Its good to force yourself to do things sometimes especialy Music

I do know what you mean Seacliff, my DH and I are members of our local community choir and I always feel so much better after our practice sessions. We run our own small business & work full time and can't get out in the day so I'm grateful that we meet of an evening - and also that there are no auditions or I'd never have got in! DH takes it more seriously than me and has a good voice. It's physically good for you and learning new songs is supposed to be good for helping keep your brain working. We've made some lovely new friends too, which has to be a good thing. Our oldest member is in his 90s and drives himself to our sessions each week, that's something to aim for

I agree that its good to challenge yourself. When I read in the paper yesterday that only 10% of 60-70 year old do more than a 10 minute walk per month I was horrified.
I wanted to try Walking Netball but there wasn't a group in my area so I got in touch with the netball Association and started one. We quickly got to 15 of us playing regularly and its great to hear all the laughter. You don't have to be sporty to do this and you don't have to have ever played netball. The other thing that important is cost. We don't have any special clothes just some supportive shoes/trainers and its only £2 per session which all helps to make it accessible.

Once they have got rid of those hideous shocking pink dresses that festooned all their sale racks last year, the racks will be full of "floral print 3/4 sleeve wrap dress". Have you ever seen anything quite so like a dressing gown to actually be supposed to venture out in?

sorry wrong thread - back to M&S clothes!!

In September 2016 I had a health incident which left me firstly using a Zimmer frame and then walking sticks. Diagnosis a dead area in my brain and brain shrinkage. I had no balance and kept falling over. Fast forward to March 2017 when my daughter insisted on taking me to ladies only kickboxing as she would get an Easter Egg for bringing a friend. Ridiculous I thought as I’m weak and the most unsporty person. It was the best thing ever. I have lots of new friends. We go out socially for our birthdays etc. I feel energised, my strength is great and I get a buzz from every class which is twice a week. Ages range from early twenties to me, the granny of the group, at 68. I have progressed to my fourth belt and have taken part in four hour mixed martial arts sessions. It doesn’t matter whether you sing, knit or punch and kick people, it’s the getting out and doing it ever when you feel rubbish and it’s pouring hard. Once you’ve been to a class, you feel on top of the world.

I force myself to go to a Pilates class every week. I no longer enjoy it as I have a lot of aches and pains. Hey ho, it's better to keep going than to stiffen up for good.

I've just taken up Tai Chi once a week. It was a horrible day yesterday weatherwise but I did go and felt wonderful afterwards!

Oh you are all doing such great things. I think it's so much more fun when you are doing something as part of a group, as you spur each other on and have a laugh. I am not good at motivating myself to do things alone.

I have found a choir near me, thanks Luckygirl. It is £5 a session. I am trying to economise and see if I can afford to totally retire, but all these extras add up. There is also a U3A singing group, but that is a work day for me at the moment.

I would heartily recommend learning the ukulele, if you're new to music. I understand it has also replaced recorder lessons at many schools It isn't the most melodic instrument, but it is small, can be bought cheaply, and is one of the easiest instruments to learn.

Grannytotwins, wow you are amazing. I would never dare to try something like that. I have got a lot less mobile recently, due to weight gain mainly. I really need to do something about it. I want to join a group of similar "old crocks".

Well done to you seacliff. It's brave to have a go at something that you haven't tried before and are not very confident about.

I agree with you wholeheartedly. I'm in two choirs and sometimes, when it's cold and miserable outside, I'm tempted not to go. But I do and I always feel so much better for it.

All my life I have sung in a choir. Every time I have moved house, one of the first things I do is find a choir to join.
Locally there are lots to choose from, at all levels, including a Fun Chorus.
After a rehearsal of one of the top choirs in the area, I come home exhilarated, almost like feeling I have done a mental workout. The standard is very high and you have to learn fast in this choir. In addition, we are singing the current work in German, so there is a lot to get your head round. I love it.
Sometimes I do a Come & Sing on a Saturday. Learn and perform a work in a day. Great fun.

If you want to join a choir, don’t put it off, voices deteriorate with age, and several choir members locally I know have had to retire from them.They are very social groups who have a great time.
No age limit for learning an instrument though, just dedication needed.

Have just taken up table tennis such fun.Dont always feel like getting of the sofa these cold wet evenings but always glad I made the effort.

I have just joined a small local gym that I can walk to and am in the process of cancelling my membership of V****n which had got really expensive. I could only get there by car along a very busy and congested road and tended to make excuses for not going. I now have no excuse and having made the effort to get there I really enjoy using the machines and passing the time of day with the other ladies (and a few men) who go. In spite of a few creaky joints and the need for a sit down afterwards it’s all part of the regime to use it or lose it in the year I turn 70!

Yes, go join a (community) choir! We moved here four years ago and joined our local choir - £2 a week, no auditions, 100 plus members and a full and varied repertoire. We sing locally in churches, community centres, and have reached the dizzy heights of Rochester and Canterbury Cathedrals, at the Brandenburg concerts held in London, and next year at the Royal Albert Hall! We have a brilliant Musical Director and pianist, and wonderful people to make music with. Music can and does lift the soul! ?

Of course lemongrove is right about voices deteriorating, but in a non-auditioned, fun choir that shouldn’t make any difference. People just go to sing, not necessarily well. Some choirs wouldn't exist without the over-sixties!

I don’t understand the hangup about reading music, though. At the fairly basic level required for most stuff a non-auditioned choir would be singing, reading music would be easy. Why not learn? After all, six-year-olds can do it.

Procrastinating, Kim19. I annoy myself by doing that too.

I couldn't agree more. Sadly if I got my ukulele out in company I'd probably empty the room in less than five minutes! More practice is definitely required.

I've recently started in a handbell ringing group. The group itself is very new so we're all pretty clueless.
Mostly one only has to use two bells at a time, and we have music with the relevant notes highlighted (lots of work from the tutor).
A friend gave me a 1-hr crash course in music reading as I had no idea about it.
It's astonishing to me to be doing something musical, as I never thought I had any aptitude for it.

Circle dancing is something I've done for a long time, though.
No partner needed, dances traditional and newer, all welcome.
circledancegrapevine.co.uk

I’m actually amazed at the explosion in popularity of the ukelele. It’s an instrument that’s been around for years - I remember a friend of mine at school had one that I used to like to strum, and that’s going back a bit, but it really seems to have taken off recently. One of my step-grandson’s has one and taught himself to play. Next time I go up there I may have to have little plink!

FarNorth, handbells make a lovely sound. I envy you.

seacliff, I belong to a Tuneless Choir which, as the name suggests, is for people who think they can't sing (I could clear a room in 10 seconds!). The idea is to have FUN, we laugh at all the bum notes but we have a go at anything. We have also done several performances (not obligatory) in the local area.
Tuneless Choirs are popping up all over the country so have a look around your area. I love my Tuneless Tuesday and it has made me generally feel better in myself.

We'll look out for you on Youtube with 'Little Stick of Blackpool Rock' !

I have just moved out of one choir which was once a good choral society but fell foul of a change of conductor due to his retirement at 80 two years ago.

The replacement was nowhere near up to the job. Her rehearsals were dreadful, unfocused and her conductors standards very low.
( I should have moved two years ago but hoping it might get better). A bad idea that.

After Christmas I finished there and joined a newer one with an excellent and inspiring conductor.

All my enthusiasm has come flooding back, the rehearsal was great fun and hard work and the quality of the singing is great. My spirits are well and truly lifted.

I read once that orchestra conductors often work into old age because they have beautiful music 'washing over' them their whole lives, which sustains them. Maybe the Rolling Stones know that too!!