Tenor John Mac Nally tells Patricia Westonhe eats a much healthier diet now that he lives in Australia and he finds it easy to exercise as so many other people are keeping fit as well
How do you keep fit?
Well, I live in Sydney, which is very conducive to outside exercise. I swim all year round and walk five days a week. I get up at 6.30am for a walk - I live 10 minutes from the beach. There are so many people up at that hour keeping fit, it's great encouragement. It gets very hot around midday so morning is the best time to exercise.
I also play a lot of golf and do my own stretching exercises for my back. My back gets weak from playing golf because of the twisting and being at an angle, so I have specific floor exercises I do.
What floor exercises do you do for your back?
I get on all fours and bend my arms and rotate my pelvis in each direction 10 times. I then get onto my hunkers and stretch out my back. I also like to do the angry cat stretch. I find these great for the lower back. I also think core strength is very important for golf. The belly button is the centre of power.
Would you consider yourself fit?
I'd say calling myself fit would be a bit of an exaggeration. I wouldn't take up running or anything like that unless I had been doing it all my life. I see lots of people running on concrete and they have such a pained look on their face.
Did your diet change when you moved to Australia?
Well, when I come home to Ireland I eat lots of bread and potatoes which is something I don't really eat in Australia.
They serve you bread with every meal here and if you order a dinner at a restaurant you'll usually get mashed potatoes and chips! I eat lots of fruit and plenty of fish in Australia. The shellfish, prawns and crayfish are great.
Do you take food supplements?
I'm a member of the Life Extension Foundation in Florida and they try to keep your health and vitality up as you get older. They provide advice and supplements. I take hormone replacements because the DHEA in your body depletes after the age of 25, it's a hormone that is vital for energy. I take it in tablet form and it increases my energy fundamentally.
John McNally returns from Australia to perform his farewell concert at the National Concert Hall, on Tuesday, May 29th in aid of the Irish Hospice Foundation.
Patricia Weston's exercise prescription:
Take a few valuable tips from John and improve your golf with core exercises and lots of stretching. Here are some exercises to help improve your swing and prevent back strain:
Take your golf club in your hands for balance and stand with your legs hip width apart and your knees slightly bent. Bend your elbows and hold the club with your forearms parallel to the floor. Breathe in as you twist your torso to the right and breathe out when you come back to the centre, then squat down and twist to the left. Repeat 12 times.
In the same position extend your right leg out to the side then slowly swing it across the front and out to the side again and across the back. Repeat 10 times on each leg.
In the same position extend your right leg out behind and lift in a pulsing movement for eight counts, repeat for three sets of eight on each leg.
Stand hip width apart but extend your arms with the club overhead. Push up to the sky but do not lock your elbows and slowly return to the starting position, repeat for 15 counts.
Patricia Weston is an NCEHS fitness instructor, personal trainer and Pilates teacher.
pweston@eircom.net
Consult a physician or qualified healthcare provider before embarking on any exercise regime and stop exercising if you feel nauseous or dizzy.