A worrying percentage of Brits are missing out on vital exercise.
Research by PureGym has found that half of Brits struggle to ‘get up from the sofa’ and find day-to-day tasks such as walking uphill and basic physical exercise hard.
The brand had previously found 34% of the population doesn’t exercise weekly, but new data shows a third of the nation also can’t do strength work.
Nearly four in 10 people believe they would be unable to complete a 1.5-mile run, regardless of how much time they had to it, and a similar number of people are unable to complete a single tricep dip.
In a study of over 2,000 people, five and a half reps was the average number of tricep dips people could do – which is the minimum benchmark expected for someone aged 60 or above.
Meanwhile, a quarter of the population is unable to complete a single squat.
Phil, a PT working for the brand, said: ‘The average person who works in an office spends most of their time sat or laid down.
‘We wake up after a night of lying down, sit down to eat breakfast, drive to work, get a lift to the right floor, and sit at a desk until 5pm, often with lunches spent at our desks.
‘Even for those who exercise after work, a large portion of the evening will still be spent sat down.
‘By the time the weekend comes around, the average person is exhausted, and with a long list of chores like cleaning, food shopping to do, as well as simply recovering from the working week, getting to the gym can seem impossible.’
But making time to get moving is really important to our health and wellbeing.
‘Sedentary lifestyles have a huge impact on our mobility,’ Phil said. ‘When we do not use our muscles in the intended way, we lose range of motion and strength. Sitting down all day can cause tight hamstrings, weak hip flexors and glutes, weak upper back muscles, poor posture, and more.’
This is affected by simple activities too, as 55% of those studied get out of breath when walking up a flight of stairs.
Surprisingly, it’s those aged 16-24 who find climbing stairs the most difficult, with nearly three-quarters admitting to struggling with this – whereas it’s just 46% for those aged over 55.
The test also included a ‘toe touch’ test, of which 44% were unable to do, highlighting just how inflexible we are as a nation.
Phil said: ‘Mobility is our bodies’ secret superhero, one that we don’t realise is there until we begin to lose it as we age.
‘Having good mobility and flexibility allows us to move through a bigger range of motion, with less risk of injury.
‘Yoga, tai chi, and Pilates are great ways to improve mobility and flexibility, but even something as simple as getting up, moving, and stretching everyone one to two hours that you are inactive, will make a difference.’
The key way to change your fitness levels, according to the experts, is to do some form of physical activity every day, such as walking or a gym session.
Phil added: ‘We need to be raising our heart rates within safe limits, at least twice a week to benefit from reducing the risk of chronic diseases and sicknesses such as heart disease and stroke.’
He recommends making small changes across the day, such as opting for stairs instead of a lift at work.
Your ‘back to the gym’ workout by PureGym
This kettlebell full-body workout will target your entire body and is designed to help you get stronger while improving your fitness.
All you’ll need is a kettlebell and a bit of space, making it ideal for your first session in the gym.
- Kettlebell sumo squats. Complete 20 reps. Rest for one minute. Complete three sets.
- Start by positioning the feet in a wide stance squat position.
- Rotate the feet slightly outwards and complete one squat, followed by two squat pulses.
- Hold the kettlebell close to the midline, and avoid bringing it away from the body.
- Make sure that the knees are tracking over the toes, so they don’t cave in.
- Keep the abs braced and sit nice and tall throughout.
- Start by positioning the feet in a wide stance squat position.
- Rotate the feet slightly outwards and complete one squat, followed by two squat pulses.
- Hold the kettlebell close to the midline, and avoid bringing it away from the body.
- Make sure that the knees are tracking over the toes, so they don’t cave in.
- Keep the abs braced and sit nice and tall throughout.
- Start by positioning the feet in a wide stance squat position.
- Rotate the feet slightly outwards and complete one squat, followed by two squat pulses.
- Hold the kettlebell close to the midline, and avoid bringing it away from the body.
- Make sure that the knees are tracking over the toes, so they don’t cave in.
- Keep the abs braced and sit nice and tall throughout.
- Start by positioning the feet in a wide stance squat position.
- Rotate the feet slightly outwards and complete one squat, followed by two squat pulses.
- Hold the kettlebell close to the midline, and avoid bringing it away from the body.
- Make sure that the knees are tracking over the toes, so they don’t cave in.
- Keep the abs braced and sit nice and tall throughout
- Start by positioning the feet in a wide stance squat position.
- Rotate the feet slightly outwards and complete one squat, followed by two squat pulses.
- Hold the kettlebell close to the midline, and avoid bringing it away from the body.
- Make sure that the knees are tracking over the toes, so they don’t cave in.
- Keep the abs braced and sit nice and tall throughout.
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