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Original poster

What sport or fitness did your mum do?

133 replies

lljkk · 05/08/2023 16:26

My mother was born in the 1940s. When I was a child (1970s), my mother regularly did ... swimming, tennis, jogging, cycling, softball, horse-riding, aerobics, yoga, walks. + random other fitness or sport.

My dad's mom didn't do sport, my other grandmother (short person!, born 1900s) used to coach basketball as an adult, and rode horses as a youngster. I'm not aware she did any other sport, though.

Did your mum do any fitness or sport?

OP posts:
MadAboutIt · 05/08/2023 16:36

When we were children she did ‘keep fit’ in the village hall, no car so lots of walking and we had a dog. That was it.
Once I was mid teens she was working full time so nothing. She’s was overweight from her 40’s & has been obese for a couple of decades now. It’s hard not to roll my eyes when she goes on about her hips or her knees hurting these days. I’ve given up trying to guide her to make changes. Hypertension, obesity, statins, smokes, drinks… I’m amazed she’s got to mid 70 tbh. She doesn’t walk further than her door to her car.
Her DM did nothing either due to a long standing injury but never drank or smoked. She was obese too from her 60’s but lived into her 90’s.

DGM on Dads side rode her bike for 5 miles every day until her late 80’s but no other exercise apart from being busy in general and never sitting still. 97 when she died.

BHRK · 05/08/2023 16:37

Zero

hettiethehare · 05/08/2023 16:37

My mum was born in 1950 and she was quite into her yoga in the 70s - she had one of those green leotard and legging sets. Apparently yoga was quite the subversive thing then - she said that she took classes at a local church hall type place and people were generally very bemused by the whole thing!

Other than that she's barely done any actual sport - she walks everywhere though and it very active, even in her early 70s.

calyxx · 05/08/2023 16:38

Running round the park. Callasthenics ! And later pilates

Sherrystrull · 05/08/2023 16:43

In the 80s she did yoga.
In the 90s/00s she was divorced with dependants to look after and supporting so worked every hour of the day.
Now she's retired she does keep fit each week which also includes lunch and a chat after!

pilates · 05/08/2023 16:46

Zero

megletthesecond · 05/08/2023 16:49

Mum was born in 47.
In her 40's and 50's she went to gym classes. I know she liked body combat. These days (70's) she does zumba. She walks a lot too.

FredaFox · 05/08/2023 16:51

None and I was never encouraged to hence me not ever doing it

Jeffjefftyjeff · 05/08/2023 16:53

Walked everywhere and had a job that meant she was on her feet most of the day.very limited actual sport. Born in 1940s.

AuntieMarys · 05/08/2023 16:53

Absolutely none. Born in the 20s

BitOutOfPractice · 05/08/2023 16:53

My mom was born in the 30s. To my knowledge she has never ever done anything!

WineIsMyCarb · 05/08/2023 16:53

Great idea for a thread. Mum born 1950s, was a great swimmer in youth so would always do lengths when took us to pool at weekends. Has done personal trainer at gym in bursts since her 40s, when her children were older primary / teens. Very busy / active generally. Now reasonably fit late 60s, if not terribly strong.

Pixiedust1234 · 05/08/2023 16:54

Zero. She was too knackered raising four children and cleaning a large house and looking after a very large garden, growing our own fruit and veg. To put it into perspective, I vividly recall her excitement at getting a twin tub washer when I was fourteen, she twirled me round the kitchen. She couldn't wait to get rid of the mangle but that took another three years before it left the house.

WeightoftheWorld · 05/08/2023 16:56

Also zero and also never encouraged. My DF was quite sporty though but they had 3 kids and he worked FT and was the sole earner for most of our childhood (and money wasn't in big supply) plus no local family at all. So he didn't have that much opportunity to go to classes and things as we were children. But he worked out at home doing bodyweight exercises and weight lifting and I remember at various times he would go and play badminton with friends/colleagues(/us!), did karate and fencing at other points and used to take us all to the swimming pool regularly. He did encourage us to be active but sadly I wasn't really interested until I started going to the gym at about 16. Neither of me or my siblings have really maintained any type of activity or sport into adult life consistently. I did until I had DC2 who is nearly 2 and I just still can't seem to get back into anything but been having health problems since the winter which has been a barrier. Interestingly my DM did actually join a gym once we were all adults and has been going regularly for about the last decade. Something I could never have imagined her doing as a child!

Farmageddon · 05/08/2023 16:57

My mum is 79, I remember when we were teenagers her doing some Rosemary Conley step class videos in the front room - we used to make fun of her for it!

Nowadays she doesn't even go for walks, is very sedentary and has high blood pressure, although she is not overweight, doesn't smoke and eats well. But has the beginnings of mobility issues.

I have decided to make sure I stay fit and active as I get older, have started weight training and pilates in the last few months.

fluffiphlox · 05/08/2023 17:00

None at all.

Yamtamalamoni · 05/08/2023 17:00

None!

soupmaker · 05/08/2023 17:03

Mum was a PE teacher before me and DB came along in the early 70s. She continued to swim - also taught swimming - and walked a lot. She was always on her feet and active working on a farm with my Dad.

She's now in her late 70s and has had a heart bypass. Still walks every day for at least a couple of miles.

Iamblossom · 05/08/2023 17:06

My mum, born 1945, used to play squash when we were young, but her physical activity definitely dwindled as we got older.

I remember she used to start a regime like running up and down our vey long drive but it never really lasted.

She was always on a diet though....

She died with dementia aged 69.

Gymmum82 · 05/08/2023 17:06

Absolutely nothing. Nor my dad either. They still don’t do anything except a bit of walking. Set me up loathing sport and exercise while I was growing up.Luckily I’ve changed my own mindset and am determined to show my children what it looks like to be active and healthy. They regularly accompany me to the gym and obviously watched all my home workouts over Covid. They both enjoy exercising and playing sports

CrunchyCarrot · 05/08/2023 17:08

My Mum was born in the 1920s - I know she was good at athletics when a child/teen. Not sure if she did any organised sports in her 20s, by the time I was a child she used to go play badminton once a week and I think may have done yoga for a bit. By the time I was a teen we moved to the country and she was always busy doing house and garden stuff. She didn't relax much at all! Was always slim and by her 70s got an overactive thyroid (Graves') which was untreated as none of us knew what was wrong and she avoided doctors. Eventually had a crisis and ended up in hospital. Sadly it gave her dementia but even then she used to climb out of nursing home windows to escape! Died at 80.

SnuggleBuggleBoo · 05/08/2023 17:08

My mum was a 60's child. She couldn't drive due to an eye condition so walked us everywhere which was actually great exercise for all of us. We were very fit kids! Other than that not much 'exercise', although every now and then she and my dad would play squash. We used to swim as a family every couple of weeks but her style was always very sedate. She cycled everywhere in her youth but by the time I was around it was just on occasion, and again, very sedate. That was pretty much it!

ToughFuss · 05/08/2023 17:10

She rode, well, she still does. I was in the saddle before I could walk, and so was my son.
She didn’t do any sport or anything else but she never stops moving and she’s been whippet thin my whole life, she’s now 61.

MoonLion · 05/08/2023 17:10

My mum was born in the 1940s. I don't really remember her doing any exercise when I was growing up, but after I left home she discovered Pilates and has been doing that for 30-odd years now. She also walks regularly in her local park. Swimming occasionally. She's in good shape for an 81 year old.

CookieDoughKid · 05/08/2023 17:11

Both parents, none. And a poor diet too with smoking mixed in. their decline has been incredibly rapid since they hit 60. Both parents now in their 70s. Dad had several strokes, diabetes, high blood pressure now dementia all before he hit 65. He is now in a wheelchair. Mum is weak, cannot walk for more than 10 minutes without feeling tired. Can’t really maintain a conversation without feeling tired. She has all sorts of digestion and stomach issues. constantly has ailments. They both sleep all the time and rarely leave the house. It has led me to fear aging badly. I’m convinced both parents will live at least another 10 years, my great grandparents lived to 95 but their quality of life is low. My parents rely on my siblings for everything from shopping, to bathing. I do their house cleaning. I now workout at least 3 times a week. In addition, I run 5km every Saturday with my son as park runs. And I look and feel 10 years younger and fitter than ever before, I’m in mid 40s. Knowing the age of my parents decline is only 15 years away from where I am now, I sure hope my children don’t need to take care of me then.

it is everyone’s own responsibility to take care of themselves, the impact to near and dearest loved ones is huge. Let alone the cost to the NHS.