Keeping fit and healthy in your golden years can be a challenge but there are plenty of wellness and exercise activities for people around West Norfolk.
There’s plenty of talk out there about how you need to keep fit and active to make the most of life well into old age, but as joints get creaky and energy dips it can be tricky to find something enjoyable enough to keep you both moving and motivated.
Keep your health and wellness up with some of these great senior-friendly exercise spots in and around the West Norfolk area, from a gentle game of bowls to some more energetic aqua-aerobics, there’s plenty to tempt people of all ages and activity levels.
Wild Yoga in Titchwell offers a range of classes run by Emilie Joy Garrould, a yoga teacher with a background in Ashtanga Yoga, her style of teaching Vinyasa Yoga is flowing and strong but allows time for you to align yourself and maintain steady breathing. As well as organising retreats, yoga brunch clubs and yoga and paddle combos, Emilie is passionate about supporting women in connecting with their bodies, creating a space to explore, empower and embrace your body in all its uniqueness and wonder.
Bowls, also known as lawn bowling, is a sport in which the objective is to roll biased balls so that they stop close to a smaller ball, called a ‘jack’. It is played on a bowling green, which can be flat or uneven, depending on the type of game being played.
For more social bowls why not try the outdoor bowling green in Hunstanton. Enjoy a game with picturesque seafront views on grass lanes located within the award-winning Esplanade Gardens. You don’t have to be a pro to play here, the equipment can be provided, so everyone can enjoy a game in the sunshine.
Golf is the perfect game for older men and women to keep their fitness up without being too over-exerting. Playing golf engages your brain and improves strength and balance. It takes a lot of mental work and strategy to plot the course to hit a tiny ball into a cup that is hundreds of feet away. It also hones attention, memory and learning as you improve your skills.
Encouraging research shows that golfing offers strength and balance benefits for older players. In a study comparing golfers to non-golfers, the players came out ahead with better muscular strength, power, endurance, balance, and flexibility. Any form of exercise is shown to lift your spirits and relieve stress.
Sheringham’s The Reef Leisure Centre plays a key role in helping everybody in the local community enjoy getting active. It’s packed with all the very latest equipment and offers something for everyone, regardless of age or fitness level. There’s a 70-station gym, a spacious group fitness studio, as well as a group cycling studio. There are also two pools, a 25m main pool, and a smaller teaching pool, as well as a splash pad. The centre also boasts extensive changing and parking facilities and has been designed specifically to make it more accessible to disabled people.
From keeping fit to exercising mindfulness or just getting a bit of mental stimulation, these kinds of exercises and wellness activities in and around West Norfolk are a great way to get seniors out and about with a goal in mind. Even the smallest amounts of physical activity are invaluable in keeping brains and bodies fit and healthy, so don’t assume you need to force a senior citizen into some kind of aerobics class just to get them moving; there are plenty of opportunities to get active without getting sweaty!
Learn more about supported living or companionship for exercise and wellness in old age, and find out whether home care in West Norfolk could be the right choice for your elderly loved ones, by getting in touch with our local team today.