Exercising in your 60s and beyond

You can still be extremely fit and active in your sixties - just look around your local swimming pool or golf club. The chances are you have more time at your disposal, so make the most of it, says Anne. ‘Now's a good time to take up golf or even learn to ride a horse - make keeping fit the fun part of your life, and don't let age be a barrier.'

As ever, talk to your GP before embarking on something new, and look out for specific over-sixties classes if you're trying something new. Most councils run gentle classes - you should find details in your library. It's important to carry on working your heart and strengthening your bones, as the risks of stroke, heart disease and osteoporosis are greater as this age. ‘But one of the most important reasons for exercising is to keep the strength in muscles you use for everyday activities like walking up the stairs. Losing your ability to do these things is devastating, and makes you feel old before your time,' says Anne.

You should also pay attention to your balance, says Leon. ‘It goes as we age - and this puts us at risk of falls and broken bones. If you're finding exercise hard and you haven't tried a vibrational plate yet, now's the time to do so - it stimulates involuntary contractions of the muscles and requires little effort, and it's also great for overall balance.'

One thing that puts a lot of women off exercise at this age is that you're more prone than ever to stress incontinence now that oestrogen levels have dropped and the pelvic-floor muscles have weakened. ‘Taking a Pilates class can strengthen the pelvic floor and restore confidence,' says Leon. ‘If you can't find an over-sixties class, any beginners' one should do - but talk to the instructor first.'

Try this...

The far-Eastern martial art of t'ai chi is great for the over-sixties. It's good for balance, and the muscles in legs, and knees. The movements follow a flow that requires coordination. They need intense concentration, and this is good for focusing the mind. Its meditative qualities are calming, and good for the heart. In China, it's used to treat osteoarthritis, too. Find classes at www.taichifinder.co.uk.

Be fit and fabulous in your 30s, 40s, 50s, 60s and beyond...