ageing programe

I take consolation from being able to beat a 20 year old (who can do that sitting thing while I can't) at singles in tennis. My partner says the age difference is irrelevant

pompa

Havnt tried the floor and not going to but can easily do it from a nursery chair 1ft off the ground. I know without trying I won't be able to do it and would probably do myself an injury

Yoga teacher on R4 just said the sitting test is dangerous. Not that I was going to try, the 'no hands' getting up from chair and sitting again physio exercise is enough for me.
Jane10 - huge sympathy, ?
Me too, my knee has started giving way. As you say, fear of when/whether it will happen again does indeed rule one's life. Going to walk in X-ray next week. 'Hobble carefully in' more like!

For me the big test is waking up in the morning, every one a milestone

For me, the big test will be whether I get back on my skis next winter. Had a full knee replacement just over 2 weeks ago- but I was skiing with the grand-children and my daughters and sils 2 weeks before that. Could hardly walk to the chairlift- but skied like a pro all week. I've got great natural balance and have always been a strong and amazingly elegant (for my size) skiier - so fingers crossed.

But forget the sit down test- no way José ;)

Watched the programme on catch up last night. Tried the sit-stand thing last night and was rubbish ( the wine probably didn't help). Tried again this morning but still rubbish. Thanks for the explanation and video Suzied - you've made it much clearer and safer! I'll give it another go.

Oh yes, the exaggeratedly correct pronunciation of foreign countries and their leaders' names - wonderful!

Back in the days when Angela Rippon was a fairly new newsreader, Pamela Stephenson, on Not the Nine o.Clock News, did a wonderful 'take off' of her very careful pronunciation. I can't help 'hearing' that, when AR comes on screen!

Yes. I'm too scared to try it for fear of 'buggering' my knees, a fear that rules my life these days.

Ah hah! Thanks Mamie.

I'll second that.

Had a nice swim this morning but my 7 year old DGD raced me and beat me.

What strengthens your thigh muscles can bugger your knees.

I will carry on with my exercise biking, my walking, and the odd kitchen dancing session. I know I am doing pretty well for my age.

I can't do it without toppling on the plonking bum down bit. And I don't care.

We are all built differently. And our bodies age differently.

It's your abdominal and thigh muscles which are doing the work not your knees. These do strengthen up by doing regular exercise such as Pilates, yoga or swimming. At Pilates we regularly do squats, going down slowly a little bit at a time and staying there. That certainly strengthens up your thigh muscles. Regular exercise has got to be the key , no avoiding that I'm afraid..

Bbbface, I bet if you have a strong core and seized up joints, you WON'T be able to do it!
Welcome if you are new, I don't recognise your name. Advice on exercise is always useful. I am very inflexible, so Yoga is not for me although I did it in pregnancy. I prefer to move about a bit in classes!

Dont expect too much too soon. But whatever you do, the next time you will do better. Promise.

I started going to the gym after being caught by one of those health check things in the library. It came up with raised cholesterol and raised blood pressure and put me onto the local Active for Life programme, which gives three months of free gym sessions and a mentor and eg free Weightwatchers. I'd been saying for ages that I needed to do 'something' but this booted me into it.

I didn't think i could run - crappy knees - but found I can run on the treadmill, the rubber surface makes it OK. Heard of the C25K programme - Couch Potato to 5km run. It means three sessions a week of 30 mins on that treadmill, or outdoors if you fancy. You-can-do-it Laura in my ears giving instructions. The first week I could just about run for a minute, then a minute of walking, then run etc. The next week, two minute run, 1 minute walk etc. I missed a few weeks with illness and builders in so it took about five months in all, but I can now, incredibly, run for half an hour non-stop. Well, by 'run' I mean a slow jog, but it does involve both feet being off the ground at once. I only do about 3k in that time so speed can follow later.

It helps that the council gym here is free for over-65's, a sound financial policy.

Seriously, if I can do it, it's worth anyone having a go if you can. I'm 66, three stone overweight but I haz TARGETS.

Still can't do the sit-stand thing though.

K8tie Port de bras refers to the series of arm positions in ballet and the way that you move between them. I start in first with arms curved to the front and then open out to to each side of my body in second as I get up. It gives me upward impetus and keeps the balance.
Might be better to look on YouTube than try and understand that rambling explanation.

Jingle... You can certainly have a healthy heart and lungs and no balance.

You can also have a healthy heart and lungs and do no exercise.

The particular exercise we are talking about is very much related to fitness however. if you have a strong core, you WILL be able to do this. The way to get a string core is exercise. Nothing else will get usually there.

I am a yoga teacher.

Daft though it seems, I know my burgeoning bunion has affected my balance. I wobble all over the place sometimes, yet I think I'm pretty healthy otherwise.

That's my excuse sorted for not being able to do the crossing the feet thing properly.

Thank you, susied, brave, fit and technically savvy lady. Loved that beautiful cat, who so wanted to be in shot. Might try the sitting.......

Face it, the whole thing is rubbish. It's a telly programme.

Also, some meds can affect balance.

An older person's core can go to pot for other reasons than lack of fitness. Osteoporosis can badly affect the spine, which definitely doesn't help with keeping core strength up.

Bbbface Don't you think it's possible to have healthy heart and lungs, but with poor balance. I do.

I wonder how much you know what you're talking about.