Healthy Aging

It’s crucial for us to develop and maintain good health moving into later years to reduce the risk of illness and injury that could lead to loss of independence.

The ageing process is influenced by several factors, with genetics and lifestyle playing key roles. Fortunately, your lifestyle can be adjusted, and research shows that exercise is one of the best ways to add not just more years to your life, but more life to your years.

Our award-winning resident fitness expert, Dean Hodgkin, reveals how our Fitness Timetable can provide a blueprint for adapting exercise to ensure you derive maximum benefit, whatever your age.

30’s:

This is when the first signs of the ageing process begin to manifest, with the loss of muscle tissue most noticeable in the back of the upper arms. The LIFT class provides a total-body approach to strength training that will maintain muscle and boost your metabolic rate. Bone density is at its peak, so choose weight-bearing exercises such as jogging or plyometrics (jumping exercises) that are a key feature in our HIIT classes, to further strengthen your bones.

40’s:

The metabolic rate is slowing now, and in addition, your target working heart rate declines, so it’s important to lower the intensity but increase the duration of your cardio workouts. Start to think about protecting your joints by choosing low impact exercise with classes such as LEGS TUMS & BUMS, also switch jogging for NORDIC WALK and swap high impact aerobics for APEX cycle sessions. Weight training should remain a staple of your exercise diet, not only to counter muscle loss but also to give you the strength to tackle your daily tasks.

50’s:

It’s vital to maintain activity levels as the risk of heart disease increases and bone density decreases due to the lowering of oestrogen levels, post-menopause. GYM BLAST is perfect, as it combines cardio and strength work and ticks all the required boxes. This is the time when stiffness is noticeable, particularly in the lower spine, so flexibility work is recommended. Consider YOGA and also COREBOARD to improve posture and so protect your back.

60’s +:

Water workouts, such as AQUA FLEX, are perfect as they require your muscles to work against the water resistance for toning benefits, but the buoyancy supports your joints. Striding out should be your pulse raiser in the form of our COUNTRY STROLL and to reduce the risk of falls, improve your balance in our TAI CHI classes.

There are many different workouts so experiment to find what you enjoy doing. Remember, exercise should be for fun and for feeling good about yourself!

For a truly personalised fitness journey, tailored to your current level and goals,
please contact Heart + Soul Fitness for details of our bespoke programmes.
Tel – 01664434411 ext 318 or Email – fitness@ragdalehall.co.uk