Physical Wellbeing
Exercise
Some links on this page have been colour coded to make it easier to find the information you need:
LOCAL SUPPORT - SELF REFERRAL
Support with exercise
From Be Healthy Bucks
“is a free health and wellbeing service to help you make simple changes, to start feeling the benefits of a healthy life today”.
- Support with exercise as part of targeting a healthier weight Home – Be Healthy Bucks.
- Why exercise is good for you Why exercise is good for you – Be Healthy Bucks
local Opportunities for exercise
There is access to various local activities catering for all ages. Just increasing your physical activity from your present baseline is a great start. Before starting any exercise, under the frequently asked questions section, read the guidelines on exercise for each age group and, if relevant to you, the information on safe exercising with a heart condition and on diabetes and exercise. The opportunities include:
Local SUPPORT FOR ALL TYPES OF EXERCISE AND ALL AGES
From Buckinghamshire Council – Range of activities
- Active Bucks for adults and children – “a service specifically for Buckinghamshire that aims to help you to be more active by providing somewhere that you can search for activities near you!”. Includes physical activities you can do at home. Active Bucks | Buckinghamshire Council
- The Buckinghamshire online directory (also accessible from the Active Bucks webpage) provides a large data base of activities, including physical activities many of which are suitable for older people (such as different types of dance and movement classes). Search using filter “Staying Active” Find activities, groups and services near you | Buckinghamshire Council
From Buckinghamshire Council – Walking groups
Over 60 walks across the county “Volunteer leaders are there to help you walk at your own pace, so there is no need to worry about being left behind, lost or feeling left out.” Simply Walk | Buckinghamshire Council
From Parkrun
“Everyone is welcome at parkrun – whether you walk, jog, run or volunteer. Parkrun is free.” home | parkrun UK
There is likely to be a weekly park run near you in Buckinghamshire or in a neighbouring county.
You can find your local park run events | parkrun UK
From Sport in Mind – Buckinghamshire
“The charity that uses sport and physical activity to improve the lives of people experiencing mental health problems. Venues include Aylesbury Vale, Chiltern & South Bucks district, Wycombe and Milton Keynes. Sport in Mind provide all the equipment, venues, no special clothes are required, and our sessions are FREE.”
From Buckinghamshire Mind
Physical Activity Buckinghamshire Mind – Physical Activity
From the Chiltern Society
Free guided walks, some suitable for whole family (small nominal charge if you do more than 2-3 walks) Free Guided Walks – Chiltern Society
From Visit Buckinghamshire
Sports & Outdoors Attraction – Sports & Outdoors – Visit Buckinghamshire
Local WALKS AND CYCLE ROUTES
From Visit Buckinghamshire
Walks and tours Attraction – Walks & Tours – Visit Buckinghamshire
From Walking Britain
Buckinghamshire Walks, Walking Routes & Hiking Trails ( Walks Free to download) Buckinghamshire walks FREE to download & print
From the National Trust
- Downloadable walks in the Chilterns Countryside Downloadable walks in the Chilterns Countryside | National Trust
- Great walks around Bucks, Berks and Oxfordshire Winter wanders in Bucks, Berks and Oxfordshire | National Trust
From the Chiltern Society
Information on walking and cycling, including some free walk leaflets: Free Walks Leaflets Free Walks Leaflets – Chiltern Society
From All Trails
Small charge to download more detailed information
Best Trails in Buckinghamshire Best Trails in Buckinghamshire | AllTrails
From the Woodland Trust
Find woods Find A Wood – Visiting Woods – Woodland Trust
From Buckinghamshire Council
- Walking, cycling and wheeling Walking, cycling and wheeling | Buckinghamshire Council
- Disability access to walking routes Disability access to walking routes | Buckinghamshire Council
- Public rights of way map allows you to make up your own routes View the online rights of way map | Buckinghamshire Council
Local PARKS AND LEISURE CENTRES
From Buckinghamshire Council
- Parks and open spaces Parks and open spaces | Buckinghamshire Council
- Leisure and sports centres Leisure and sports clubs | Buckinghamshire Council
From Visit Buckinghamshire
Activities & Experiences: includes details on some large local parks, many of which are free to access Attraction – Activities & Experiences – Visit Buckinghamshire
Home exercises
From the NHS – Fitness centre
Fitness studio exercise videos Fitness Studio exercise videos – NHS
From Age UK
Physical activity videos to use at home Physical activity videos – Make Your Move | Age UK
From Carers UK
Physical activity and wellbeing videos Physical activity and wellbeing videos | Carers UK
From Better Health NHS
Home workout videos Home workout videos – NHS
From the British Heart Foundation
Get inspiration to stay active while at home Get inspiration to stay active while at home – BHF
Sitting exercises
From the NHS
Sitting exercises Sitting exercises – NHS
Wheelchair users
From the NHS
Fitness advice for wheelchair users Fitness advice for wheelchair users – NHS
Families
From Be Healthy Bucks
Family exercise ideas Family exercise ideas – Be Healthy Bucks
For older people
From the National Institute of Aging
This American government website includes a number of exercises which can be done at home
Four Types of Exercise Can Improve Your Health and Physical Ability Four Types of Exercise Can Improve Your Health and Physical Ability | National Institute on Aging
App
From Buckinghamshire Council
“With the free BetterPoints app, people in Buckinghamshire can earn vouchers for healthy activities.”
- Move more in ’24 with BetterPoints Move more in ’24 with BetterPoints | Buckinghamshire Council
- Join the Challenge Buckinghamshire (betterpoints.uk)
PUBLIC HEALTH Buckinghamshire
From Buckinghamshire Council
- Get Active Get active
- Love your heart Bucks Love Your Heart Bucks | Buckinghamshire Council
- Buckinghamshire Physical Activity Strategy: Making physical activity a priority Activity strategy
NATIONAL SUPPORT - SELF REFERRAL
RUNNING
From Run Together
Find a run group near you: RunTogether “provides fun, friendly, supportive and inclusive running opportunities for everyone: whatever your ability or time availability.” Find Running Groups & Clubs Near Me | RunTogether
FREQUENTY ASKED QUESTIONS
THE REAL BENEFITS OF EXERCISE ARE NOT JUST PHYSICAL
Exercise has many benefits including physical, mental health and potentially social wellbeing:
From the NHS
Benefits of exercise Benefits of exercise – NHS
From Patient info
Exercise and Physical Activity: see under section “What are the health benefits of physical activity?” Physical Activity | Healthy Exercise Advice | Patient
From the British Heart Foundation
Physical inactivity Physical inactivity | BHF
From Gov UK
Health matters: getting every adult active every day Health matters: getting every adult active every day – GOV.UK
From the Royal College of General Practitioners
Physical activity resources Physical activity resources: Introduction
HOW MUCH AND WHAT TYPE OF EXERCISE SHOULD you DO?
From the NHS
- Physical activity guidelines for children and adults (Includes physical activity guidelines for different age groups) Exercise guidelines – NHS
- Fitness advice for wheelchair users Fitness advice for wheelchair users – NHS
From the NHS – Exercise centre
The excellent section on exercise, explains the benefits of exercise, how much exercise we should each do, and information on different forms of exercise ranging from strength and flexibility exercises to running and aerobic exercises. Finally there is a section on exercise videos.
Exercise Exercise – NHS which includes
- Strength and flexibility exercises Strength and flexibility exercises – NHS
- Running and aerobic exercises Running and aerobic exercises – NHS
- Fitness studio exercise videos Fitness Studio exercise videos – NHS
From Patient info
Exercise and Physical Activity Physical Activity | Healthy Exercise Advice | Patient
Lifestyle changes
Importantly you can also consider how to make any changes part of a new lifestyle which is much more likely to make the changes permanent. More information can be found under
YOUR HEART AGE
Your heart age gives you an idea of how healthy your heart is.
An NHS Health Check can give you a more accurate number for your heart age by including a cholesterol blood test result and blood pressure result. However, the calculator below will give you some idea of your heart age if you are not eligible for an NHS health check or decide not to have one.
From the NHS
Calculate your heart age Calculate your heart age – NHS
BLOOD PRESSURE
If you take your blood pressure at home or with your local pharmacy you can also check what your blood pressure reading means and get information what to do next
From the NHS
Check your blood pressure reading Check your blood pressure reading – NHS
Improving your heart age
Apart from the information on exercise on this page there is more information on improving your heart age (including self-referral information to local support) under:
- Healthy weight
- Healthy Eating includes information on cholesterol
- Smoking
TARGET HEART RATE FOR YOUR AGE
From the American Heart Association
Target Heart Rates Chart Target Heart Rates Chart | American Heart Association
From Healthline
What’s My Ideal Running Heart Rate? Running Heart Rate: What’s Safe and What’s Too High?
Also read the information from patient info on the precautions with exercise (such as chest pain with exercise)
From Patient info
Physical activity see section “Do I need to see a doctor before I start a physical activity programme?” Physical Activity | Healthy Exercise Advice | Patient
Your cardiac (heart) specialist or your GP may have already discussed with you about exercise with your heart condition. Even if they have done so it is worth reading the information from the British Heart Foundation before starting any exercise.
Heart conditions
From the British Heart Foundation
The question of safety and what exercise you can do is answered in detail. Staying Active – BHF
Diabetes
From Diabetes UK
- Diabetes and exercise Diabetes and exercise | Type 1 and type 2 | Diabetes UK
- Physical activity and your child Physical activity and your child | Diabetes UK
- Exercise and blood sugar levels Exercise and blood sugar levels | Effects | Diabetes UK
SITTING FOR LONG PERIODS HAS ITS PROBLEMS
There appears to be evidence that even if you are doing exercise if you have a sedentary life style (such as sitting at a computer all day long) there is an added benefit from moving regularly.
From the NHS
- Why we should sit less (includes ideas how to counter a sedentary lifestyle) Why we should sit less – NHS
- Physical activity guidelines for children and adults (Includes physical activity guidelines for different age groups) Exercise guidelines – NHS
From Patient info
Physical activity see section “New research about people with a sedentary lifestyle” Physical Activity | Healthy Exercise Advice | Patient
From the Chartered Society of Physiotherapy
Covers some simple ideas for all us to be more active
Keeping active and healthy Keeping active and healthy | The Chartered Society of Physiotherapy
From the National Center for Biotechnology Information
Sedentary Lifestyle: Overview of Updated Evidence of Potential Health Risks (Jung Ha Park 11/2020) Sedentary Lifestyle: Overview of Updated Evidence of Potential Health Risks
The self-referral section to local services above has lots of ideas including walking, and physical activity classes for all ages including older people.
FAMILY ACTIVITIES
From Change4Life
Activities Activities for Kids | Kids’ Activities | Change4Life
Beyond exercise other key information on improving your heart age (including self-referral information to local support) can be found under:
Videos and podcasts
On the videos and podcasts page there are links to some relevant videos and podcasts covering the topic of exercise (physical wellbeing).
- Videos And Podcasts – see section “wellbeing and disease prevention”.
