Give Tai Chi a Try

If you're getting older, martial arts may not be on your radar as an activity you should take up. In fact, when most people think about how they want to spend their days in retirement, activities like golf or gardening are more likely to come to mind.

Maybe that's a mistake, though.

In fact, research from Harvard suggests that opting for a Tai Chi class over more traditional exercises, such as walking or swimming, could be the best way to stay fit after 60.

Tai Chi is equivalent to a brisk walk in terms of its aerobic potential, and may be more vigorous than training with weights. It's also been proven to offer these benefits:

Help promote bone strength and joint stability.

Improve cardiovascular health

Boost your immune system

Develop your emotional well-being

Boost your overall fitness levels

Improve cognitive function and focus

It can also reduce falls by as much as 45%, which is an enormous benefit, as more than one in four older Americans fall each year, according to the CDC. Parkinson's patients, in particular, may benefit from improvements in balance that can result from practicing Tai Chi.