However fit and healthy you might be, it is an inescapable fact of life that the body becomes more difficult to maintain as we get older.

But regular fitness training remains one of the best ways to keep your body in optimum condition, whatever your age.

As well as being a great way to reduce blood pressure and improve general health, fitness training is an excellent hobby for those looking for new ways to enjoy their spare time after retirement.

Despite this, statistics show that seven out of ten adults do not do enough physical activity - at least 30 minutes of moderate physical activity five times a week, as recommended by the NHS.

Now recent research from Canada may well provide an extra reason for older people to get moving, reports Saga magazine.

Dr Kenneth Madden of the University of British Columbia carried out a study on adults aged 65 to 83 who had controlled type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure and high blood cholesterol and found that aerobic activity made their arteries less stiff and artery walls more elastic.

The study group agreed to undertake vigorous physical activity using treadmills and cycling machines for one hour three times a week, supervised by a personal trainer.

Three months later Dr Madden found the group had experienced an impressive 15 to 20 per cent reduction in arterial stiffness - a factor which greatly increases the risk of heart disease.

Dr Madden told Saga that though there seemed to a "knee-jerk reluctance" to getting older adults to exercise, he did not have any problem keeping participants engaged in the study.

"People always underestimate what older adults can do," he added.

Saga noted that the results of the study seemed encouraging, particularly to those who felt they had left it too late to exercise.

However, the magazine advised that anyone who had not been physically active for a while should begin exercising with common sense, starting slowly and building up gradually.

It also recommended to see your GP and ask their advice before you begin, especially if you have any conditions affecting your health.

Indoor rowing is just one form of exercise suitable for older people.

Impact-free, it is designed to be gentle on muscles and joints and the intensity is completely user-controlled, meaning you can row as hard or as easily as you want.

For more advice to older people thinking of taking up indoor rowing, see the Concept2 training guide.

Posted by Matt Wallace