 Telegraph 14th Nov – Laura Shirreff
Supposed to help prevent dementia. But, at just four exercises, a wider feasible plan for older people.
1. Aerobics – loads of regimes. Up tp 150 minutes per week in 3 sessions is NICE recommendations. Cycling, swimming, running. Walking if you get sweaty and breathless. I have a rowing machine which isn’t used enough. Make your own up 2-3 times a week.
2. Pilates (and/or yoga and tai chi) – I cheated and joined a class a lot of years ago. Two of us go, so no backing out. Coffee after. Once weekly. Flexibilty is the big bonus. Supposedly good for anxiety, but so is gatting out and doing something.
3. Walking – everyone goes on about steps, even buying a machine to count them. This guide suggests 40 minutes a day. It’s a challenge. Calculate what you do as part of your day and simply make it up to 40 mins. It’s good to be out of doors, preferably in nature, weather permitting. I need to do more.
4. Lifting weights – 45 mins twice a week; I use 2kg dumbbells for arm raises, bicep and tricep curls (10 reps), with 10 kg for a sitting shoulder press (10 reps). Along with 10-20 mins on the bike for quads and the hundred for abdominals. Two circuits are plenty for me.
The article lists all the physical and chemical changes that exercise promotes with references to worthy research. I’m simple by comparison. Get up and out and do something, regularly.Â