How mobile are you in your body?

[bryceQ]

I've recently joined a tai chi class and it's fascinating seeing how mobile many of the people are who attend who are in their 80s.

We see so much now about gut health and living longer... But I wonder for how many people they think about mobility and "functional movement" day to day?

Do you wish you'd done more here? Or are you happy with how you move?

(Not sure what keeps going wrong with my link, but GMB fitness on YouTube)

I'm really not mobile at all, I am a stiff runner. But I've been doing pilates and stretching and mobility work since January and am hoping that at some point it will bear fruit.

I do strength work as well (but not with heavy weights) and I can get up off the ground without using my hands, so I guess that's something but my forward fold isn't very forward and my pancake goes about 1/3 of the way!

I'm early 60's and still quite flexible and mobile. I do yoga and strength training at home. I was quite happy when I was able to do a wheel pose; I could never do it as a child.

But I have been diagnosed with osteoporosis; I blame years of sitting at a desk. So I'm doing my best to stay fit and active, and eat (mostly) healthily.

I'm 61 and am flexible with good mobility I think. I had some back problems a few years ago and the consultant at the hospital asked if I could touch my toes. I bent over and put my hands flat on the floor and she admitted that she couldn't do that!

I've always tried to stay fit doing various aerobics, step and cardio classes over the years. About 4 years ago I started going to an adult ballet class, I do a weekly Zumba Gold class and last year picked up tap dancing again after a gap of about 30 years. During lockdown one of my friends put me on to walking workout classes on YouTube, so I try to do at least 30 mins of that every other day. The oldest member of my tap class is 79 and she does 4 tap classes a week - she's an inspiration.

I do get aches and pains. As I said I do have some back problems which have caused sciatica in the past so I have to be careful. Bad knees run on the maternal side of my family so again I have to be careful. I try to eat healthily and keep to a healthy weight but that is a bit of a battle in the face of wine and cake!

Some years ago I kept spraining my ankles and it really restricted what I could do, I wasn’t able to walk far and weight piled on. A bit scary actually, I could see where that road was leading and it wasn’t good. Started weight training which strengthened my joints, and during Covid I started walking for at least an hour a day as well. I’m still overweight but very active, flexible and mobile. I do weights 3 x a week and still walk daily as well as longer hikes at weekends. I don’t want to end up like my mum who always took the car to do a 5 minute run to the shops and has ended up barely able to walk round the block.

My general mobility improved after I started wearing barefoot shoes. Better balance and posture and my feet are stronger.