After retirement...

[Gibbon]

My plan is to learn French properly.

You'll be going to France then? Only way really is to poll up somewhere no English is spoken, thereby forcing you to get the pronunciation correct. Well that what I've found with my limited Italian. I use Basilica Santa Maria Maggiore to get me started.

[d000hg]

It's just stretching wearing silly clothes and adding mumbo jumbo. So very effective but you could just be doing stretching and watching Netflix

[SueEllen]

It's just stretching wearing silly clothes and adding mumbo jumbo. So very effective but you could just be doing stretching and watching Netflix

You don't have to wear silly clothes to do it.

Also if you watch Netflix (or something else interesting) while doing deep stretches you will forget to change position.

[CheeseSlice]

To strengthen your lower back and other core muscles, try adding an Abs / Core routine into your workout. 5 mins on an exercise mat is all you need every time you workout.

..Leg raises, russian twists, planks, side bends, sit-ups, etc, etc.

I just choose 3 exercises to do on each workout.
I've not had any back issues since I started doing this 5-6 years ago.

I do cardio and resistance too, but almost none of these exercises work the abs/core, which are so important for posture and protecting from back from injury.

edit: If you have any actual back problems you should probably consult a specialist before trying any of my suggestions. Don't hurt yourself!

[DoctorStrangelove]

You really need to be careful of your back. Lots of fit and active people run into problems as they get older. Learn how to lift things and be mindful... often it's the little things, you work for a solid day then reach down to yank up a petrol can or even a can of beer lazily, and throw it all out for a week.

I've managed to put my back out variously digging up weeds for a lawn, picking up a shopping bag, and best of all, pulling my trousers up after a satisfying dump.

This last being particularly convenient since I then had to drive 70 miles back & forth to Cardiff for a birthday party.

I think it took longer walking down the garden to the car than it did to drive to Cardiff.

Thank the Almighty for inventing ibuprofen.

[_V_]

I've managed to put my back out variously digging up weeds for a lawn, picking up a shopping bag, and best of all, pulling my trousers up after a satisfying dump.

This last being particularly convenient since I then had to drive 70 miles back & forth to Cardiff for a birthday party.

I think it took longer walking down the garden to the car than it did to drive to Cardiff.

Thank the Almighty for inventing ibuprofen.

That brought me many amusing visualisations.

[GJABS]

Maybe OP needs to do some dangerous sports to loosen up the joints. There's nothing like the risk of sudden death to get you moving.

[ladymuck]

Maybe OP needs to do some dangerous sports to loosen up the joints. There's nothing like the risk of sudden death to get you moving.

GJABS! how the devil are you? Haven't seen you round these parts for a while

[SueEllen]

Maybe OP needs to do some dangerous sports to loosen up the joints. There's nothing like the risk of sudden death to get you moving.

Bowels or other things?

[vwdan]

Mate, I'm mid 30's, reasonably fit (A few years ago I ran several 10 mile cross country races with 15kg of weight) but I've been doing a lot of reasonably heavy DIY and it absolutely kills me. I think it's just different muscles - I spent Saturday grinding down a floor, so all day kneeling and I was wrecked. Bricklaying in particular was hard graft!

I wouldn't worry so much