Push-ups top UK’s most hated exercises, Age UK finds
Push-ups are the UK’s most hated exercise, according to new research from Age UK.
As part of its Act Now, Age Better campaign, the charity asked people across the country which exercises they loved, hated, or avoided altogether. More than a third of respondents (36 per cent, which equates to around 20 million people) said they disliked push-ups the most.
Other exercises high on the ‘most hated’ list included burpees (29 per cent), planks (24 per cent), chin-ups (24 per cent) and crunches (22 per cent).
When it comes to favourites, squats came out on top, with one in five people (20 per cent) saying they enjoyed them, followed by lunges (14 per cent).
The research also found many people had never tried certain activities, with almost half saying they had never attempted a mountain climber, box jump or chin-up.
Lifestyle GP and personal trainer Dr Hussain Al-Zubaidi said: “It’s easy to feel put off by the word, ‘exercise’. Most importantly, it must be something we enjoy and feel benefit from. There are things we can do in our everyday lives to mimic the classic exercises and still reap the benefits.”
The charity found that many people incorporate movement into their daily routines at home, including running up and down stairs, using chairs or sofas for tricep dips, or doing squats and lunges while waiting for the kettle to boil. Others balance on one leg while brushing their teeth or even squat in the shower.
Television presenter Angela Rippon told Age UK: “Our bodies are machines that are full of thousands of moving parts. If we don’t keep those parts oiled and moving, they will seize up and let us down. Dancing is one of the best exercises you can do for the health and wellbeing of your mind as well as your body.”
Unusual fitness habits reported in the survey included using cans, jars, water bottles, pillows, towels and even shopping bags as weights. Some people involved their pets in workouts, from dancing with dogs to doing sit-ups with a cat on their chest.
The Act Now, Age Better campaign encourages people to make small, proactive changes to help improve physical health and quality of life in later years.
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