Turning 60: Change Exercise/Workout Focus?

[Lurdes]

I'm 55 and I continue to do vigorous workouts almost daily, including running, weight training, and yoga. I now also use my bike as my main mode of transportation to and from work, for doing errands, etc. My feeling is that exercise is exactly what helps me as I age, and not just in terms of how my body works, but my brain as well. I've had a few injuries here and there, but when they happen I shift focus - for example, if I hurt my ankle, then I'll do tough upper body workouts until it heals. I've been exercising almost daily and pretty strenuously for over 30 years which I think is part of the reason I've maintained my weight and have had no major health problems.

Lurdes

[Marylandmom]

Check out this couple, in their 80s and still water skiing. Love this website, always get lots of inspiration.

https://www.growingbolder.com/in-the...itles-3027910/

[desie]

I am happy with my body and have mostly exercised for the delight of exercise, as I am only maintaining what is already there. As I get older, I find "move it or lose it" applies to me. I hurt my elbow last year and watched my upper arm muscles atrophy while I favoured that arm. After my elbow no longer hurt, I had to actively work to regain my muscle density. I can still squeeze down to bone on the outside of my arm, whereas before, thick muscle used to cover it. My muscles need to do active work, or they seem to thin out. If I don't balance stretchy workouts with strength-building workouts, I can accidentally hurt myself from stretching too far. I also need more time to warm up (20 minutes), and recover more slowly from sore muscles. I am only willing to walk around with a few sore muscles at a time, and wont' do a total body strength workout any more for fear of the recovery period. I am still very happy with my body and what it can do, and think that I take pretty good care of it. When others talk to me about workouts or fitness level, I listen politely but I know in my heart what I like to do and what keeps me healthy and happy.

[Jags]

Eric Cressey wrote this article and posted it the other day. After reading it, 3 fitness programs known to VF-ers came to mind: NROL, P90x3, and Tracie Long. There are probably others.... any come to mind?

http://ericcressey.com/10-ways-to-remain-athletic


Like Dirt Diva, I have had set-back after set-back and I am returning to Pilates, with the goal of buying my own reformer. Rather than making Pilates the add-on, I'll make it my mainstay and add on 15-30 min of daily weight lifting. Between injuries, hormones, and stress my 50's thus far (I just turned 52), have been a challenge, but exercise and proper nutrition are the cornerstones to my wellbeing, so I will persist.

[Sophie]

Originally Posted by Jags

Eric Cressey wrote this article and posted it the other day. After reading it, 3 fitness programs known to VF-ers came to mind: NROL, P90x3, and Tracie Long. There are probably others.... any come to mind?

http://ericcressey.com/10-ways-to-remain-athletic

That is a great article, and I have really tried to be diligent with #1 (soft tissue and mobility drills). It has made a huge difference since I started taking it more seriously.

As counterintuitive as it seems, I also really believe that working on plyos as we age is important so I'm on board with #2. It doesn't have to be drastic, though, as he points out, and can be modified.

I don't quite know how to use the medicine balls at home - thumping them against the wall or floor is pretty noisy. So...that will take some thinking.

All in all a great list to keep in mind and tweak to our own needs/challenges/preferences. Thanks for posting.

[Sue B]

I totally agree with your doctor about focusing on injury prevention, which is what I'm trying to do. But I think you can still do things you enjoy, just modify and/or shorten them. Step workouts minus the step or just with the top, are a great example!

I'm going to be 53 next month and I still lift in the gym, but I religiously do RAMP beforehand and if anything hurts, I stop right away.

[Nuggie's Auntie]

I'm kind of dealing with the opposite end of the spectrum. I'm only in my mid-forties and over the past couple of years, I've been plagued with injuries. They seem to come one right after the other. They are usually on my right side, so I can't just work my upper body while my lower body heals because I have issues with both shoulder and hip (and sometimes foot all on the right side.) Some of my injuries have been traumatic in nature (like a nasty sprain in my left hand when I tried--and failed--to catch my fifty-pound child falling from a playground structure.) So I've had to REALLY dial back my workouts significantly, and just when I start getting back in the groove, something else happens and I'm back to square one.

Waaaaa..... poor me. ha!

Anyway, my point is that while my head knows I'm doing the best I can with the hand I've been dealt, I have to really work to silence the little voice that sometimes shames me with 'look at other people your age--look what they can do and you can't.' I KNOW this is a terrible thought, but it creeps up on me sometimes and I have to really work to think positively, but it's tough. I've put on a little weight and lost a lot of strength and I'm just sad I can't workout like I used to.

But, I keep plugging away, doing what I can. I'm learning to rest more and take one day at a time. I find goal setting or rotations to be, quite frankly, very depressing and futile, so I just do what workout sounds good to me on any given day based on how I feel. (And I live for my MELT roller.) The old saying 'compare=despair' is so true. I have to really work hard not to compare my current self to my former self.

Ok, I'll vacate the VF therapist's couch for someone else now.

[TinierTina]

Originally Posted by Nuggie's Auntie

Waaaaa..... poor me. ha!

Anyway, my point is that while my head knows I'm doing the best I can with the hand I've been dealt, I have to really work to silence the little voice that sometimes shames me with 'look at other people your age--look what they can do and you can't.' I KNOW this is a terrible thought, but it creeps up on me sometimes and I have to really work to think positively, but it's tough. I've put on a little weight and lost a lot of strength and I'm just sad I can't workout like I used to.

Ok, I'll vacate the VF therapist's couch for someone else now.

That has been my story, too. Much less so with cardio than with (current American representations of what we think is) yoga, since I've had 36 years' experience being low-impact amidst the power aerobicizers (some of whom - my age -have not fared so well in the long run ....) ... and only 8 years regular experience with (non-old-school) yoga ...

Ahhh, at the risk of hogging that couch ...

Just ...

+2 to you ....

[Vintage VFer]

To be honest, I was NEVER into hardcore exercise. I have been, am now and always shall be a moderate/intermediate exerciser. For almost 36 years, I have exercised moderately and consistency. So, I don't have to be sad about not doing marathons or Olympic style lifting anymore.

I have always loved hiking, but can't do really steep, rocky trails anymore. (I never liked them anyway.)

As with all things, consistency is the key.

Do what you can. Be smart. Be kind to yourself.

[Nuggie's Auntie]

Originally Posted by Vintage VFer

To be honest, I was NEVER into hardcore exercise. I have been, am now and always shall be a moderate exerciser. For almost 37 years, I have exercised moderately and consistency. So, I don't have to be sad about not doing marathons or Olympic style lifting anymore.

Well, I've never been a marathoner or hard-core lifter, either. But some of the 'moderate' workouts I used to do are beyond me some days. Other workouts that used to be reasonably easy are now really hard for me. Or some feel fine while I'm doing them, then the next day I realize it was too much, so it makes me very timid and somewhat fearful. I don't really know what my limits are anymore. I'm not sure if this is just a season and I'll get better and be able to do more? Or is this the 'new normal?' I think I just need to let go of expectations altogether. Just do some movement everyday and leave it at that. I'm a planner type, though, so it's hard for me to live in the moment!

Anyway, my point in posting is the importance of letting go of the 'I'm x years old, therefore I should or shouldn't be doing this or that.' I do think the OP's doctor is wise to suggest injury prevention exercises, soft tissue work, etc. I think a lot of doctors don't even think of that. They just deal with problems as they come up, rather than trying to head them off at the pass. So kudos to the doc for even bringing it up.