As we age, some people think we should stop, slow down or “leave it for the young ones”. But I’m here to tell you: don’t stop! Keep going, keep moving, keep improving, and keep exercising.
Of course, there are things I did in my 20s that I cannot do now – landing hurts a lot more when you are older! And, I don’t really want to do the same things I did back then.
The body, of course, does change over time and so does our understanding of when to push harder, or to pull back and do a little less.
It’s important to draw on our experiences to understand our bodies better. What we don’t want to do when exercising is push too hard and get an injury – we just want to keep feeling and looking great.
Things to know
- Warming up is 10 minutes well spent.
- Weight training is great for maintaining and building a little bit of muscle. It can also help with bone density and strengthening your joints.
- Have a rest day after a day of weight training.
- Cardio is great for helping with weight control and heart health. You do not need to run a marathon, but jogging is a great way to keep fit. Usually, a little bit of impact on the body is okay.
- Stretching is a really good way to break up your session. Part-way through your session, after you are warmed up, try 10 minutes of stretching. This can give the body a chance to recharge, so you can get back into it.
- Body-weight exercises work really well, too, and you can work the whole body in one session.
- Every exercising session, take 10 minutes to work on your core. This will help with your posture and balance.
- Boxing is a great way to combine cardio and strength training – and it can work wonders for stress management!
- Stick to a routine – it will keep you focused.
More fitness:
Circuit workout
- 10 minutes warm-up
- 20 x bench press (bar only)
- 20 x cable bicep curls (10kg)
- 20 x tricep push-downs (10kg)
- 20 x seated row (20kg)
- Circuit workout – repeat three times, with one minute rest in between each round: 20 x leg press (20kg); 20 x squats, holding dumbbells (5kg each hand); 20 x step-ups each leg; 3 minutes jogging
- 5 minutes stretching
