Still Sexy at 60

Had I the good fortune to receive compensation for every time I heard the statement "I used to be able to (fill in the blanks)," I'd be a millionaire right now. There is a commonly held assumption that age dictates one's capacity to perform physical activity and improve or maintain body composition. Clearly, the body as any living organism, has a finite existence and will eventually complete the natural life cycle. From birth to around the late 20s to early 30s, our muscles grow larger and stronger. Subsequently, we start to lose muscle mass and function, a process known as sarcopenia. However, much of the deterioration and decline assigned to old-age is simply the effect of inactivity.

The most effective way to counter physical decline and deterioration at any age is through consistent activity. Many of my personal training clients are demonstrating the remarkable capacity to improve performance and build muscle well into their 60s and beyond. The best defense against sarcopenia is exercise, specifically resistance or strength training. These activities increase muscle strength and endurance using free weights, cables, resistance bands, body weight, and a variety of new technologies.

Resistance training helps your neuromuscular system and improves the body's ability to convert protein to energy. A periodized training program of resistance, cardiovascular and flexibility training, incorporating the proper repetitions, intensity, and frequency is important for achieving maximum benefit with the least risk of injury. Mid-and long-distance runners continue to make improvements in their pace and distances through proper injury-free training.

Just to be clear, one's fitness potential will not be as great at age 60 as it would be at age 20, but the capacity for improvement still remains. Since most individuals never achieve their youthful potential, there is no true barometer to measure this potential against their accomplishments in later years.

The take home message is: Stop worrying about what you were once able to accomplish and focus on the NOW. I see amazing results from clients who no longer allow the ghost of their youthful potential to influence their present day results. The wisdom of age has taught them that their capacity for progress is yet to be determined.

Increase Flexibility and Strength Through Yoga

Over age 40 symptoms of self-neglect such as weight gain, high blood pressure, poor digestion, stiff and achy body, insomnia, and anxiety begin to manifest themselves. By aiding in detoxifying the body and stimulating and balancing the endocrine system, which among other things regulates aging, healing, metabolism and immunity, yoga can help turn things around and contribute to better health. There are numerous styles and teachers who will emphasize different aspects of this ancient practice. Some practitioners favor the traditional teaching methods whereas others who may not be looking for “enlightenment” in the traditional sense may simply be seeking a way to manage their stress and find aching back relief.

Headstands may not be in the cards for everyone. However if you spend a few hours a week doing some stretching, relaxing breathing exercises and being still, you will notice a profound change in your awareness of yourself and your surroundings. You will manage stress better and improve your posture. It will be easier to concentrate and you will sleep better. Research out of the Boston University School of Medicine and Harvard’s McLean Hospital found that healthy subjects who practiced yoga for just one hour had a 27 percent increase in levels of GABA, a neurotransmitter that boosts mood and lessens anxiety compared with a control group that simply sat and read for an hour. The transformative power of yoga is profound.

Yoga provides time for personal observation of your physical and mental state. It’s a time for reflection and a time for you to let go of physical and emotional residue left behind by your hectic schedule. Many individuals over 40 can no longer participate in sports that involve impact or agility. For them, yoga provides a fun and safe alternative. Yoga is a continuous journey; I've had the good fortune to practice with several amazing teachers including Amanda Reh, Yoga in Lake Eola Park and Allison Egan Datwani pictured above. For more on Allison visit https://www.allisonegandatwani.com

Incorporating Training Variety to Prevent Overuse Injury

As I noted in a previous post, much of the decline in fitness capabilities we typically associate to aging is the result of our decision to adopt a more sedentary lifestyle. My personal fitness philosophy to ward off father time and remain injury free is to incorporate a variety of different activities in my fitness plan. Through strength training, yoga, cycling and running I've been able to avoid the repeated joint stress and overuse injuries that often accompany fitness plans involving only one activity. Every decision has its consequences and if you choose to employ this fitness strategy you must accept the fact that it is unlikely that you'll become the world's best in any of your chosen areas. Mastery comes from concentrated focus, so the person who chooses to become world champion would not benefit from such a strategy. The excessive cardio employed by my fellow runners and cyclists would be counter productive to my aspiring champion bodybuilding associates. Increased flexibility produces decreased stability making powerlifting and yoga incompatible if one's goal is mastery.

To improve my fitness performance it often becomes necessary to train with those dedicated to a single discipline. Today I chose to cycle with Troi Lynch and Charles Mason of So-Fit Cycling whose strategy to help me beat father time was based on Rod Serling's Twilight Zone episode 'The Odyssey of Flight 33' where a commercial airliner moving too rapidly breaks the time barrier and is sent back in time. To say that the pace they established pushed me beyond my–too many Fun-day ride–comfort zone would be an understatement. When you're winded after the fist half-mile of a 30+ mile outing, you know it's going to be a tough go. Fortunately, my cycling mates were unsuccessful in their effort to take me back in time and I happily remain in the present day. Although stepping up in class can be overwhelming it is our mental approach that determines the physical outcome of our training. So when the temptation to give up and return to the comfort of my bedcovers presented itself, I simply committed to the process and finished the ride. So if or when you find yourself in a similar situation, let the principle "don’t let what you can't do interfere with what you can do" be your guide. As a personal trainer, I frequently encounter clients who get caught up in the detrimental exercise of comparing themselves to others and being overly concerned with making a fool of themselves. I believe that to be successful in life you don’t have to be perfect, you just have to remain perfectly capable of IMPROVING. Growth and change may be painful sometimes, but nothing in life is as painful as staying stuck in a place where you don’t belong. You can only fail if you give up on yourself. Thank you, Troi and Charles... I think?