Running, tennis , swimming best exercise for 60+?

You can laugh but I struggle to touch my toes these days. :rofl:Not so long ago I could bend forwards, touch my toes and then lay my palms flat on the floor!

That Specsavers ad for hearing aids just came on TV with the silver haired man dancing away in his front room. They say dancing is good exercise too.

If I was laughing, it was at my own ability to follow any kind of physical fitness regime. I have tried to make myself do such things in the past, but I now know myself well enough to not even bother considering it. :009:

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On yer bike Harbalā€¦
:biking_man:

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That is purely for pleasure, and any incidental health benefits are not my fault. :slightly_smiling_face:

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So there is no hope for us in the 70ā€™s then? we hear talk about sexism but nothing about ageism

I think the ā€œ+ā€ after 60 in the thread title shows that the over 70s have been taken into account.

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I think swimming is the best exercise as itā€™s an all round exercise with no pressure on our joints. I believe walking is really good too. I did read running long distance heightens the risk of heart attacks but there are conflicting reports out there so who knows. I do know Iā€™m a knock kneed knackered old nosebag that canā€™t run for toffee LOL. I think maybe someone who is unfit and overweight and running could cause joint damage or even heart trouble, that would make sense

Well Iā€™ve been a runner for over forty years and thereā€™s nothing wrong with me Lion Queenā€¦
:running_man:

Until lockdown I use to swim everyday, Iā€™ve just gone back to swimming.
Dog walking twice a day ā€¦ occasional bike ride .
It keeps me fit .
I did Enroll in Zumba awhile back to energetic & to many bruises

Except of course for your two heart attacks.

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Oh yesā€¦I forgot about those Muddyā€¦
:017:

OMG I tried Zumba and thought I was going to die!! The instructor was a young, very fit Romanian guy. The music was good but it was all too fast for me. Never been so glad to get home for a lie down. :rofl:

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I did Zumba a few years back it was too fast for me too.
I asked if they had a golden oldie class that was slower .
She told me that it WAS the golden oldie class :frowning:

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Hi

I tore the cartilage in my knee when I was 32. After 3 ops I was told I would get arthritis in the future and would need a knee replacement. The Orthopaedic Surgeon told me that swimming is the best exercise for knee problems and cycling if you can manage it. He told me that running and jogging is the worst thing. Roll on 26 years

I had my new knee 10 years ago, unfortunately I canā€™t bend it enough to ride a bike. Again I was advised to swim and not to run, not that I could anyway!

My sister 76, does a lot of aquarobics, gardening and some walking. Her fitness level is great.

Oh, and cold water stresses our body and is good for us. But like you, I donā€™t really like to get into it.

You are too funny!

If only more people appreciated it, or at least less people took such a dim view of it. :disappointed:

This is a really good question, and great to hear peopleā€™s first hand experience.

I have been doing a lot of research on exactly this question to be able to advise my 60+ clients, and to know what to do for myself. Here is my take on what to do.

Cardio - the objective is to create some low level stress on the body. Fast walking or walking up an incline 30 to 60 minutes, several times a week. Lots of benefits acrue to walking.
Resistance Training - helps to keep our muscles strong to prevent muscle loss.
Stability Training - such a yoga and pilates to keep our core muscles strong and balance.

I think running is too hard on the joints and cardio vascular fitness doesnā€™t seem to be key for oneā€™s health span.

Another key would be to increase your activity slowly so that you do not hurt yourself.

I had an accident when I was 32 and badly damaged my knee. I had 3 ops and was told I would eventually get arthritis and would need a knee replacement. Roll on 26 years and I had problems walking and saw an Orthopaedic Surgeon who put me on his list and I had a new knee 16 weeks later (this was 10 years ago). He told me not to run or jog as these are the worst things for knee joints and I should swim or cycle. Swimming would be preferable as it exercises the whole body and the water supports dodgy joints.

Unfortunately I just love running Murphybear, and after over 40 years of ultra distance running Iā€™ve been fortunate to have never had any problems with my joints, knees or otherwise. However, my heart has not been so lucky. But at 71 I still do what I can though.
:running_man: