Angus Gold - Exercise classes

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There are all sorts of exercises and activities that can benefit the four key areas of fitness - stamina, strength, suppleness and balance. You should try to incorporate activities that challenge all four into your regular routine. Just a little bit of effort can make a lot of difference to your future wellbeing.

So here's a look at of some of the easily accessible activities that may appeal to you and how they can improve your fitness.

Exercises for Stamina

Swimming, walking briskly, walking up a gentle hill, climbing stairs, digging the garden, sweeping up leaves, cleaning windows - all of these can make your heart beat that bit faster and gradually improve your stamina. If you are walking, aim for a pace that makes you feel a little breathless and warm, but still allows you to comfortably hold a conversation. As you get fitter, your walking pace will become faster and your breathing easier. These activities often make you feel tired which can be helpful if you have sleeping problems. And stamina building activities such a running, tennis and aerobics are also what is known as 'weight bearing exercises' - which are important in the prevention of osteoporosis

Exercise for Strength

Certain activities will help strengthen and tone your muscles. Taking part in them is the only way to slow or even reverse the loss of muscle and bone strength that occurs with ageing. Strong muscles will support your back and the joints in your ankles and knees; help you maintain your balance when you stand up from a sitting position and help you to get up should you fall down. They'll also help with all sorts of daily tasks from getting out of the bath or a chair to picking up a grandchild. Finding difficulty with such things is often the first sign that you are `not as young as you were'. In order to strengthen muscles, you need to take part in activities which are repeated a number of times and which tighten then relax muscles. Muscles in your hands, arms, legs and back are particularly important.

You can do this by joining an exercise class or using gym equipment which strengthens a range of muscles. But you can also do various day to day things such as getting up out of a chair and sitting down again a few times or pushing against an immovable object that provides resistance, such as wall, then moving away. You can also improvise your own exercise equipment by lifting up then putting down something that is relatively heavy - such as a bottle filled with sand or water. But, at home or at the gym, you should always start with a relatively light weight and build up gradually to something heavier. And be sure to bend your knees when doing this from a standing position so you don't strain your back.

Flexibility and suppleness

Activities that involve stretching muscles in your back, neck, arms, hands or legs can improve their flexibility. This will help make it easier for you to do everything from reaching up to get something off a shelf to looking over your shoulder while driving. Stretching exercises can even strengthen lower back muscles, and improve posture and balance. You should be careful when deliberately stretching a muscle. Muscles can easily be damaged if they haven't been `warmed' up adequately. It is also important not to overstretch a muscle. Therefore if you would like to develop or improve muscle flexibility it may be preferable to join an exercise or gym class so that a qualified teacher can guide you safely.

Balance and co-ordination

Strong muscles that respond quickly will help you to maintain your balance. Good balance is important in the prevention of falls, which often result in a broken wrist or fractured hip. There are special exercises that can help with balance and muscle tone - t'ai chi classes can be helpful. But if you plan to join t'ai chi or any other exercise class, be sure your teacher is qualified. Good co-ordination can also be encouraged by ball games such as table tennis, bowls, tennis - even playing a simple game of `catch'.