Physical Activity Programs for Older People

To provide a physical activity (PA) program for older people, capable of offering lasting psychomotor benefits, it is necessary to prescribe exercises directed to their real needs. Moreover, to improve the quality of life of ageing people, it is important to apply an appropriate PA methodology in terms of intensity, volume, frequency, and progression, minimizing the physiological aspects that may be affected, such as cardiorespiratory function, among others. This chapter's main objective is to present a PA program for older people, which can be carried out with very simple materials and is accessible to any elderly person, being structured in three distinct phases. The first phase encompasses joint and organic mobilization. The second includes the fundamental part of the physical exercises and activities to be carried out. Finally, the third “return to calm” part, where some stretching exercises are proposed, so that participants gradually recover from the positive effects of the PA session and reflect on it.