasons, but we use this to “wake up” the glutes or butt muscles. Consider this one a great anti- sitting exercise. Sitting weakens the buttock, which can set you up for low back, knee and hip issues. The buttock is the largest and really the most important muscle in the body. Activate those glutes!
- Plank: Planks are a valuable exercise as they work a lot of muscle versus the somewhat “outdated” crunch. The plank focuses on the deep abdominal muscles that help to stabilize your spine, in addition to your low back, thighs and shoulders. It helps to build strength and endurance in your midsection that in the long run will make you less prone to low back issues.
- Squat: The squat is a common gym exercise and can be done in a lot of different ways. We squat many times throughout the day as we get up from a chair, toilet and couch, so it is a very functional exercise. The squat works your legs, buttock and core. To avoid losing your ability to do common taks and activities, make this one a staple in your program.
- Lunge: The lunge is often simulated when you climb steps or when you have to reach for an object or participate in any sport that requires taking a long step. The lunge activates your legs, buttock and core.
- Pulls: Pulling exercises are great for maintaining good posture, which often fades with age and also simulates pulling a door open or bringing an object in towards you. The row, which is a popular gym exercise, works your upper back muscles and if you stand will also work your core. Make sure to work on the back of your body to ensure good posture and stabilize your shoulders.
Pushes: Pushing is important anytime you have to open a heavy door or conduct any task that requires moving an object away from you. Typical pushing patterns are push-ups, chest presses and shoulder presses. We prefer you make the push-up your pushing activity, as it work the entire upper body and your core and is a great test of overall upper body/core strength.
- Step-up: This exercise helps to improve your ability to lift your leg off the ground, enhance balance and coordination, and of course strengthen your legs and core. Most of us have to walk up and down steps, so this exercise could also be considered a “functional movement.”
- Rotation: This movement is an important movement as most sports and tasks in life require us to rotate our trunk. Go slowly at first and if you have a back problem, ask a qualified fitness professional if this exercise is suited for you.
So there you have it – 8 valuable exercises that everyone should be doing. If you suffer from a knee, hip, shoulder or low back problem and still want to try these valuable exercises, discuss with a physical therapist or an experienced trainer on how you could modify the exercises.
For more information about the above exercises, Silver Stars classes, services or to set up a free consultation, contact us at 646-573-9724 or info@silverstarsfit.com. Silver Stars is located at 850/7th Ave (West 54/55th Street) and its website is www.silverstarsfit.com.
