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Senior Sport Favorites: Shuffleboard

One of the popular games for senior citizens out there is undoubtedly shuffleboard. This popular game began in pubs back in 15th Century England. With time, the name of the game changed but the objective and rules have stayed pretty much the same.

Most importantly, it’s a game that senior citizens enjoy (though it can be played at any age) and brings plenty of health benefits too. 

Rules:

Shuffleboard can be played both indoors and outdoors. The rules can vary but the general rules remain thus:

  1. A player needs to reach a score of 15 to win, but it can continue up to 21 in some tourneys.
  2. Each player takes alternate turns to slide the four weights by hand right across the board.
  3. The objective is to slide the weights onto the area of the highest scoring and outdistancing the opponent.
  4. To score points, a weight must rest farthest down the board.

Health Benefits:

There are plenty of health benefits that come with playing shuffleboard. Apart from keeping the mind sharp and giving seniors a lot of entertainment, the other advantages include:

  • Heart rate can increase as a little effort is needed
  • Releases stress 
  • The cognitive function increases
  • Works on the muscles and also provides stability and flexibility

When it comes to senior activity, safe and enjoyable workouts are essential. For obvious reasons, as well as perhaps less evident ones, elders must exercise caution. The physique of an elderly person is more delicate than that of a younger individual. 

With these tips, it becomes easier to go forth and create a nice little community of senior shuffleboard enthusiasts.

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