Maintaining strength - the best way?

Pilates is good for building core strength and the movements are done slowly, so less likelihood of doing damage. I’d advise a good teacher so that you do the movements correctly - there’s a very good NHS set of videos you can follow if finding a class to attend is problematic. My teacher offers physical classes and zoom sessions.

Walking is good for keeping your legs strong and is aerobic too. I do about 20 minutes of strength, balance and flexibility exercises most days.
NHS website is very good for exercises for older people.
All this and no gym fees.

I found this on YouTube yesterday and I’m going to try it. It’s only 17 minutes so I’m gonna give it a go….

My thought kitty is experiment until you find something you enjoy or you’ll not keep going.

I ‘found’ TaiChi, a class for mature folk run by an AgeUK volunteer and found it very helpful for balance, stamina and upper body strength. Enjoyable, as is the trip to Waitrose afterwards for tea and cake .

I like your thinking, cornergran ! Years ago, a friend and I used to go to a Step class at the local gym, then have chips on the way home!

I agree with Cornergran that it’s important to do something you enjoy or it just becomes a chore.
For me it’s Pilates, Tai Chi, tennis, walking & gardening.
The other thing which I think no one has mentioned is to make sure you eat enough protein. There is controversy about how much is enough, but one recommendation is 1gm per day per kg body weight.
It also takes time to build up muscle. I lost muscle in my leg before I had a hip replacement because I couldn’t use my leg properly. It took 2 years to get back to the same size as my other leg.

Nordic walking. You can buy poles quite cheaply, the more expensive ones are lighter. It's a good upper body workout and your legs are going too!

Pilates -find a good teacher. Excellent for strength, flexibility and posture. If you are new to it start with one-to one lessons. Practise standing on one leg in front of bathroom mirror, Practise getting out of chair without using arms. Walk daily.
I started Pilates in my 50s and am still doing a weekly class in my 80s..

Remember to have a good protein intake too - more than government recommendations - you need about a gram of protein per kg of body weight - lots of benefits for most people…

Great!

It will depend on how able-bodied you are. Going to the gym is a waste of time and money.

If it’s keeping strong as we age the only thing to do that is resistance training/ strength training using dumbbells or any form of weight. Exercise classes ie yoga Pilates do not build muscle. Just google strength training for over 50s it gives you all the info or you tube has more info. I have a PT and have been doing it for a year I’m 68 and it’s kept me strong.

Resistance type exercise. DiL is a personal trainer (part time) specialised in pre and antenatal exercise. I had suggested getting an exercise bike for use in bad weather. Quite adamant, no, get an exercise bike, far better as you age. Also set of dumb bells for arms, just to use when sitting doing nothing. I got the bike!

Exercise classes ie yoga Pilates do not build muscle.

Perhaps it depends on the sort of Pilates you do. My teacher is a Chartered Physiotherapist & we work on different sets of muscles each week. We use weights and resistance bands and it has certainly made a difference to my muscle strength. It also improves flexibility and balance.

I do a gym class on Monday, volunteer at the library on Tuesday, Pilates on Wednesday, walking netball then choir on Thursday, walk somewhere on Friday, park run/ walk on Saturday, rest on Sunday. To keep your fitness and strength I would choose Pilates or a keep moving class plus a gentle, regular walk. Investigate if there is Park Run near you as it includes walkers and is very welcoming. Swimming is also very good

If I wanted an exercise regime that focused on building muscle, I wouldn't do pilates but for overall strength especially core strength, flexibility and balance, particularly for older people, I'd choose pilates every time but you do need a decent teacher and not all are. A good teacher will do a range of exercises that will help every part of your body and most exercises can be adapted so that you work safely at a level suitable for your level of fitness etc. We use weighted balls and small dumb bells in the classes I have attended as well as a variety of other equipment, it makes the classes fun and no two classes are the same

I’m visiting my DD at the moment and have really noticed a difference in my fitness between last year and this. We walk the dog a lot here and there are hills!
I think that I will have to up my game. I play tennis but only once a week and not quite at the same level as Wimbledon!
I am aware of my mum’s frailty now and so must keep my muscle tone strong. I think I might try the gym although I didn’t like it much 30years ago.
I will go and have a chat with our local one and get them to work out a plan.
I still stand on one leg when cleaning my teeth but perhaps that’s not quite enough!

Very helpful thread. Tx

Tai Chi for me. I used to go to a class but it ended so I now look on YouTube where there are a lot of videos you can follow. My favourite is Don Fiore Tai Chi for beginners and seniors. It is low impact but helps with balance and muscle strength. There are a lot of other DF videos available there too.

I am lucky enough to have a "Dance Yoga" class locally. I've exercised in one way or another most of my life, was a regular 10K jogger in my younger days. Now I walk every day, carry my shopping home (2 bags with equal weight).

Without a doubt, the Dance Yoga is the most fun exercise I've ever done. We dance with intermittent Yoga poses, so it is all standing. I also do seated stretches in a class once a week.

walking and improving core strength, which can be done in a variety of ways

pilates, excellent for core strength

Cycling up hills for leg strength

Lifting things for upper body strength plus leg and core strength if standing from a squat position

Basically, use muscles or they waste away, best done by doing something nice, such as working on an allotment or garden and lifting the compost bags yourself

My mother never did any exercise in her life beyond being a busy housewife and she lived to 104. Just saying.

Tbh I don't think it's about living longer for me, it's more about feeling better whilst I'm alive. Mil lived to 101, she continued to attend an exercise class until she was 100 and had gone to yoga classes for many years. She could still cut her toe nails and do all her personal care until the last few months of her life. I'm only 76 but found that not doing any proper exercise for most of 2024 following a riding accident and then illness, was starting to affect my balance and general fitness adversely which fortunately I'm starting to get back. I think if I'd been less fit I would have struggled more getting over the injuries that I had.

janeainsworth

I agree with Cornergran that it’s important to do something you enjoy or it just becomes a chore.
For me it’s Pilates, Tai Chi, tennis, walking & gardening.
The other thing which I think no one has mentioned is to make sure you eat enough protein. There is controversy about how much is enough, but one recommendation is 1gm per day per kg body weight.
It also takes time to build up muscle. I lost muscle in my leg before I had a hip replacement because I couldn’t use my leg properly. It took 2 years to get back to the same size as my other leg.

Would that protein measurement that's recommended be:
a. For the weight your body actually is currently
or
b. For the weight your body is supposed to be?

Asking because I'd guess at my body currently being 10stone-10stone 5 lbs type weight range (ie a. would apply)

or

b. My proper weight (I theenk I'm slowly getting back to) is 8 stone 7 lbs and b. would apply iyswim.