ageing programe

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.

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!

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..

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.

What strengthens your thigh muscles can bugger your knees.

I'll second that.

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

Ah hah! Thanks Mamie.

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

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!

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

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.

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 ;)

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

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!

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

pompa

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

there's quite a bit of this on here!!!. Not very nice at your ages and should know better!. AR is an extremely fit woman as we all know so we can only try our best and if we don't succeed the first time then try try again. I for one thought she was very brave to let us all see her without her face on.
There's no need for the catty remarks and if you don't like the programme then don't watch it. Most people on here will keep on trying to get fitter and as long as we don't do ourselves any harm we'll keep on trying that x legged exercise.
Next weeks programme on the brain should be very interesting.

pompa

I can heartily recommend getting a young dog, especially of the working spaniel variety! Since I got my pup (a working cocker spaniel), my fitness levels are rising daily. Plenty of fresh air and exercise. It's hard to tire my girl out!! I had lost half a stone.....but Easter and chocolate eggs have put it back on again.

I found that you can't do the floor thing if like me, you have a herniated disc which has affected spinal column and sciatic nerve. Even though that was years ago and no real discomfort nowadays there's a lameness that remains. so the floor exercise is pretty meaningless. Not for everyone, as others have remarked.

Gemmmag why is it 'brave' to let us see her without her face on? Because she's old? Because she's a celebrity? If the first then I am positively courageous because I didn't wear make up any day during my holiday last week. If its the celeb, she chooses to do it and gets paid to do it. If she is busy showing everyone how fit she is at her age I don't see why we can't discuss if she has aged as well in other areas. You can be fit but still not look good- which is interesting in itself.
The cross legged stand is a stunt not an exercise. A lot of it depends on the state of your bones and joints, arthritis and other problems often restrict mobility as we get older. I'd far rather hear about someone who is managing to maintain mobility in spite of these than see a celeb do some silly stunt.

I was very disheartened after watching it I'm not 60 and found it difficult to get down on the floor and had to use my arms and knees to get up I am a couple of stone overweight so it made me realize I've got to do something about it I broke my leg and foot two years ago put a lot of weight on and have never lost it my first thought when I saw AR makeup free reminded me of something my mother said once you hit 50 it's your face or your figure that's the choice.

I was very disheartened too. I'm hoping that I'll come out a bit better at next week's programme -maybe my brain will turn out to be in better working order than my body? I can but hope!

I nerver put a 'face on' apart from my own - must be braver than the brave then ;)

Yes trisher for both those reasons.