Walking is a great exercise.
What could be easier and cheaper than lacing up your shoes and stepping out the front door?
By incorporating a few extra exercises along the way, you’ll be adding value with some simple strength and balance training you don’t get with walking alone.
Try these on your next regular walk:
1. When you come to a bench do some ‘sit to stands’.Aim for 6-10 and choose to make it more difficult by your hand position.
Level 1 – hands on your thighs.
Level 2 – hands across your chest
Level 3 – hands above your head.
2. Go around to the back of the bench use it to do some ‘standing’ press ups.
Keep your body straight and don’t let your back ‘sag’.
Again aim for 6-10.
3. Find a low wall or step that you feel comfortable stepping up and down from.
Obviously the higher it is the more challenging it will be.
Aim to step up and down for 30-60 seconds.
Watch out for more great exercise and lifestyle tips from Kris Tynan next month.
Kris has developed a unique exercise kit, complete with helpful exercise routines. You can buy her Super Senior Kit Home Exercise Programme from our Memory Shop for $59.00.
When I go for a walk on my own I play a game where I take a letter & say words that begin with that letter. I start with people’s names & names of countries cities towns etc. I give myself double points for these. Then move on to other words, scoring 1 for each one. I’m currently up to letter S. I don’t really keep the score, but like to see how long I can keep the game going.
That’s an excellent brain-challenging strategy, Alison! I love the game and it lets you enjoy the fresh air and walk without closing off your hearing by listening to podcasts!