Fitness

This page contains information about fitness and exercise, and it also contains a Seniors Circuit Workout suitable to do at home.

Stretching and Warm-up

10 Reasons why you must stretch prior to exercise

• Reduce muscle tension and makes the body feel relaxed.
• Help coordination by allowing freer and easier movement.
• Increase range of motion
• Pre-stretching muscles prevents injuries such as muscle strains.
• Prepare your body for the exercise and is a way of signalling the muscles that they are about to be used.
• Avoid tired, stiff and sore muscles
• Promote circulation
• Better flexibility
• Develop Body Awareness
• It feels good

Some Of The Basic Techniques Of Stretching

Don’t stretch too far especially in the beginning. Do a slight stretch and increase it gradually as you feel yourself relax.

• Hold stretch in a comfortable position, the stretch tension should subside as you hold it.
• Breathe slowly deeply and naturally-exhale as you stretch or bend forward.
• Do not bounce - bouncing tightens the very muscles you are trying to stretch. Stretch and hold it.
• Do not try to be flexible. Just learn to stretch properly and flexibility will come with time.

You Should Not Stretch When...

• The range of motion is limited in some way.
• The joint is inflamed or infected.
• There has been a recent bone fracture, sprain or strain

Seniors Circuit Workout

This page contains some basic fitness exercises, including a short warm-up and cool-down.

If you have an injury do not delay our team of chartered physiotherapists will be able to guide you on a tailor made programme of rehabilitation exercises. You will be shown when it is safe to recommence stretching.

Here are the audio files for practice at home:

1. Warmup Stretches [6 minutes]
2. Exercises with full instructions [11 minutes] OR Exercises with minimal instructions [10 minutes]
3. Cooldown [3 minutes]

Stretches without weights

Initial warm-up stretches without weights to prepare for workout. Commence with feet shoulder width apart and knees relaxed.

• Raise the fists forward to shoulder height and back down, fairly quickly.
• 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10.

• Raise the fists out to the sides to shoulder height and back down, fairly quickly.
• 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10.

• Raise the fists out to the sides and up above your head, bending the knees as the arms come down, fairly quickly.
• 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10.

• Raise arms in front of you, turn palms up, take arms back
• Bring arms forward, palms down, pull elbows back, return arm in front
• Repeat 4 times.

• Raise both arms up above your head and stretch upwards and count 10.

• Bring your right hand to the top of your head and gently stretch down to the right, count to 5 and release.
• Bring your left hand to the top of your head and gently stretch down to the left, count to 5 and release.

• Stand tall, keep your shoulders facing forward and look to the left - count to 5
• Back to the front,
• Keep your shoulders facing forward and look to the right - count to 5

• Right hand behind your head and pull back with your left hand
• Left hand behind your head and pull back with your right hand

• Bring your right arm across your chest and hold with left arm for a count of 5, relax and
• Bring your left arm across your chest and hold with right arm for a count of 5, and relax

• Step out to the left and lunge, push down, stretch the inside of you leg - count 5
• Shift to the right and lunge, push down, stretch the inside of you leg - count 5

• Open up your arms and stretch out, forward and down, touch the ground, come back up, again,
• Open up your arms and stretch out, forward and down, touch the ground, come back up.

Exercises with weights

• Raise the weights forward to shoulder height and back down, slowly.
• 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10.

• Raise the weights out to the sides and back down, slowly.
• 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10.

• Hold the weights, elbows close into your sides, and open out to the side and back.
• 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10.

• Bend forward slightly and hold the weights down in front. Lift the weights our to the side and back down slowly.
• 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10.

• Hold the weights at right angles above your elbows, shoulder height, and push up and then slowly down, keeping you elbows above your shoulders.
• 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10.

• Hold weights down in front of you and lift the weights up to chest height and back down again.
• .1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10.

• Hold weights down in front of you and bring the weights up toward your shoulders and back down again.
• 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10.

• Hold the weights down in front of you change your grip so the weights are towards you and bring the weights up toward your shoulders and back down again.
• 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10.

• Hold the weights together above your head and lower them towards your back and then back up again.
• 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10.

• Hold the weights together in front of you and twist to the left, back to the centre
• Twist to the right and back to the centre.
• 1, front, 2, front, 3, front,  4, front,  5, front,  6, front,  7, front,  8, front, 9, front, 10.

• Hold the weights together in front, close to your chest and squat down and back up.
• 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10.

• Hold the weights together in front of you close to your chest and bend forward, keeping your head up, and then straighten back up.
• 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10.

• Hold the weights together in front of you and bend forward with the weights below your knees, keeping your head up. Pull the weights towards your chest, and then back down.
• 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10.

• Step into a lunge with left foot froward and right foot back, left elbow on your knee and right hand holding the weight. Pull the weight up and back down slowly.
• 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10.
• Change legs with the right foot froward and left foot back, right elbow on your knee and left hand holding the weight. Pull the weight up and back down slowly.
• 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10.
• Second version 5 normal and 5 fling backwards.
• Up, fling, back, down, repeat 5 times.

• Stand with weights by your sides
• Step forward with one foot and take the other knee towards the ground, step back and change legs.
• Step forward with left and...
• 1, back, 2, back, 3, back,  4, back,  5, back,  6, back,  7, back,  8, back, 9, back, 10.

• Hold the weights together in front of you between your knees.
• Swing the weights out and up.
• 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10.

Cool Down without weights

• Step forward with the left to stretch the hamstring for a count of 10: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10.
• Sit back and stretch the Achilles tendon, for a count of 10: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10.
• Change legs and...
• Step forward with the right to stretch the hamstring for a count of 10: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10.
• Sit back and stretch the Achilles tendon, for a count of 10: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10.
• And relax

• Lift the left leg back and hold with your left hand for a count of 10: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10.
• Lift the right leg back and hold with your right hand for a count of 10: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10.

• Spread your arms to the side and…
• Lift up the left knee and hold for a count of 10: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10.
• Lower the foot and…
• Lift up the right knee and hold for a count of 10: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10.

• Open up your arms and stretch forward and down, touch the ground, come back up, again,
• Open up your arms and stretch forward and down, touch the ground, come back up, and relax

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