Older women wanting to don their gym clothing and take part in resistance exercises should try activities that include using their own body weight, an expert has claimed.

Dr Mark Peterson, a research fellow in the University of Michigan's Physical Activity and Exercise Intervention Research Laboratory, said that anyone over the age of 50 should consider participating in resistance exercise.

He explained that exercises in which a person uses their own body weight include squats, modified push-ups, lying hip bridges and simple things like standing up out of a chair.

Dr Peterson also recommended people take part in Thai chi and yoga classes.

He went on to suggest that older people should not push themselves too hard when it comes to exercise.

"Working out at age 20 is not the same as at age 70," Dr Peterson said.

People who feel stressed and are having trouble sleeping should also try doing more exercise, Dr Charles Elder, an investigator with the Kaiser Permanente Center for Health Research in Portland, Oregon, said recently.

Posted by Sue Wallis ADNFCR-2569-ID-800485865-ADNFCR

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