UPDATE MAGAZINE
We hope you’ve been able to continue with your U3A activities during lockdown and would love to hear from you if you have – are you using Zoom, FaceTime or something else? Please email me your thoughts and how you are continuing your U3A activities, with any photographs, to jim_dwyer@btinternet.com so they can be seen in the next issue of Update.
You can click on the image below to enlarge it. It was emailed out to all members. Renewal membership form for 2020-2021 was posted with the April Update magazine or can be downloaded from the Membership page. Application forms for committee members are on our Committee page.
Keep yourself moving with Six Simple Seated Exercises
Find yourself a chair, perhaps a dining chair where your knees and hips can be a similar height. Sit yourself with your bottom at the back of the chair and have your feet hip width apart under your knees. Now sit tall in the chair lengthening the crown of your head to the ceiling. This is your starting position. Try to maintain this position throughout the exercises. With all the following exercises please only try them if they feel comfortable and only take the exercises as far as you are happy with. With the situation we are in it’s all about keeping healthy and not over-doing things.
Ex 1 – Breathing
Sit as described above and inhale into the sides of your ribs, then exhale. Get the feeling of breathing like this, and then breathe in for 3 and out for 3 and repeat 6 times. If at any point you feel a little light headed just return to your normal breathing. On the other hand, if you feel that this breath comes fairly easily to you and you want to increase to a count of 4, then try.
Ex 2 – Rolling your shoulders
Whilst sitting tall circle your shoulders forwards, up and around and repeat x 6. Then reverse the movement circling backwards, down and around.
Ex 3 – Floating Arms
Sitting tall as before, with your arms down to your sides, try to keep your body still as you lift your right arm out to the side and float it up towards your ear keeping it as long as possible. Try to keep the weight of the body centered trying not to bend the spine to help, the movement should come from the shoulder. Repeat x 6 and then swap sides and repeat with the left arm.
Ex 4 – Ankle turns
Lengthen the right leg away in front, trying to keep sitting tall all the while. Turn your foot clockwise at the ankle x 6 and then anti-clockwise x 6. Bring the leg back to starting position and do the same with the left leg.
Ex 5 – Knee lifts
From your starting position lift your right knee trying to keep the rest of your body still. Then repeat the same on the left side. It may be difficult to keep the body still when swopping legs but try to keep that lengthening from your bottom through to the crown of the head going all through the exercise.
Ex 6 – Waist Twist
Fold your arms in front and relax the arms so they are resting on your front. From your starting position turn your head to the right, and then turn chest and ribs keeping the arms relaxed on your front so that your arms do not try to turn you. Turn back to looking forwards and do the same to the left. Try not to let the spine bend and just go as far with the exercise that feels comfortable.
Finish with a Big Smile!
Take care everyone and if you would like some more chair exercises just say.
Due to the Coronavirus Covid-19 pandemic, we have closed classes and cancelled all events until further notice, please check with your co-ordinators.
Please see our Theatre and Travel page for information regarding refunds for trips already booked.
Download the latest Uttlesford Frontline Factsheet here for support available for those who cannot leave their homes (to get latest factsheet go to www.uttlesfordfrontline.org.uk/ and in circular logon box type in virus and your postcode and then press search)
Get the latest National U3A advice and bulletins on the National U3A website – www.u3a.org.uk
See the latest news about Coronavirus on the BBC News page here
NHS Track and Trace and the scams that go with it, from Essex Police – NHS track and trace
See also the NHS page on coronavirus: https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/coronavirus-covid-19/
For latest news in Essex go to https://www.essex.gov.uk/news/coronavirus
Please note that this is not a U3A activity but we thought that it might be of interest to our members
“As we get older our bodies start to slow down and muscles start to lose their strength and stability. At JustGym we are here to help you keep fit and healthy.
A dedicated member of staff will be on hand to help with any questions you may have, demonstrate equipment, offer tips on exercises and show you ways to get started on your fitness journey.”
Tuesday and Thursday from 2-3pm at JustGym, Shire hill, Saffron Walden, CB11 3AQ 01799 510 766 or info@just-gym.com
£6 per visit or £25 unlimited monthly membership.
“We are currently encouraging people of age 70, 71,72, 73, 74, 78 and 79 years to get their free shingles vaccination from their GP surgery. Shingles can be a painful illness, especially in those who are older or have a weakened immune system.”
Screening and Immunisation Coordinator, Public Health England/NHS England, Midlands and East (East)
