The steady-as-you-go approach to exercise

People 65 and over are being encouraged to get moving in a new fitness programme in Manawatu¯ .

Steady As You Go, organised by Age Concern NZ, has been a hit across the country for more than a decade.

Now, it’s finally coming to Palmerston North, so retirees can maintain or gain fitness while also building friendships.

Age Concern NZ Manawatu¯ manager Marian Dean said the programme focused on strength and balance training, which was often lost as people got older.

Maintaining mobility was crucial to staying independent, she said.

The first Manawatu¯ session would be at the Rangiora Community Hall on February 28, so people could meet others living in their neighbourhood, Dean said.

The programmes run for 10 weeks with a co-ordinator from Age Concern, and then a member of the group takes over as a peer leader.

Professor Chris Stephens, who works in health psychology and health promotion at Manawatu¯’s Massey University campus, said people started losing strength from age 45 onward.

Older people needed to maintain muscle strength to help them with tasks such as getting out of chairs, she said.

John Thomson and his wife Bala participated in the Hutt Valley programme in 2017.

John said they enjoyed it so much they’re going back this year.

At 86 years old, he was starting to feel his abilities changing, he said.

The programme helped his wife improve her balance.

‘‘At first I went a long to accompany my wife, but I was taken by it on the first occasion.

‘‘It gets you outside and it’s something to look forward to.’’

Steady As You Go was developed from a University of Otago exercise programme. It is designed to improve balance and leg strength, flexibility, general fitness and wellbeing.