Gentle fitness - Week 8

​​Staying active is a great way to maintain bone strength, improve balance to reduce falls and to maintain and increase your strength. Doing a variety cardio workouts such as walking and gardening will keep your heart healthy and can elevate your mood. Strength training is vitally important for building bone mass, maintaining your balance and keeping your independence. Spring and summer is an awesome time to take advantage of the outdoors and to get active outside more often.

• For outdoor walking, ensure you pace yourself. Start slowly and gradually increase the pace.
• If you are a golfer, pass on using the cart and try walking for your round to get your exercise. Golf is now open but just ensure that you are practicing social distancing.
• For strength training moves such as squats, make sure that you keep your chest up and sit backward. You can use a chair as a guideline to where to squat to and perform a sit to stand. Developing leg strength will help you with your day to day activities.
• The saying “If you do not use it, you will lose it”, is true so try to schedule in activity daily.
• Walking is one of the best activities that you can do. You can walk in your neighborhood or take it to a non-busy pathway to challenge yourself. As paths, parks and green spaces get busier, ensure you practice physical distancing.
• Using the stairs, if you are able to more often, is a great way to build leg strength.
• If you are sitting for long periods, try to take frequent active breaks. You can do sit to stands, or leg extensions from the chair.
• Make sure to stretch and keep your joints mobile every day.

Whether you are walking, gardening, or playing golf, ensure you engage the core while reminding yourself of the use of proper posture. Check in every few minutes on your posture.

Listen to your body when you engage in physical activity. Exercising with pain is not recommended. Slow it down, reassess posture and technique.

Check out the City at home online activity programs to try many different gentle workout options to include mobility and strength training into your routine.  ​

There is risk of injury when participating in exercise, physical fitness and physical training programs. If you have any concerns or questions about whether or not you should participate in exercise activities demonstrated on this website or videos offered on this website, you should consult with a physician or other health-care professional before starting any exercises.

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