Try various exercise types
Eddie the Eagle does so much more than just ski jumping these days. “I love dancing, I love going running, I love going on the bike. I want to go back to the gym again. Whether it’s Pilates, going swimming, just get out there.”
In fact, a recent Harvard study found that the secret to a longer life is adding variety to exercise routines. The study followed 111,000 people over 30 years, and found that the group with the largest variation in physical activity had an almost 20 per cent lower risk of early death from all causes.
“As long as you enjoy these activities, which you’ll know because you’ll get constant feedback from your endorphin system, this is great,” says Yesodharan.
As for his favourite, “I would always say gym training,” he says. “Simply because, as people get older, they tend to have age-related muscle loss.”
“Especially for men, testosterone levels start going down, and they’ll reach a point where they can no longer build more muscle. As long as they have a high muscle percentage by that age, they can sustain the muscle for quite a long time.”
As for the other activities, Yesodharan is a fan of Pilates and dancing, because they focus on core control and proprioception (an awareness of where your limbs are in respect to your body), which helps to reduce the risk of falling.
Swimming, he says, is good because it’s a low impact full body workout, so there’s no joint inflammation. Running is great for building cardiovascular efficiency and building bone density, but it has a high impact, so those with osteoporosis or bad joints should avoid it.
If you’re wanting to take Eddie up on his advice to diversify your physical activity, here’s a selection of Telegraph Recommended’s top-rated fitness equipment to get you started.