Exercise has benefits no matter what age you start at, and you don’t need to be spending hours in the gym in order to make a positive difference. As you can see from the photograph above, HITZone members range from the young in body to the young at heart!
The NHS state that ‘older adults should do some type of physical activity every day’ and ‘at least 150 minutes of moderate intensity activity a week, or 75 minutes of vigorous intensity activity if you are already active.’
75 minutes of vigorous activity is 3 HITZone sessions per week, which is exactly what we recommend to our members.
Exercise can help you manage health conditions, reduce stress, improve stamina and balance. However, it is not all health and fitness, there is also a social side to exercise and many friendships have formed as a result of people training together in group sessions.
Unfortunately, many people believe that they are too old to start something new or feel that they are too frail to be active. At HITZone we disagree. Low impact workouts that are carefully monitored by professional physical trainers (PTs) can be designed to push each individual to their own limit and not beyond – no matter your current physical ability.
Let’s take a look at some myths around age and exercise.
Myth 1 – I am too frail to be active
The Cambridge Dictionary defines frailty as ‘physically weak or easily damaged.’ There is no doubt that getting older can lead to weakness which in turn can lead to being more prone to injury. However, the NHS state that inactivity accelerates the frailty process resulting in more muscle loss, especially in the legs, chest and heart muscles. The advice given – keep active!
Older people are the least active of all the age groups and it is estimated that 20-30% of people over 75 are frail – these facts are related. The benefits of exercise are clear with regard to improving health. As you age, remaining physically active has a profound effect on your psychosocial and psychological wellbeing, it is the best way to reduce frailty and maintain independence.
Myth 2 – I am too old to make a start
Exercise should be a part of your lifestyle at any age and it is never too late to enhance your health and fitness. A number of studies show that people in their 80’s and 90’s can still make improvements to their strength, cardiovascular fitness and balance. In fact, even if you have never worked out before, a study published by Frontiers in Physiology has found that untrained older individuals still have the same ability to build muscle as endurance-trained master athletes.
Myth 3 – I am unable to exercise due to chronic pain
Chronic pain can be caused by multiple factors. These can vary from normal aging (wear and tear) which can affect the bones and joints, to other common triggers such as disease or damage from injuries that fail to heal correctly.
MedicalNewsToday have stated that aerobic exercise, resistance training and group exercise are all helpful in the treatment of chronic pain.
- Aerobic exercise can improve quality of life, stiffness and pain, and improve muscle function.
- Group exercise can help you stay motivated.
- Resistance training has been associated with greater overall health, pain relief, and muscle strength.
HITZone combines all of the above together with a hands-on dedicated coach in short 25-minute session. So, there really are no reasons to keep exercise out of your life.
Remember, exercise is medicine.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T2OLlvKOR3o
Ralph and Mary chat with Stuart Ayles, Owner of HITZone Ipswich about the benefits they experienced after starting at his studio a year earlier.
“I’m nearly 71, and I’m feeling better now than I did 18 months ago…
I had trouble with my knees last year and the surgeon wanted to operate. Since I have been coming here, I’ve ad no trouble with my knees at all.” – Ralph
“I have more stamina for walking and gardening, reaching for things…
I can run around with grand children and play football, and that’s really cool.” – Mary
