Blog Layout

Movement as we age

Katie Tarling • August 27, 2024

How are we aging?

I’ve been enjoying reading (and doing) Katy Bowman’s book ‘Dynamic Aging’. This is a great reference book including lots of explanations around the benefits of movement, especially as we get older, and it also includes plenty of exercise ideas.


I thought I would highlight some of her quotes and describe how I try to use this knowledge in my own life. 


photo in the autumn with a person doing a side stretch against a tree

Katy explains that 


‘aging is an inevitable part of life, and it doesn’t indicate anything other than the fact that our time and experience are constantly accumulating – which is truly a gift.‘ 


She goes on to say that 


‘we are not all aging dynamically, for this requires that we move.’



I recently taught my mum some simple exercises to help her to strengthen her leg muscles and improve her balance. During a discussion with her husband, he mentioned that we often don’t realise we should be doing these things until it’s too late. Whilst I don’t agree that it’s too late, it sadly often takes for us to fall or sustain an injury to prompt us to work on our strength, mobility, flexibility and balance. However, I do believe that we can still make a difference, even if we wait until our golden years before we get started.


It appears that our muscle mass starts to decline from around the age of 30 and that it’s important to carry out strengthening exercises in order to counteract this natural decline in muscle mass as we age.


photo in autumn of a lady doing a press up on a wooden bench outdoors by a lake



Katie Bowman recommends that we ‘put more movement back into the daily tasks you’re already doing’. Which recognises the fact that many of us cannot find lots of extra time in which to do 'exercise' – but we might be able to ‘put more movement into our existing tasks.’


Here's a few examples of how I try to do this 


  • Whilst brushing my teeth, I will often do some calf or leg strengthening exercises, or simply stand on one leg.
  • We have a pull-up bar attached to the utility room doorway, and when I walk underneath it I usually take the chance to hang from it for a few moments. This helps strengthen my grip and stretch my whole body out!
  • In the evenings whilst watching television, I will often do a few squats or lunges, and then spend a fair amount of time sitting on the floor. This gives me a chance to sit in many different floor sitting positions, and also to stretch in various ways. 
  • I keep a lacrosse ball in the living room so that I can do some foot mobility work and stretches whilst watching TV too.
  • While playing tennis, I’ll take the opportunity to practice my full squat when picking up tennis balls from the floor.
  • When catching up with friends, we'll often go for a walk and a chat rather than sitting in a coffee shop – or even better we'll walk to a coffee shop and walk back again!
  • I use a wheelie trolley which enables me to walk to my Pilates classes with all my kit rather than having to drive.


I even wrote the outline for this article whilst enjoying a nature walk! I spent the first part of the walk just taking in the natural World all around me, and then on my way home I dictated the first draft into my phone. I felt inspired by the movement, fresh air, nature, or perhaps a combination of all three!




Finding the time for movement



Finding time to add more movement into our daily lives can be very difficult and so if we can use activities that we already do, we might be able to get more movement without taking any extra time. Simple things such as taking the stairs rather than the lift or escalator can help. Or perhaps practising a sit-stand movement a few times whenever we get up from the sofa. The NHS website recommends strengthening activities including: heavy gardening, such as digging and shovelling; carrying heavy shopping bags; working with resistance bands; and Pilates. You can read the full details on their website here

Ready to join a Pilates Class?



If you do you want to set aside an hour a week to focus on your movement and are looking for a gentle Pilates class, please click here  to check out my class details and email me to book in. You can even get your first class free when you sign-up to my email newsletters using the button below.


I can also highly recommend ‘Dynamic aging’ by Katy Bowman if you’re looking for an excellent written resource on this important topic. This article is solely for information and interest and is neither advice nor instruction.


Share by: