Legendary commentator Mícheál Ó Muircheartaigh has launched a campaign to encourage people who are cocooning at home to get out into their garden and exercise more during the Covid-19 pandemic.
Mr Ó Muircheartaigh, who will be 90 years old this year, said he has not been outside the front gate of his home in six weeks.
He said he is walking more than a mile a day around the perimeter of his lawn in Co Kildare and wants to encourage others to try and stay fit - despite the restrictions.
Mr Ó Muircheartaigh said: "I have always been active, but if you take four laps of the garden here you have a mile walked and it's nice to do a few more miles after that - to stay trim and keep fit.
"I also use a piece of elastic to exercise - and it's amazing what you can in terms of stretching with that!"
The Irish Society of Chartered Physiotherapists said they are concerned about elderly people cocooning during the lockdown.
They have launched an initiative to show people at home how to exercise safely and with a very simple and achievable set of easy exercises aimed at maintaining strength and balance, and therefore preventing falls in the home especially if they are alone.
Mr Ó Muircheartaigh was showing off his exercises by using a step on his lawn while being supervised by his son Eamon, who is a chartered physiotherapist and therefore a clinical specialist in using movement to keep healthy.
Eamon said strengthening and balance exercises have many benefits for people cocooned at home as they can improve mobility, flexibility, brain health, maintain and improve balances.
He said: "By committing to doing these exercises twice every day you will keep yourself healthy and strong and prevent yourself from becoming deconditioned.
"It will mean that when this period of self isolation is over, you will be able to return to your normal activities more quickly."
