Keeping active not only keeps the blues at bay, it’s also an important ingredient in ageing well as it lowers your risk of developing many health conditions and it’s a great way to meet new friends. So, what type of exercises should you be doing? This winter concentrate on these key areas to improve your aerobic fitness, strength, balance and flexibility.

1. Get your breath back

• Walking - Why run when you can walk? It’s lower impact, you still get a work-out and it’s more social. To keep warm and for the optimum aerobic activity try to keep the walk brisk and maintain good posture. 

• Singing – Most people wouldn’t regard singing as exercise but in fact it’s good for both your body and your mind. Since you use a lot of oxygen while you sing it’s a good aerobic workout and it gets the circulation flowing. 

2. Keep up your strength

• Weights - You even don’t need to leave the house to lift weights. Buy yourself a set of hand weights (you can even use a couple of tins from your pantry if you want) and start working out in your home.  Try simple arm exercises first to strengthen your back and shoulders.

• Reformer Pilates – while it can look intimidating, a reformer pilates machine does wonders for your core strength and muscle engagement. It works the whole body and there are so many different types exercises the machine facilitates that each class feels like a new challenge. 

3. Get the right balance

• Tai Chi – Grab a jumper, get to the park and start practicing the wonderful art of Tai Chi. It’s low intensity and helps greatly with balance, relaxation and focus.

• Squats – The simple squat is great for balance and can be done virtually anywhere. If you’re a bit out of condition use a chair for support, or if the joints are a problem, use your local indoor pool and do some squats in the shallow end.

4. Become more flexible

• Yoga – This can be great for those with bad joints and the regular stretching  helps with keeping those muscles flexible and strong. There are heaps of yoga studios around but if you haven’t got one near you there are lots of sessions on YouTube  you can do for free.

• Lawn Bowls – You probably won’t even notice the winter weather when you start playing lawn bowls. It’s a great social event which is great for mental health and getting your bowl down the green involves both co-ordination and flexibility. 

Keeping up your fitness is one of the keys to making the most of your retirement. Another important step is to keep on top of your long-term plan. If you need help with retirement planning why not speak to a TelstraSuper Financial Planner. They can provide tailored financial advice via phone or video conference without compromising on service, so call us on 1300 033 166, or request a call back.