The benefits of regular exercise: an interview with Wendy Clark

For Wendy Clark the Christchurch City Council's Recreation and Sport Centres are a way to keep active and stay connected.

She has been attending classes for more than 20 years, first joining the QEII Sport and Recreation Centre prior to the earthquakes as she always enjoyed swimming and it was close to home.

Over the years she has tried a wide variety of physical activities including swimming, gym classes, spin classes, hill walking, and running. While proximity and affordability were initial drawcards, she soon found the friendly atmosphere and variety of classes provided by the centres were equally appealing.

In addition to physical benefits, Wendy also found that exercise was beneficial for her mental health. She enjoyed the adrenaline rush and the sense of accomplishment that came from pushing herself physically.

Now a recent retiree, Wendy had always been in a professional job which involved meeting people. When that was suddenly taken away, it was a big adjustment to make. But the regular schedule of physical activities made the transition a lot easier.

“Going to classes, the gym and swimming has allowed me to keep in touch and connected with people following my retirement. That sense of comradeship and community is wonderful - I love the warm and buzzy, fuzzy feeling it gives me,” she says.

“There’s no question that regular exercise has a positive impact on my physical and mental health. I thrive on the social connections I make, and I always feel good afterwards. At 70 years old, I’m active, flexible and more mobile because of physical activity compared to others my age who are not active.” Doing something daily is important “to keep the body moving” she says, and she enjoys a variety of activities. These include swimming, gym classes like pump, stretch and release, spin classes and the new Revl programme at Graham Condon Recreation and Sport Centre, which combines strength and cardio fitness. She also finds long walks helpful for clearing her mind and putting things into perspective. It’s about finding something that you enjoy enough to keep doing it regularly, something you can stick with, she says. Even a small amount of movement, such as walking or playing on jungle gyms, can make a significant difference to overall well-being. For those that are hesitant, she suggests they grab a friend, walk some stairs, walk around the neighbourhood - or join the local walking group.

Her experience highlights the importance of regular exercise for both physical and mental health. Whether it is swimming, gym classes, or long walks, finding a physical activity that one enjoys and can stick to can have a significant impact on quality of life.

“There is no doubt about it, regular exercise is an essential component of a healthy, fulfilling life.” https://www.ccc.govt.nz/rec-andsport/rec-and-sport-centres/ https://ccc.govt.nz/rec-and-sport/ activities-for-older-adults/

Help with technology at Age Concern Canterbury

Age Concern Canterbury is running a weekly session to help older people with technology issues. This one-on-one session is designed to assist with specific problems on phones, tablets, or laptops.

Each Thursday morning a knowledgeable staff member will be available to give you one hour of their time to help you clean out your emails, file your photos, video call your grandchildren... or whatever else you need to help you in this increasingly digital world.

The staff at Age Concern Canterbury have found that oneon-one help is more beneficial as we can address individual issues but if there is a common thread among the queries we would consider running a specific class on that topic.

Due to the popularity of these sessions, we now ask that you make an appointment time by contacting us on 03-366 0903 or email team@ageconcerncan.org. nz