In this article, we have reviewed the best exercise equipment for seniors. If you are in a hurry, the table below gives a quick snapshot of the top ones.
Contents
You might be shocked to know that only 35 – 44% of adults above 75 are physically active, and only 28-34% of people in the age group 65-74 are physically active[1].
The benefits of staying active for the elderly are abundant. Exercises help to keep your mind and body active. Moreover, working out on a consistent basis can slow age-related conditions and reduce the risk of heart diseases.
So choosing exercise equipment that is enjoyable and safe for seniors is an important task. Fortunately, some senior-friendly and safe exercise machines burn calories, improve your physique, and increase body flexibility.
In this article, we have listed some of the best exercise equipment for seniors. Let’s check them one by one.
Our Top Choice – Sunny Health & Fitness Rowing Machine
The Sunny Health & Fitness SF-RW1205 Rowing Machine Rower with 12 Level Adjustable Resistance, Digital Monitor and 100 KG Max Weight is our top choice for Best Exercise Equipment For Seniors because of the following reasons:
- 12 levels of hydraulic resistance will give an enduring ride.
- Digital monitor to track your progress.
- A wide cushioned seat ensures proper blood flow during intense workouts.
- Cushioned handles for a wide range of motions.
- Large anti-slip footplates for safety.
Best Exercise Equipment for Seniors
#1 Sunny Health & Fitness Rowing Machine
This rowing machine is the ideal equipment for the elderly. It is easy to use, has simple maneuverability, and elders can safely stretch their muscles and get a great cardio workout with these rowing machines.
Features and Benefits
12 Level of Resistance: This machine’s hydraulic resistance system creates a smooth row through its 12 levels of resistance. It will allow a complete and enduring ride while increasing your cardiovascular fitness and burning of calories.
Better Range of Motion: This rowing machine helps to achieve the safest posture through each row while allowing you to open your range of motion. Its pivoting foot pedals with foot straps are suitable for those having tight muscles. The cushioned handles allow a wide range of movements and help to open your body.
Adjustability: The adjustable pedal straps can easily fit your feet and keep your feet saddled so you can focus on your workout. Further, these foot pedals will serve all sizes, so give a good grip ensuring safety to seniors during an intense workout.
Ergonomic and Portable: This rowing machine is designed with a cushioned seat with extra padding to ensure proper blood flow and relieve pressure points in the tail bone. Further, its digital monitor tracks your progress, count time and calories burned. Its compact design makes it easy for seniors to move it from one place to another.
Why should you buy it?
Besides being an excellent exercise machine, if you are looking to lose weight, this rowing machine is for you. This machine is designed with 12 hydraulic resistance system levels to improve your physique and burn calories in an easy and efficient way.
#2 Sunny Health & Magnetic Under Desk Elliptical
This elliptical is an ideal senior-friendly machine as seniors who cannot stand for a long time can torch some calories, improve their balance and endurance with this machine.
Features and Benefits
Magnetic Resistance: This machine uses 8 magnetic resistance levels to provide an increased level of intensity to workouts. Further, the belt drive mechanism with magnetic resistance gives you low maintenance and a smooth exercise experience.
Safe Equipment: This elliptical is safe for the elderly because it has foot pedals that are non-slippery keeping them safe. These foot pedals offer a wide range of motions and serve all sizes. Further, the grip will ensure a good and safe grip while working out.
Adjustable Resistance: Its low maintenance design gives ease to perform a wide variety of exercises. With the tension knob, you can select the resistance level as per your needs. Further, its central digital monitor tracks speed, time, and calories, or you can choose the scan function through all workout variables.
Portable Design: This tool can fit under most of the desks, and its centrally located transportation handle allows us to move the elliptical with ease from one place to another.
Why should you buy it?
If you have limited mobility and cannot stand for a long time, you must choose this machine. It uses 8 levels of magnetic resistance to provide an increased level of intensity to workouts. Moreover, its low maintenance design gives ease to perform a wide variety of exercises.
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#3 Sunny Health & Fitness Walking Treadmill
The lightweight treadmill uses a low profile deck to reduce joint impact in every step with shock absorption technology, making it ideal for elders.
Features and Benefits
Shock Absorption: This lightweight treadmill is built with shock absorption technology to reduce joints’ impact while walking or jogging. Further, this low treadmill deck supports a weight capacity of up to 295 lbs.
User-Friendly Console: It’s simple, designed console tracks duration and calories burned. The mode button helps to reach your fitness goals while keeping track of workout data in an easy and efficient way. Further, the speed button on the console helps to make quick speed adjustments.
Extensive Handrails: The multi-grip handrails of this low deck treadmill give extra support. Its thick padded handlebar is made to ensure a comfortable grip. The extensive guardrails assist in the safety of seniors.
Easy to Transport: This treadmill is easy to shift from one place to another with its front-mounted transportation wheels. The easy on and off setup gives convenience and comfort.
Why should you buy it?
If you like to jog, but find it difficult to bear the impact of jogging outdoors, you must try this treadmill. This lightweight treadmill uses a low profile deck to reduce joint impact in every step with the shock absorption technology. Further, it features surrounding handles, no-frills control, and a user-friendly console to improve overall physique.
#4 Sunny Health & Fitness Recumbent Exercise Bike
This magnetic recumbent bike is ideal for seniors as it allows for a wide range of comfortable riding postures with its 8 level of magnetic resistance.
Features and Benefits
Resistance: 8 level of magnetic resistance helps to adjust the intensity of your workout to your fitness level. You can enjoy a different level of workouts with the help of this resistance exercise bike.
Easy Seat Adjustment: This bike’s easy seat adjustment allows for a 2-way seat adjustment while remaining seated on the bike. With a flick of a handle, you can adjust your seat forward or backward as per your comfort. The sturdy bike can hold a weight capacity of up to 300lbs.
Dual Handlebar: The dual handlebars on both sides give more flexibility during the ride. Further, there are pulse sensors to track your heart rate during your ride. This helps to provide more fruitful workout results.
Easy Transport: The transportation wheels give ease to transport your bike from one place to another. With the onboard stabilizers, you can level your bike to your space by making the necessary modifications.
Why should you buy it?
If you have back pain, you may like to exercise on this bike. You can sit comfortably on this bike with its easy seat adjustment. Moreover, its 8 levels of magnetic resistance help adjust your workout’s intensity to your fitness level.
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#5 Best Choice 3 Piece Kettlebell
The set of 3 kettlebells is one of the best exercise equipment for seniors. Kettlebell exercises for seniors help to build their muscle strength, balance, and flexibility of bones.
Features and Benefits
Muscle Strength: The set of 3 kettlebells weighs 5, 10, and 15 pounds and helps you target all major muscle groups with various exercise options. With its wide and comfortable grip, seniors can easily hold these weights and do kettlebell exercises.
Increase Grip Strength: These kettlebell exercises help you to increase your grip strength. These allow for a wide and comfortable grip, which makes it easy for seniors to hold them. Further, it increases your bone density due to the additional force put through the kettlebell joints and bones.
Ergonomic Design: It is made of durable HDPE filled with cement and is easy to hold. So you can add this equipment to your daily exercise routine. Further, its maneuvering is also easy and can be done conveniently.
Convenient Storage: Storing these kettlebells is convenient as the set includes a base rack that provides the location for their easy storage and keeps your kettlebells in an organized way.
Why should you buy it?
If you are into cardio or strength training, then you must try these kettlebells. The kettlebell workout offers a lot of flexibility to your muscles and can be useful to do things like lunges, lifts, and shoulder presses.
#6 EveryMile Wobble Balance Board
This balance board is ideal for improving coordination and balance while stabilizing your muscles and improving posture.
No products found.Features and Benefits
Everyday Workouts: This wobble board efficiently provides stable everyday workouts. It features a circular board attached to a domed side that pivots in all directions. This board offers some exercises like lunges, squats, and calf raises and helps stabilize the elderly’s muscles while improving posture.
Surface: The surface is non-slippery which will give better grip and traction during workouts and prevents the chances of sliding off, thus, giving full safety to seniors. Further, the side handles help perform pushups and to build upper body and core strength.
360 Rotation: This board rotates in all directions through 360 degrees. It allows for the dynamic movement of your legs and feet. You are free to tilt it to 15 degrees from side to side or back to front while rotating in all directions.
Solid Construction: This equipment is made of heavy-duty plastic and can hold weights up to 300lbs. Further, its base is remarkably textured to offer extra traction during exercising.
Why should you buy it?
If you are looking for a device to improve your body balance, then you must try this board. This sturdy construction board helps you to improve your balance while strengthening your core muscles and boosting the flexibility and focus that you need in your performance.
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#7 TheFitLife Exercise Resistance Bands
Resistance training is used to improve muscle strength. Resistance bands provide tension, which acts as a resistive force against your muscles’ motion as you push/pull/stretch. TheFitLife resistance bands are one of the most lightweight and inexpensive exercise equipment for seniors.
No products found.Features and Benefits
Anti-snap Bands: FitLife resistance bands are made of natural latex, odor-free, stackable, and completely anti-break material. The handles of the bands are sweat and skid proof, with strong fabric and steel D buckles that give the user complete safety.
Lightweight and Portable: The most important advantage of resistance bands, apart from their versatility, is that they can be carried anywhere. The FitLife resistance bands are especially lightweight and can be easily carried along with you to the gym, the park, or any other place.
Versatility: One of the few gym-type of equipments that can exercise almost any muscle in the human body, the FitLife resistance bands, are extremely versatile. This is a set of 5 bands that can be stacked to create a resistance weight of anywhere between 10 pounds to 110 pounds.
Inexpensive: These are perhaps the best value for money investment to make. Resistance bands offer incredible versatility in exercise at a fraction of the cost of heavier equipment like dumbbells, barbells, or kettlebells.
Why should you buy it?
Resistance bands are all-round miracle workers. You can do so much with these bands that they are perfect for the novice beginner right upto the most consistent of gym- goers. For the elderly, resistance bands offer just the kind of flexibility, versatility, and ease of use that the doctor suggests. They can be used to exercise any muscle that you need to focus upon.
No products found.
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Buyer’s Guide: Best Exercise Equipment For Seniors
Safety:
The very first thing to consider while buying exercise equipment for seniors is safety. So choose that equipment where you can safely do your workouts without the risk of any injury. There are specific equipment like rowing machines or treadmills designed for seniors that offer ease of workout while assuring full security.
Determine Your Workout Need:
There are different exercise equipment available for seniors. However, you can categorize them as per your workout needs. For cardio exercises, you can use treadmills, rowing machines, elliptical trainers. For strength, you can try kettlebells. For balance, balance boards are great.
Portability:
The compact design of the equipment is another factor to consider as it makes it easy for you to carry your gear. Moreover, specific equipment includes transportation wheels to transport them from one place to another. If you foresee movement of your equipment, look for something that will be easy to transport or move.
Frequently Asked Questions: Best Exercise Equipment for Seniors
How often should seniors workout?
The average time that a senior can workout is 30 minutes. If you are 65 and above, you can do at least 2.5 hours of moderate aerobic exercises per week. Every week you can have one hour and 15 minutes of vigorous exercise. However, listen to your body and avoid working out if you are not feeling well.
Is elliptical good for seniors?
Yes, ellipticals are suitable for seniors, especially seniors who wish to sidestep the harsh impact of exercise machines while staying active. These cross trainers help to shape your body for fast walking and keep your joints moving.
What exercise machine burns the most belly fat?
A treadmill is one machine that helps to burn calories at the highest rate of any cardio exercise machine. Moreover, running on the treadmill is one of the most effective ways to quickly lose your belly fat.
Conclusion
Maintaining strength and mobility is one of the biggest concerns of seniors. So it’s important to keep exercise equipment and to use them regularly so that you can improve your body muscles and stay fit and healthy. But before buying the best exercise equipment for seniors, you must consider certain factors such as maneuverability, weight, shape sizes, etc.
In our opinion, the Sunny Health & Fitness SF-RW1205 Rowing Machine Rower with 12 Level Adjustable Resistance, Digital Monitor and 100 KG Max Weight is the best choice among the various options that we have considered because this rowing machine is the ideal equipment for the elderly. It is easy to use, has simple maneuverability, and elders can safely stretch their muscles and get a great cardio workout with these rowing machines.
The Sunny Health & Fitness Fully Assembled Magnetic Under Desk Elliptical Peddler, Portable Foot & Leg Pedal Exerciser(White) - SF-E3872 is our next best choice because this elliptical is an ideal senior-friendly machine as the seniors who stand for a long time can torch some calories, improve their balance and endurance with this machine.
If you are looking for a value for money option, you can also consider the No products found., which offers great value and features at a very reasonable price point.
For any exercise you undertake, the type of shoes you choose are critical. Make sure to support your workout with a pair of comfortable and well-chosen shoes:
- Best Running Shoes for Bad Knees
- Best Shoes for Broken Toe
- Shoes for the Elderly with Balance Problems
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