Dick Van Dyke is a Hollywood legend and the fact that he still loves to get up and dance at 99 years old only adds to his icon status. The Mary Poppins star has spoken openly about what keeps him feeling fit and well after six decades in showbiz – and much to the surprise of his fans, it is getting in the gym for a full-body workout.
The actor, who rose to fame in the 1960s, joined actor Ted Danson for an episode of the Where Everyone Knows Your Name podcast where he revealed his fitness secrets. But are they safe? HELLO! caught up with fitness expert Melissa Lorch to find out.
Dick's workout in detail
"Somebody said, 'To what do you attribute your age and physical condition?'," Dick began. "I said, 'I've always exercised.' Three days a week, we go to the gym, still'."
© GettyHe compared himself to people who have also reached the grand age of 99, speaking about how his regular workout plan sets him apart: "I think that's why I'm not stove up like my equals," he admitted.
Delving more deeply into his regimen, the Chitty Chitty Bang Bang actor revealed that he spends an hour in the gym where he incorporates stretching, sit-ups, and yoga.
© Getty"If I got there early enough, I would see you literally work out on some weight machine, and then – almost like you were doing circuit training – you would not walk to the next machine but dance," he shared.
Dick can't help but add touches of his personality into his workout. His wife, Arlene Silver, revealed that she watched him "dance to the next machine" during several of his gym sessions.
He then embarks upon laps of his at-home swimming pool before enjoying a nap.
An expert weighs in
Personal trainer and Fit4mum founder Melissa Lorch offers an expert insight into the importance of maintaining a regular fitness routine at 99 – and how to exercise safely.
© Getty"We can all stay active and stimulate our muscles and move our joints daily for as long as we can. I even train elderly people while sitting if they struggle to bear weight – we can all use our muscles somehow," she reveals.
"Dick is right that one of the main factors for overall health and longevity is staying active and mobile. What we do in the gym changes as we age and we might not 'pump iron' but there's always something we can do."
© GettyThe sport and exercise scientist reveals that keeping active and mobile helps us to maintain the ability to do day-to-day things like gardening, cleaning, and playing with grandkids.
"When it comes to lifting weights, there's no need to stop just because of age. You can still lift weights – heavier if you've always done it, which it sounds like Dick has – or light repetitions," Melissa says.
© Getty"Daily walking is still advised for the elderly as are two strength sessions a week. We say to do 8 to 10 exercises for the main body parts but for some people just lifting their arm above their head is enough weight.
DISCOVER: Dick Van Dyke's workout video at 99 leaves fans stunned
She concludes: "He seems like a jolly fella so that happy mindset probably helps him too."
