I’m 62 and superfit – these are my seven tips for ageing well and staying strong

Overcoming injury, Keeping active beyond your fifties, 1) Warm up properly, 2) Kit yourself out with the basics, 3) Don’t go too hard, too fast, 4) Listen to your body, and don’t be scared of discomfort, 5) Small moments matter, 6) Don’t forget mobility or agility, 7) When injured, focus on what you can do, The three exercises everyone should do

At 62, Jacqueline Hooton has accomplished feats of athleticism many of us can only dream of. She ran marathons in her thirties, became a competitive bodybuilder in her late forties, and built a community of over 500,000 followers on Instagram for her fitness videos and advice. But it wasn’t always this way. As a kid she hated PE, something which continued into her working life. She has a distinct memory of being jeered by male colleagues during a fun run at her 80s corporate job where she vowed to never run again. But that changed after the birth of her first son when she was 26. A Jane Fonda workout video tape bought at Woolworths turned into trying strength training, which then became qualifying as a personal trainer, setting up her own gym, running marathons, and competing as a bodybuilder while going through the menopause.

Overcoming injury

Overcoming injury, Keeping active beyond your fifties, 1) Warm up properly, 2) Kit yourself out with the basics, 3) Don’t go too hard, too fast, 4) Listen to your body, and don’t be scared of discomfort, 5) Small moments matter, 6) Don’t forget mobility or agility, 7) When injured, focus on what you can do, The three exercises everyone should do

That’s not to say it’s always been a smooth trajectory for the mother-of-five. In her fifties she developed a frozen shoulder and needed surgery, twice. Not too long after, her other shoulder froze – while the work on her first left shoulder was successful, she still doesn’t have full range of movement in her right. She was then diagnosed with osteoarthritis in her knee after the pandemic and has spent the last year recovering from a wrist fracture, the result of a freak accident. But while some may consider these injuries a prompt to slow down or even stop, Jacqueline makes a compelling case that this is the worst thing you can do, especially when you get older. Rather than retreating into herself, she posted on Instagram about the ways she was adapting to the injury and carefully recovering. “My wrist fracture was an absolute nightmare,” she says, but the response from her audience was huge. “I was contacted by so many people who said, ‘I find this way more inspiring than anything else you’ve shared. You’re showing us how to carry on training, you’re talking about the importance of not completely grinding to a halt, and you’re making it clear that we can modify, adapt, and still engage.’”

Keeping active beyond your fifties

Overcoming injury, Keeping active beyond your fifties, 1) Warm up properly, 2) Kit yourself out with the basics, 3) Don’t go too hard, too fast, 4) Listen to your body, and don’t be scared of discomfort, 5) Small moments matter, 6) Don’t forget mobility or agility, 7) When injured, focus on what you can do, The three exercises everyone should do

She wanted to show that you can avoid a spiral of physical decline that comes from doing nothing as we age. This, she says, is active ageing – the act of adapting and engaging our bodies over time and working towards making yourself the healthiest version of yourself at any point in life. It’s something she champions daily, so much so that she has written a book on the subject: Strong: The Definitive Guide to Active Ageing. Though her book primarily discusses women after menopause, she says, “It’s never too young to think about active ageing.” “Many people think they’re fine until they hit their seventies or eighties, and then everything goes downhill. Actually, bad news – it starts way before then. We know that we reach peak bone density by 30, and our cardiovascular fitness starts decreasing after 30. So this is relevant for everybody from their twenties onwards.” Here are Jacqueline’s best tips on how to actively age and to keep moving into your fifties, sixties, seventies and beyond. (Photo: shapecharge/Getty)

1) Warm up properly

Overcoming injury, Keeping active beyond your fifties, 1) Warm up properly, 2) Kit yourself out with the basics, 3) Don’t go too hard, too fast, 4) Listen to your body, and don’t be scared of discomfort, 5) Small moments matter, 6) Don’t forget mobility or agility, 7) When injured, focus on what you can do, The three exercises everyone should do

“So many people are concerned that they’re more likely to get injured if they’re older. But as long as you’re doing safe and effective exercise, you’re not at all more likely.” This means taking the appropriate steps. “You need to make sure all the joints and everything are fully lubricated before we begin with an extended warm-up.” Injury happens when you have not prepared your body for the movement, not from the act of exercising itself. (Photo: RealPeopleGroup/Getty/E+)

2) Kit yourself out with the basics

Overcoming injury, Keeping active beyond your fifties, 1) Warm up properly, 2) Kit yourself out with the basics, 3) Don’t go too hard, too fast, 4) Listen to your body, and don’t be scared of discomfort, 5) Small moments matter, 6) Don’t forget mobility or agility, 7) When injured, focus on what you can do, The three exercises everyone should do

You don’t need an elaborate gym set up to get started. All you need, she says, is an exercise mat (“helpful for floor work and saving us from getting bruised”) and a couple of sets of dumbbells. “For a beginner, I’d say one slightly lighter and one slightly heavier. I find most of my clients start with a set of three kilograms and a set of five kilograms. Then you’re good to go.” (Photo: AN Studio/Getty/Moment RF)

3) Don’t go too hard, too fast

Overcoming injury, Keeping active beyond your fifties, 1) Warm up properly, 2) Kit yourself out with the basics, 3) Don’t go too hard, too fast, 4) Listen to your body, and don’t be scared of discomfort, 5) Small moments matter, 6) Don’t forget mobility or agility, 7) When injured, focus on what you can do, The three exercises everyone should do

“You need to start at the level you’re at. If you haven’t done cardiovascular exercise for a long time and have never done strength training, start with simple, basic stuff.” This can be as simple as a brisk walk twice a week and practising a few sit-to-stands before slowly adding in more sessions. Many people feel this is “not enough”. But going harder, Jacqueline says, is setting yourself up for failure. “People who drop out of exercise often start really enthusiastic, set high goals, and find they can’t sustain it. What’s better is to start gradually and embed it as a habit. Be very realistic about what can be achieved in a week.” (Photo: Westend6/Getty)

4) Listen to your body, and don’t be scared of discomfort

Overcoming injury, Keeping active beyond your fifties, 1) Warm up properly, 2) Kit yourself out with the basics, 3) Don’t go too hard, too fast, 4) Listen to your body, and don’t be scared of discomfort, 5) Small moments matter, 6) Don’t forget mobility or agility, 7) When injured, focus on what you can do, The three exercises everyone should do

A big part of avoiding injury is paying attention to the signals our body gives us. But Jacqueline says it’s important to understand the difference between discomfort, which we should push through, and pain, which we shouldn’t. “A normal response to a new exercise is something called Doms – Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness. If you’re otherwise in good shape, you shouldn’t be frightened of muscle soreness 24-48 hours after new exercises.” She also says most people are much stronger than they realise. “That said, we still need to listen to pain signals. If muscle soreness lasts beyond 48 hours, it could mean we’ve done too much too soon.” (Photo: Halfpoint Images/Getty/Moment RF)

5) Small moments matter

Overcoming injury, Keeping active beyond your fifties, 1) Warm up properly, 2) Kit yourself out with the basics, 3) Don’t go too hard, too fast, 4) Listen to your body, and don’t be scared of discomfort, 5) Small moments matter, 6) Don’t forget mobility or agility, 7) When injured, focus on what you can do, The three exercises everyone should do

“We need to get away from the idea that the only valid exercise session is one that takes an hour in a gym setting. All movement is helpful.” Busy days are an opportunity for tiny pockets of exercise: standing up and walking around during your workday, taking the stairs, getting off the train at an earlier stop, doing countertop push-ups while waiting for the kettle to boil. (Photo: Miodrag Ignjatovic/Getty/E+)

6) Don’t forget mobility or agility

Overcoming injury, Keeping active beyond your fifties, 1) Warm up properly, 2) Kit yourself out with the basics, 3) Don’t go too hard, too fast, 4) Listen to your body, and don’t be scared of discomfort, 5) Small moments matter, 6) Don’t forget mobility or agility, 7) When injured, focus on what you can do, The three exercises everyone should do

People tend to focus on cardio and strength but neglect mobility, agility, and explosive power (our fast twitch muscles), which are essential as we age. “Our mobility decreases because we move less and become more cautious. After my wrist fracture, I saw everything as a potential trip hazard. If we don’t address it, we can get fearful. It’s important to challenge balance safely.” (Photo: 10'000 Hours/Getty/Digital Vision)

7) When injured, focus on what you can do

Overcoming injury, Keeping active beyond your fifties, 1) Warm up properly, 2) Kit yourself out with the basics, 3) Don’t go too hard, too fast, 4) Listen to your body, and don’t be scared of discomfort, 5) Small moments matter, 6) Don’t forget mobility or agility, 7) When injured, focus on what you can do, The three exercises everyone should do

Jacqueline says the first step when injured is assessment. “Otherwise, it’s guesswork. But assuming you know what you’re dealing with and haven’t been told not to exercise, there are things you can do.” “If you have an injury, focus on what you can do rather than what you can’t.” For example, with a knee injury, focus on upper body work; with a strained shoulder, focus on the lower body. “If we do nothing when injured, we’re more likely to accelerate ageing and lose mobility. We have to do as much as we can.” (Photo: FluxFactory/Getty/Stockphoto)

The three exercises everyone should do

Overcoming injury, Keeping active beyond your fifties, 1) Warm up properly, 2) Kit yourself out with the basics, 3) Don’t go too hard, too fast, 4) Listen to your body, and don’t be scared of discomfort, 5) Small moments matter, 6) Don’t forget mobility or agility, 7) When injured, focus on what you can do, The three exercises everyone should do

Squats: “A version of a squat is relevant to everybody because everybody needs to take themselves to the bathroom.” This doesn’t need to be a full-depth squat. Modifications include adjusting your stance, using a wall for support, or squatting into a chair. Rows: Upper body movement is key. “We take for granted our ability to carry shopping, put things in cupboards, even brush our hair. Push and pull movements are key.” A pull movement can be done by attaching a resistance band to sturdy furniture and pulling it toward you. Holding the band overhead and pulling apart also works. / Push-ups: For push movements, she suggests modified push-ups. “Countertop push-ups help us retain upper body strength.” By incorporating these habits, Jacqueline proves that staying strong and active is possible at any age. (Photo: Anna Mardo/Getty/Moment RF)

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