Hitting the gym aged 55 plus- Gym visits increase with age

March 7, 2012 at 4:14 pm | Posted in Uncategorized | Leave a comment
Tags: AGE UK, Fitness, Gym membership, Health, Nuffield Health, Older people, Senior gym members, Total Fitness, Well-being

In the midst of British Pie Week it’s easy to feel as though you need to get a little more active (just to counteract the goodness of so many pies). Although I’m admittedly not a gym bunny- I would prefer to keep fit in the great outdoors- I feel inspired by new research that has found older gym members visit the gyms more regularly than their younger counterparts.

The research found by Nuffield Health and featured in an article on Age UK’s website, revealed that ‘older members make 20 extra visits on average, on an annual basis’. This surge in activity amongst senior gym goers suggests that not only are they actively maintaining a fit and healthy lifestyle but also getting great enjoyment from their gym or fitness centre.

Shifting your mind away from the dreaded thought of heavy gym equipment and fitness fanatics that are 20, 30 or even 40 years your junior can be a little difficult. However, once you’ve got past this milestone gyms really don’t seem too bad.

Fitness classes for older people are great places to make friends

In fact many gyms including Total Fitness, DW Sport and Nuffield Health & Fitness offer senior membership packages exclusive for members aged 55 or 60 plus. More often than not these gyms also run scheduled fitness classes designed for their older members- toning, aerobics, swimming etc. These classes are made with you in mind, they don’t overstretch your body or stamina levels and are great places to meet people who are a similar age and looking to get fit too.

All in all gyms don’t seem too bad. Although I won’t be giving up walking my dogs, Toffee and Summer, for exercise any time soon I will be considering my local fitness club as an option for the future. I’ve even been told that many gyms have excellent coffee lounges now-a-days, which is an added bonus.  

Do you visit a local gym with a ‘senior’ membership? I’d love to hear more about what you enjoy about the gym and how often you go along. Leave a comment in the box below.