At the moment, the only exercise I get is a couple of half-hour walks a day with Billy. By the time each half-hour is up, I am usually hardly able to walk. The strength in my hips and legs has gone. It is worrying.
The best exercise for me, and the one I enjoy the most, is swimming. That DOESN'T mean going down to the sea, or a local pool, but swimming at home in France.
Our pool isn't big, it's 9 metres long by 4 metres wide. Big enough for us, but not for Olympic competitions.
Every time I enter the pool (usually 3 or 4 times a day), I do 10 or more lengths. I'm sure that it does me good. Swimming exercises all parts of the body, and is (mostly) painless.
I'm sure it helps with my mobility, and is preferable to 'going to the gym'.
My only problem is that I'm in England, and it'd be too cold to swim anyway! But I can dream.
26 comments:
May be if you cannot swim in Brighton and have pain after a short time of walking, go and check if you do not have osteoporosis . Just an advice and believe me soft gym exercices can really help.
Good luck and enjoy your sunday.
Bettina
I was thinking along the same lines as Bettina........I suggest a visit to a physio might help! Some gentle exercises to strengthen your legs etc. In the meantime you could practice standing up from sitting without holding on.....start with a higher chair and just a few tries, and then a lower one when you feel stronger.
I do a few bending exercises which DO help. I try to keep on top of things!
Thank you Frances. That is amongst the exercises I do at home. As I said above, they DO help, but I fear that my problems are here to stay. Summer swimming and sunshine are the best medicines.
Do people bathe in the sea at Brighton in the winter? I'm not suggesting you do it, just curious.
Yes I'm sure swimming is one of the best exercises as you get older. Your whole body gets exercised without having to bear the body weight.
Just keep on doing those leg strengthening exercises. I'm sure they help
Every single day! The last time I spoke to a winter-swimmer I asked him what the temperature was; it was 13 C. I won't swim in anything less than 20 C (usually more).
I actually enjoy swimming too.
Is there a swimming pool locally? There is an early morning and a lunchtime swim, just for adults, at our local school. It is a shame to lose the fitness you gain in summer.
I have just been introduced to a YouTube series of gentle chair exercises for the over 60s. I have started to try them out as the aches and pains have been gradually creeping up on me.
Have you thought of going out on a bike Cro, (even a 3 wheeler one) is that something you could do? I think it's fairly flat around Brighton, along the seafront at least, and it would be excercise without damaging your hips etc. Do they have any special cycle paths around there? I read only yesterday that cycling is even better than walking apparently.
I know a local pool isn’t the same as your lovely pool in summer but it would help until you get back to France. Give it a go. If you really don’t like it you don’t have to go back. Gigi
I live in a flat in a high rise building, our indoor pool is heated to about 29.5 C year around, I use the pool almost every day. We have an outdoor pool that is open in the summer.
There is one, but it's not really practical for me. I shall stick to walking until June!
Some of the exercises are pathetic, but others really do help (for a while). My aches and pains are here to stay!
I used to be a very keen cyclist, but I'm afraid that my cycling days are over. I did try a short ride on my wife's bike, but I 'failed'.
I would love to go, but for practical reasons it's not possible. Shame. There are lots of things I would like to do.
When ours gets to about 28 C we feel that it doesn't refresh us any more. My preference is for 25 C. That's perfect for a hot sunny day.
I look out at my pool now and think what a waste of space it is! Although it can be heated, I fear the cost would be atronomical with only me using it three or four times a day. It's far too cold to swim in at the moment unless I embrace cold water swimming which I don't intend to! We've had an exceptiomally cold, wet winter and the water doesn't really appeal, even when the sun is shining. I agree with you that in the summer over 29º C isn't really refreshing. Last summer mine was regularly in the low-mid 30's. More like a hot relaxing bath!
Coppa's Girl
Perhaps you could do some stretches and gentle twists occasionally during the day until you return to your other home - flis x
Too cold is unpleasant, and too hot is pointless. I don't think ours ever gets over 30 C. It's tends to stay around 25 C which is how I like it.
I do do some exercises every day. They do help for a short while, but the effects don't last.
Perhaps a home exercise Elliptical would be helpful. Using it daily would exercise your entire body. It increases heart rate, can reduce blood pressure and builds strength. There are compact Ellipticals made for the home.
If you have the room build a shed in your garden and buy an above ground pool.They are not too big or expensive at least not here in Oz. You could swim in it daily in your summer months The water temperature would be warmer than the sea. You could even heat the area before you have your swim. Decorate it with faux palms etc to make it look tropical You can swim all summer and even winter and dont have to worry about the sharks !
I had to look-up 'Elliptical'. Sadly we have no room for such things, our bijou home only just copes with the two of us and a few bits of furniture.
We have no such room unfortunately. Our own garden in tiny, and the rest is 'communal'. I could, of course, suggest that we build a pool in the communal private garden, but I don't think I'd get much support from the other residents.
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