Learning
From Others

Reading other newsletters and fitness websites is fun. Example: A few years ago, I received one from Brooks Kubic, a lawyer, author, and strongman. He was in his 50s at the time. He talked about having been a high school wrestler, the long, grueling workouts, and how fit he was. He was still training in his 50s. However, the kind of training he underwent as a young man would likely wear him down as a young senior.

A few years ago, I pulled into a parking space at a park and saw a woman stuffing several medicine balls into an SUV. I asked what they were for, and she said she ran an outdoor boot camp that meets in the park. We each had a dog with us, and they got to know each other while we talked for a few minutes.

She was a mature woman, I’d guess in her mid-to-late-50s. We talked about fitness, of course, and she said she preferred outdoor workouts to gyms. I told her that I led cardio-kickboxing classes into my late 60s. I admitted that at my age now, I couldn’t possibly handle the intensity of those workouts. She agreed that we must adjust our training as we grow older. Even so, the key to good health is to keep moving and never stop.

For years, I kept training logs. Sometimes I look back and see what I was doing five, 10, or 15 years ago. In days gone by, I would lead kickboxing workouts one night, lift weights the next day, and then hike on the weekends. Today, I still follow a mix of resistance training and cardio. However, I now use resistance bands instead of weights. And my cardio walks with my dog are far from intense. Knowing what I could do in the old days could be pretty discouraging if I let it. So I try not to dwell on yesterday.

Of course, I’d be lying if I said I didn’t wish I could do the things I did 10 or 20 years ago. But that’s life. What the outdoors boot camp lady said is true: you must keep moving, but make it age-appropriate. And don’t drive yourself crazy thinking too much about what used to be.

As we get older, higher repetitions with moderate resistance usually make more sense than trying to lift a lot of heavy iron. All-out, one-rep-maximum efforts that send one’s blood pressure through the roof are not age-appropriate for older seniors. Take a little more time warming up, too, and always taper off to cool down. Practice some gentle stretching.

In the words of Satchel Paige: "Don't look back. Something might be gaining on you.”

Stay healthy. Stay fit.

Logan

Senior Exercise Central

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Sincerely,

Logan Franklin
The Gray Iron Fitness Newsletter
www.senior-exercise-central.com