The FastDay Forum

Of course illness, injuries and some disabilities are perfectly valid reasons not to do exercise.

But simple "old age" does not let you off the hook.

Moving further into oldie territory myself, I love stories about super-fit seniors. Of course we have a few of them on the forum!

I found this inspiring. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2015/01/15/senior-photo-series-stereotype-aging_n_6478726.html?ncid=fcbklnkushpmg00000063 and http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/asia/nepal/10075095/80-year-old-becomes-oldest-man-to-climb-Mount-Everest.html and http://m.runnersworld.com/general-interest/91-year-old-finishes-san-diego-marathon
Do you know of any others?

I agree barbarita that keeping active is important. I have had an indulgent four days away at a spa hotel with no exercise & feel inflexible with a stiff back. I did feel cold & preferred to huddle in the warm but did venture out to try a walk & scurried back to the car leaving my more resilient husband to take photos. However tomorrow I will get out my Jane Fonda dvd & work with light weights to get my arms & back moving again. I find Jane Fonda very inspirational because she is in her mid seventies now, looks lithe & toned & has pithy amusing comments to make on ageing including " exercise as we get older is an imperative!" explaining it is helping to prevent falls & helpful for picking up grandchildren & reaching to take things out of cupboards etc. She also sets off alarms in airports with her replacement ceramic knee & hip

I saw some ankle/wrist weights in Aldi the other day. Felt awfully heavy. Left them their :0@
Are they necessary?

I saw some ankle/wrist weights in Aldi the other day. Felt awfully heavy. Left them their :0@
Are they necessary?

I did have a painful arm & shoulder due to rotator cuff compression caused by becoming more round shouldered. I was told by my physiotherapist that there are so many nerves in the shoulder joint that it is impossible to identify which one is causing referred pain down the arm so exercising to correct the compression is helpful. Well I wasn't very convinced but dutifully did the exercises & then realised the use of weights gives more resistance & helps tone muscles more quickly. I still have bat wings that I am trying to improve but I do have more flexibility in my neck & shoulders & as my back & arm muscles have become stronger I don't have any more pain. So I suppose those wretched exercises did work although it took about three months! I have a range of weights but because of starting again I am using the lightest that weigh about a pound each. Small water bottles or tins of beans can be used instead. I find following a Jane Fonda dvd more amusing than my physiotherapist

I read "Strong Women Stay Young" some years ago so I know I ought to be doing weight training as well as aerobic stuff to avoid osteoporosis. Some day soon I will come up with a plan. I am not very good at following DVDs.

@Azureblue There was a fad for a while (back in the 80's or 90's?) for wearing ankle and/or wrist weights while doing aerobic routines or walking. Since then it's been learned that swinging arms and legs around with a weight at the ends puts enormous pressure on the shoulder and hip joints, causing injuries.

I use them during weight training class. For example, I typically use 2-pound wrist weights while holding 3.75 pound hand weights. This allows me to quickly put down the hand weights when the instructor launches into any movements that I find hurt my shoulders when I use more weight. When it's time for lower body work in class, I put on 2-pound ankle weights in order to get more good out of those leg lifts of various kinds. I've been doing weight training for more than 20 years, so I can use weights which are heavier than those used by most members of this class at the senior center. Beginners should start out with 1 or 2 pounds. As soon as the lifts begin to seem easy, one should increase the weight in order to continue improving strength.

I agree that exercise is the fountain of youth--for those of us who are lucky enough to become seniors without any disabling illness or accidents. Our instructor earned her karate black belt at the age of 50--she was the oldest one in her class. Our other instructor is also in her 50's with the gorgeous lithe figure of a dancer. We've occasionally had teachers in their 60's who are all muscle!

And it's never too late to start

Thank you @MaryBeth, would it be safe for me to try this at home or do I need a class and instructor?
Tempted to give them a go :0/

Hi @Azureblue I think it's safest to start off with a class geared towards older people. The instructor should encourage the group not to do anything that hurts, and to modify exercises when necessary to suit abilities. I stopped going to one class this summer when I didn't like the summer substitute for being into sarcasm and criticism rather than encouragement and praise for effort. I find lifting weights boring, so I really like the instructor who keeps us all interested and laughing. The socializing is fun, too.

If you can't find a class (I'll put on my librarian hat here) see what books and DVD's are available at your public library. Look for something that emphasizes safety and good form. When you find something you like, then you can buy your own copy.

I wouldn't recommend just getting weights and doing "stuff" on your own--too easy for older people to hurt their joints.

Then there's youtube--I would study them and choose only those who seem to understand the limitations of seniors.

Good luck!

@Azureblue There was a fad for a while (back in the 80's or 90's?) for wearing ankle and/or wrist weights while doing aerobic routines or walking. Since then it's been learned that swinging arms and legs around with a weight at the ends puts enormous pressure on the shoulder and hip joints, causing injuries.

I learned that while gardening today; not to swing a heavy pot in the guise of throwing it in the bin.

Thanks Barbarita,found those folk in first link v inspiring - specially as they took up new activities in their mlater years - fifties,sixties etc
My Dad was a good example..he kept very active,walked miles every day, and stayed in work til he was in his eighties.. Lived well into his nineties
very important to keep moving even if restricted by illness and/ or disability,and to keep an open mind x

Oh, @Pennyforthem I hope your shoulder is not feeling too bad. I had my first shoulder injuries doing the same thing--throwing heavy bags over the front seat into the "crew" area of a pickup. Resting it for a few days (or more, depending on severity) seems to be the best thing to do, at least for me.

thank you thats inspiring

I think I disagree. The big advantage of being old is that you can use it as an excuse for all sorts of things. You can be totally outrageous and get away with it and long may it last!

Just look at Julie Bishop. Australia's foreign minister, at age 56. Not saying 56 is old.
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article ... offee.html

personally i thnk she is too thin and 4 hours sleep a night.. yeah right.. that cant be good for you.

I don't think she looks too thin at all. However 4 hours sleep a night is a misfortune, not an achievement (ask my OH!). And I don't like these articles that are supposed to be about women who succeed in fields that are not related to their appearance (ie not performing or modelling) and yet write about them in a way they would not about men. (Is David Cameron too thin? Does Obama do too much running?)