Generation Games

Exercise isn't ageist, it loves all bodies and can even slow and reverse many factors associated with the ageing process. "Scientists are finding that the body ages faster if you don't exercise. It's not an exaggeration to say that a 40-year-old who exercises regularly can have the body age of a young thirtysomething," says Jonathan Dolzell, lecturer and researcher in exercise physiology at Portsmouth University.

The key to biological clockstopping is to evolve exercise over the decades. "It's not so much what you do: most exercise is based on strength training and cardio work which is the linchpin to ultimate fitness for all ages," points out Dolzell.

"But it's the mix and emphasis of activities over time which is important, and to remember that fitness levels need to be constantly kept up. Older people often feel they are still fit because they played squash every day when young and speak of it as though it was last week."

To keep you chronologically on-track, here celebrity trainer Jamie Baird, head fitness coach at Agua at the Sanderson Hotel outlines simple exercise programmes for each decade:

DECADE: TWENTIES

Profile: Young and restless

Special focus: Pushing fitness levels to the max

Beware of: Too much too soon

Weekly workout guidelines: Time and health is on your side, so relish your freedom of choice and fitness. For cardiovascular training any physical activity will do from a high-impact aerobics class to a game of football.

For many men in their twenties' sports are part of their social life, so playing two or three times a week is unlikely to be a hardship. And make the most of it: your heart and lung capacities, which enable you to exercise aerobically, start a downward trend from 25-plus.

"These are the years when you reach peak bone mass," says Baird. "So step up on resistance training to safeguard all-important bone health in the future."

But don't burn out - overexerting the body will not
deliver optimum benefits. Take days out in between workouts to rest and avoid injury. It's never easier to lose weight, but be realistic: women who aim for a weight that's too low can endanger their health.

DECADE: THIRTIES

Profile: Time-poor and fatigued
Special focus: Quality rather than quantity
Beware of: Weight gain

Weekly workout guidelines: "In your thirties you've entered the busiest time of your life," says fitness trainer Jamie Baird. "You're probably working longer hours and may be juggling the responsibilities of marriage and kids. The last thing on your mind is exercise."

But after turning 30, on average we lose around half a pound of lean body tissue a year, but gain a pound of fat. The aim is to increase your cardio.

"Start with three 20-minute sessions a week," says Jamie. "That sounds a lot, but it can be 'incidental' exercise. That's the unplanned, gymfree activities of daily life."

The easiest exercise is walking, but chores can be every bit as effective as a workout.

You may also want to put extra effort into muscle tone in areas affected by childbearing or your job, such as abdominals, chest and upper back, even doing some gentle weights.

DECADE: FORTIES

Profile: Mid-lifers with potential body crisis
Special focus: Replacing lost muscle

Beware of: Quick-fix dieting

Weekly workout guidelines: Socially the forties are seen as the new thirties where the pressure is on to perform like a youngster at work as well as look the part. Hence, body image panic.

"As weight settles on, the natural reaction is to starve your body of food with the aid of a quick-fix diet. Initially, after look-good results, a nasty, self-defeating cycle of yo-yo dieting can kick in with time, depleting the body of lean muscle mass," says Baird.

Strength training can replace lost muscle, get the body's metabolism back up and keep weight off permanently. "If you're trying to gain muscle tone, firstly your workout should involve a good amount of cardio: choose an activity you like doing - walking, swimming running, at a pace that makes conversing challenging but not impossible.

"Remember, it's not necessary to bust a gut for fitness to benefit. A brisk walk through the park has psychological merit and positive physical benefits.

Secondly, slip in two or three sessions a week of just 25 minutes of all-important strength training."

Time and money are usually a little more generous to you during this decade, so why not hire a personal trainer to get you motivated and set short-term goals?

DECADE: FIFTIES

Profile: Routine-led exercise slackers
Special focus: To get off the couch and get focused
Beware of: Not listening to your body
Weekly workout guidelines: Okay, the body rot is beginning to set in, but it's never too late to take charge. In fact, like the forties, fiftysomethings are no longer seen as "old", with many still fitting in regular sessions at the gym or participating in a sport.

But for people who have taken an exercise sabbatical, take heed: "Those who take up some form of exercise after years of doing nothing can become overzealous and treat their body like a twentysomething," warns Jamie.

"If this is you, take things slowly - a complete physical might even be necessary for those who have not exerted themselves in a while.

Remember, you will not improve as fast as a younger person will, so don't get discouraged."

The only way is slowly but surely. Start with half an hour twice a week. Then, as you increase in fitness and confidence, increase to three times a week.

For all-round fitness, an aerobic exercise is best. Swimming is especially good for this decade: it places less stress on the skeletal system as weight is supported by the water and shock to tissues and joints is avoided.

Working with light weights is good as older muscle responds to training by getting stronger, leaner and more pliable. Talk with someone familiar with weights to guide you.

Keep abreast of new trends: classes are not just for Lycra-clad youngsters. Pilates, t'ai chi and yoga are recommended for people over the age of 50, with many sports and leisure centres offering classes.

DECADE: SIXTIES AND BEYOND

Profile: Experienced in mind and slower in body
Special focus: Doing something daily
Beware of: Grinding to a halt

Weekly workout guidelines: You may be speeding towards a free bus pass, but that doesn't give you an excuse to stop using your legs. "Because of lack of exercise and age-related muscle loss, many older people are extremely unfit and very weak, when they needn't be," warns fitness expert Jamie Baird.

Although muscles of this age are less strong and muscle fibres become smaller, in percentage terms each remaining muscle fibre shows the same potential to improve as younger muscle.

Not to be confused with weight lifting, weight training can make bones stronger, improve balance and increase muscle mass and strength, preventing or slowing down the process of bone-weakening osteoporosis.

Use Dyna-Bands or small dumbbells to increase upper-body strength. Gentle yoga - stretching and bending routines - will enhance flexibility. Daily activity is crucial. Walking, light gardening or swimming all raise the heart rate, helping reduce hardening of the arteries.

Hard arteries are a major cause of high blood pressure, which can lead to heart disease and strokes. Get in as much walking as possible. If you're retired, seek out group sessions to keep motivation and a team spirit going. And remember, light exercise is not just good for the body, it keeps the mind active too.