Why Strength and Balance
'Stay Stronger for Longer' highlights how strength and balance exercises help lots of people to keep doing the things they enjoy - for longer.
Strength and balance exercises at least twice a week can reduce your risk of falls and keep you fit, active and independent in later life.
Test your muscle strength and balance
Watch this two minute video and take our strength and balance challenge. Find out if your balance and muscle strength has lessened over the years without you noticing and how you compare with people your age.
Please watch in YouTube for more accessibility options. - opens in a new tab
How to improve your strength and balance?
There are several ways you can improve your strength and balance:
- Join a fun and sociable strength and balance class in the community. There are different levels of classes for different abilities starting with Strength and Balance classes (level 3), and progressing to Preparing for Functional Fitness classes (Pre-Ffit)(level 4) or Returning to Functional Fitness classes (Re-Ffit)(level 5). For community classes in:
- Cambridge City, South Cambridgeshire or East Cambridgeshire, contact Forever Active on 07432 480105 or visit Forever Active
- Huntingdonshire, contact One Leisure on 01480 388111or visit: Active Lifestyles Exercise Classes
- Fenland, contact Active Fenland on 01354 654321 or 07874 893316 and visit Active Fenland
- Peterborough, contact Vivacity on 01733 863600 or visit Health and Wellbeing | Vivacity Peterborough
- Join a Falls Management Exercise (FaME) programme and receive a free, programme of weekly group strength and balance classes with motivational support. The FaME programme is proven to improve strength, stability and balance in people who have become unsteady on their feet or have experienced a fall. Contact Healthy You on 0333 005 0093 or www.healthyyou.org.uk
- Read the Strength and Balance Home Exercise programme bookletto complete the exercise programme in the comfort of your own home.
- Download the 'Super Six' exercise leafletand try and do the simple six exercises as often as you can.
- Watch the range of exercise videos to improve your strength, balance and flexibility Staying Active - Cambridgeshire and Peterborough | Steady On Your Feet
I do feel stronger and much more able to do things I couldn't two years ago.
Margret Smith
Brampton Memorial Hall strength and balance class
Cambridge
Worried about falling?
If you are aged 65 years and over and have had a fall in the last year and would like further advice about what you can do to reduce your chances of falling in future, contact Everyone Health on 0333 005 0093.
Alternatively, take the falls prevention risk checker and take action using your personalised action plan. Visit Preventing slips, trips and falls - Cambridgeshire County Council