Letters

Hampton Bays is a fitness paradise. There are many ways to make us fit, and maybe make us healthy and live longer. It takes a little exercise. Some exercise is low-impact, and some is grueling, hardcore, sweat-pouring exercise. Low-impact is walking.

Two years ago, I started walking around my neighborhood, then I started a one-mile loop from the train station around downtown Hampton Bays. Now I walk over the Ponquogue Bridge five to eight times a week. It’s all low-impact but good for our health.

To get more out of the bridge walk, many of us do 200 steps backward uphill. We do a two- or three-minute plank and 20 squats at the water’s edge and a few dozen push-ups. These extra exercises might be difficult at first, but they get easier by the day as we get fitter, stronger and increase our stamina.

More low-impact exercise: Southampton Town built a fitness trail at 6 Newtown Road, with beautiful Shinnecock Canal as a backdrop. It’s a walking loop with seven fitness stations (machines) along the way. The machines are easy to use, including some that are handicap-usable. I recommend walking the loop two times and using all of the machines. It’s like an outside gym with lots of fresh air (but no showers).

There’s nothing like summertime in Hampton Bays. Ponquogue and Tiana beaches, two of the best beaches in the world, are just over the bridge. Swimming in the ocean is exhilarating, fun, healthy and invigorating. Working out on sand adds a new dimension, compared to exercising in the gym. We do push-ups, bird dog, bear crawl, jumping jacks, walk backward, squats, play volleyball, sit-ups and run. Backward walking on sand and/or uphill strengthens our ankles, glutes, hamstrings, legs, quads and thighs.

Hampton Bays and Riverhead are known for their numerous waterways that are perfect for canoeing, kayaking and standup paddling. The Peconic River is the most popular, with Peconic and Shinnecock bays close seconds. Serious paddlers might go paddling in the ocean for more excitement, and surfing.

While you’re in Riverhead (Calverton), check out the 10-mile-long Riverhead/Grumman bike trail. It’s fenced in. There are no cars and no traffic lights. For more bike riding with little traffic, ride your bike south of Montauk Highway in Quogue and in Southampton. Biking on weekdays: even less traffic.

Chronological age is your actual age. Biological age is the age that you appear to be based on your physical capabilities. The more you exercise, the lower your biological age becomes. This has not been proven, but it stands to reason: The difference between chronological and biological ages could be how much longer you will live than if you did not exercise.

Jim Dreeben

Hampton Bays