Is 61 Too Old To Take Up Gymnastics? Not If You’re Planning On Living To 100

The older I get, the more I want to play rather than just work out. Have I left it too late to learn a backflip, cartwheel or forward tuck – especially with a dodgy knee?

How do you know when it’s time to slow down? I’ve been wondering that ever since I decided to live to 100. Sure, I may not make it; but if I do I expect exercise to play a huge part, alongside a healthy diet and (seriously, kids, this really isn’t rocket science) evidence-based medicine rather than wellness influencers and coffee enemas.

Bone density, muscle mass and cardiorespiratory fitness all decline as we get older; mobility and balance also take a hit. Exercise can slow or reverse most of this, and help protect our brains. It doesn’t guarantee a long and independent life but it does make it more likely.