Angela Rippon’s high kick has been the subject of many a discussion since her appearance on Strictly Come Dancing at the weekend. At 78, the veteran presenter is the oldest contestant to have appeared on the show and she stunned audiences with her vertical split move during her cha-cha routine. Her flexibility seems just fine!
Yes, it is true we can become more inflexible as we age because we lose water in our tissues and spine so experience stiffness in our joints and a loss of elasticity in our muscles, tendons and surrounding tissue, but this does not equate to all loss of flexibility.
I know this because I have seen people become more flexible in my classes. Many of my clients are middle-aged and older, who have become more flexible in front of my eyes, because they are using exercise and stretching to get them into better shape.
Very often, people come to see me because they feel stiff or cannot tie up their shoelaces or cannot lift their arms above their heads and so on. This is not just because of ageing; it’s because they are not moving their bodies enough. As people get stiffer and suffer aches and pains, their go-to action is inaction. Rest is not always your friend here; you need to move!
The good news is that if you are stiff and lack flexibility, all is not lost. You can become flexible again through exercise and stretching…and anything else that gets you moving. If you want to high kick like Angela then be my guest, but a Zumba class and walking is good too. Just naturally swinging your arms by your side as you walk to great for the shoulders, upper back and neck…while dancing gets everything going!
Lots of my clients come to my Pilates classes to help recover their flexibility, while also making them stronger at the same time. Pilates provides a full workout without having to hit the gym or a cardio class.
However, in response to my clients’ concerns about inflexibility, I have been running monthly stretch classes to really get into those stiff muscles and tendons. This is an hour-and-a-half long class, held at Sherford Village Hall, that leaves people feeling so much looser and full of happiness that they have done something good for their bodies. It’s just an awesome monthly hygiene treatment for flexibility.
To join me on my next stretch and release class, please go to my website and look for ‘Feel Better, Move Better’ stretch masterclass.