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Easy Exercise at Home

Home > Newcastle > Health and Fitness | Fun Things To Do
by Neil Follett (subscribe)
I'm a retired photographer living in Lilydale mainly researching and writing on Australian aviation history. Now writing more on general subjects.
Published March 25th 2020
Virus free exercise here
Due to the current health crisis, you may be deprived of your daily exercise of a walk in the park or around the block. Don't despair, there are several ways of getting your exercise without going out the front gate.

Stairs. If you have stairs in your house, they are almost a built-in exercise machine. Up and down several times a day would be good exercise and you can vary your pace, depending on your fitness level.

stairs
Built in exercise facility.


Letterbox. Take a walk to your letterbox every hour to check if any mail has arrived. You may know that the mailperson always arrives at 11.00 am every weekday and if on your midday journey, you find no mail, keep going as it is still good exercise. Go out the back door to increase your mileage.


Walk in the backyard. Take a notebook with you and note all the gardening that needs doing. That's more exercise for later. If you have a big back yard, you will get lots of exercise. Only a small yard? Several circuits are the answer.

overgrown lawn
Wasn't like this last time I looked.


lawn mower
Even more exercise.

Walk around the house. Do a circuit around the house into every room. Take a duster with you for extra exercise. Several circuits a day will mount up your distance travelled.


messy room
Perhaps not this room.

Shopping centre carpark. When you venture out to do your essential shopping, park the furthest from the entrance that you can and have a good walk. I always do this and I estimate that if I walk up and down every aisle in the supermarket, by the time I get back to the car, I have travelled one kilometre. This is excellent exercise if getting back to your car, you have forgotten something, and need to repeat the journey.


car park
A good walk to get there.

An added advantage of the far corner of the carpark is that you are more likely to find a spot than outside the front door.

car park
Plenty of spaces in the far corner.

Necessary appointments. If you need to attend anywhere in a multi-level building take the stairs, not the lift, unless your destination is on the 20th floor. Perhaps come down the stairs.

All the above sound much better than doing 50 push-ups in the lounge room.

If you have a nice spot in your backyard, have your morning and afternoon tea or coffee there, breathing in fresh air.
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Why? It's so easy.
When: every day
Where: At home
Cost: free
Your Comment
Some great ideas, Neil - well done!
by Elaine (score: 3|9425) 1182 days ago
I have a small garden but am able to do weeding, snipping [ light pruning,]
spreading compost, planting veg seeds. I now do this slowly and then sit and enjoy a 'cuppa' . After 2 days repeat. Surprising how much you can still do.
I look carefully and find self -sown plants. I wait until I identify them and take time to decide whether to remove them SLOW gardening is restful and enjoyable.
by junea (score: 2|207) 1178 days ago
'Shank's Pony' takes me out daily, early in the morning. I sometimes detour via supermarket for the 7am 'Pensioner/ Senior' shopping spree and only purchase essentials which are not too heavy to tote home.
My bicycle with a rack on the back, is the weekend commute for the newspapers.
Don't have a Driver's Licence. I'll be 75 this year. It can be done.
by Gloria (score: 2|555) 1178 days ago
Thankyou Neil, l have a long list of things for my husband to do. He may not finish it in 6 months, but he will be well exercised.
by margaret (score: 0|2) 1178 days ago
Love the photo of the ‘ spare room ‘ - we all have one of those!! Enjoy your gentle sense of humour Neil, a bit of self deprecating mixed with common humanity’s weaknesses laughed at ?!
by coora (score: 1|23) 1172 days ago
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