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Old 02-15-16, 12:57 PM  
FirmDancer
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Turning 60: Change Exercise/Workout Focus?

Looking for other VFers’ input - This morning I had a physical that included some interesting comments from my GP doctor. I will be 60 in July and have been very active all my life (ballet dancing, mountain bike racing, 10ks and have run a marathon). That means I’ve had numerous injuries which I rebounded from. But I have a few niggling aches and creaks in my body!

But time off to recuperate from injuries means that in my 40s and beyond, my “workouts" have focused on losing weight, and regaining strength. I told her that now I like to do metabolic workouts, some “heavy” strength training, and I like Olympic style lifting - it improves my kayaking. I “do yoga” everyday, but usually only seated or lying down poses.

My doctor’s comments were that, now approaching age 60, I need to look at my exercise/workouts differently. She said in essence “That was a different phase of your life. Instead of trying to improve at a sport or recover from injuries, you need to focus on preventing injuries. From now on, you need to put a greater emphasis on maintaining the quality of movement you still have now. You can’t just do ‘what you like to do’. And with each decade going forward, it will take more and more work to keep your body operating as it is now.” An example she gave was yoga - that instead of doing just seated/prone poses because I “like” them and “don’t like” sun salutations, she recommends more standing poses, doing downward dog everyday, etc - so that I stretch and strengthen all areas of my body.

In my hour with her there was so much to cover and we didn’t spend any more time on that topic. So I thought I’d ask here! Has anyone changed how you work out and/or “added” types of exercise in order to maintain your quality of movement as you age? If so, what changes did you make?

My goal is that I don’t want to be 80 with some irreparable injury or other physical challenge, and then hear: Oh, you should have been doing “X” all along. TIA !!

-Anita
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Old 02-15-16, 01:52 PM  
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Age is just a number and you can do what many thirty-year olds cannot. It depends on individual physical condition.

I like to compare a body to a car. Someone who takes care of their car will have it looking better and driving longer than someone who ignores maintenance and drives it recklessly. In both cases, don't take foolish chances. Listen to your own body!
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Old 02-15-16, 01:57 PM  
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Hi Anita!
I will be 59 this year and I have changed my exercise routine and goals significantly over the past few years. I have some wrist and knee issues. I gave up running and other high impact cardio, but only out if necessity. I would still be running if my knees were healthy. Now I do walking workouts, outdoor walking, swimming, and rebounding. I gave up trying to do heavier weights as my wrists protested, and now do low weight high rep workouts and unweighted workouts - barre, ballet, Essentrics, yoga. I do balance work regularly, a lot of my workouts incorporate balance as does rebounding. Balance is so important to maintain as we age! I also like to do lots of stretching on my own, really helps my knee.
So I have toned my workouts down out of necessity. But I say if an activity feels good and you enjoy it, why should you give it up?
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Old 02-15-16, 02:01 PM  
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While we have VFers who have manged to stay injury-free and do all kinds of intense exercising well past 50 (I'm talking to YOU Jeanne Marie! ), some of us have chosen to change our focus.

I do have injuries and areas I need to work around. I modify almost every workout I have. Since my early 50's (I'm 60) I have focused on:

POSTURE AWARENESS
BALANCE WORK
FLEXIBILITY
POSTERIOR CHAIN WORK (especially glutes)

Sure, I still want to look good and doing these *boring* things on top of the usual strength/cardio/flexibility workouts actually does that.

I am not too proud to try workouts geared to seniors. I really like:

Kettlebell Boomer - Andrea DuCane

Safe Strength Training for Osteoporosis Prevention - Susie Hathaway

Yoga For Seniors and Better Standing Balance - Jane Adams

Though marketed to seniors, these workouts are not easy. They can be modified up and down to suit your needs.

I truly believe that daily work on posture and balance is the Fountain of Youth. For some, this means yoga. I find most yoga workouts too hard or too boring. So, I just do different balance challenges when I think of it during workouts and throughout the day.

I stretch often throughout the day, not just after workouts.

Plus, I nag my DH to check my posture and tell me if I am ever slumping. We say, "Posture Check!"
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Last edited by Vintage VFer; 02-15-16 at 02:03 PM. Reason: clarify
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Old 02-15-16, 02:14 PM  
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I am well over 60 and have managed to stay injury free from my workouts anyway. Even so your body changes. I have replaced step with lots if walking. I have changed from heavy lifting to hi rep low weight. I have also needed to add more flexibility ...yoga, lots of fusion. Ellen has become a go to for feel good workouts.
I am going to say it. Age is not just a number. It involves some changes in your body no matter what you do. I have been working out and have been physically active my whole life. People tell me I look great and are surprised at what I am able to do. But still there are definite changes. You know it is not something to get upset about. Just enjoy the changes, listen to your body and adjust your workouts to what your body is telling you it needs.
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Old 02-15-16, 02:21 PM  
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Quote:
Originally Posted by FirmDancer View Post
Instead of trying to improve at a sport or recover from injuries, you need to focus on preventing injuries.
But these goals aren't necessarily mutually exclusive, are they? Preventing injuries and recovering from injuries often take a similar approach, they are just different points along the same journey. I agree somewhat on the sport angle - I can no longer take the chance with sports that have a lot of "cutting" and agility focused movements, at least not in an actual game situation, because I still have a competitive attitude and it's easy for me to get carried away. BUT, I think it is still worth it to work on a modified forms of agility and movement in different directions - whether it's Zumba, Tonique, step aerobics, etc.

Quote:
From now on, you need to put a greater emphasis on maintaining the quality of movement you still have now. You can’t just do ‘what you like to do’. And with each decade going forward, it will take more and more work to keep your body operating as it is now.” An example she gave was yoga - that instead of doing just seated/prone poses because I “like” them and “don’t like” sun salutations, she recommends more standing poses, doing downward dog everyday, etc - so that I stretch and strengthen all areas of my body.
That is an interesting example she gives, because it sounds as if she is "upscaling" the demands of the movement, and I can see her point there. It sounds like she is not giving a specific recommendation, but it sounds as if she's not actually asking you to take it easier, she's asking you to identify what needs to be improved, and address it.

I guess I am saying that I might actually agree with her - but I interpret it as saying that we still need to work on strength, power, balance, range of motion, and do it to what we know we can tolerate and recover from. I think Alta and others have said similar things many times.

I have added lots of things, actually, with goals similar to what Alta posted above, and strength, agility, and power fit into those goals as well. I think power is really crucial going forward (I'm 53).
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Old 02-15-16, 02:29 PM  
cherimac
 
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Vintage VFer View Post
While we have VFers who have manged to stay injury-free and do all kinds of intense exercising well past 50 (I'm talking to YOU Jeanne Marie! ), some of us have chosen to change our focus.

I do have injuries and areas I need to work around. I modify almost every workout I have. Since my early 50's (I'm 60) I have focused on:

POSTURE AWARENESS
BALANCE WORK
FLEXIBILITY
POSTERIOR CHAIN WORK (especially glutes)

Sure, I still want to look good and doing these *boring* things on top of the usual strength/cardio/flexibility workouts actually does that.

I am not too proud to try workouts geared to seniors. I really like:

Kettlebell Boomer - Andrea DuCane

Safe Strength Training for Osteoporosis Prevention - Susie Hathaway

Yoga For Seniors and Better Standing Balance - Jane Adams

Though marketed to seniors, these workouts are not easy. They can be modified up and down to suit your needs.

I truly believe that daily work on posture and balance is the Fountain of Youth. For some, this means yoga. I find most yoga workouts too hard or too boring. So, I just do different balance challenges when I think of it during workouts and throughout the day.

I stretch often throughout the day, not just after workouts.

Plus, I nag my DH to check my posture and tell me if I am ever slumping. We say, "Posture Check!"
Love this.

I too, at almost 51, exercise more for keeping me feeling good and enhancing flexibility. I too focus on my posterior chain. And like Pam, I can't lift heavy anymore so I do much more in body weight training.
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Old 02-15-16, 02:30 PM  
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I just do what feels good mentally and physically to me.

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Old 02-15-16, 03:06 PM  
videofit
 
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Vintage VFer View Post
I am not too proud to try workouts geared to seniors. I really like:

Kettlebell Boomer - Andrea DuCane

Yoga For Seniors and Better Standing Balance - Jane Adams

Though marketed to seniors, these workouts are not easy. They can be modified up and down to suit your needs.
That's the problem with marketing workouts by age. The implication to someone who has never worked out is that these are safe to do because they are for old people. They don't know their limits, they don't understand proper form and probably believe "no pain, no gain" because they heard it years ago. A recipe for disaster! Workouts should be labeled beginner, intermediate and advanced.

I do think workouts should show background exercisers of all ages and sizes so no one will have excuses not to exercise!
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Old 02-15-16, 03:16 PM  
Vintage VFer
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Quote:
Originally Posted by videofit View Post
That's the problem with marketing workouts by age. The implication to someone who has never worked out is that these are safe to do because they are for old people. They don't know their limits, they don't understand proper form and probably believe "no pain, no gain" because they heard it years ago. A recipe for disaster! Workouts should be labeled beginner, intermediate and advanced.

I do think workouts should show background exercisers of all ages and sizes so no one will have excuses not to exercise!
Videofit, have you seen any of these workouts?

Both the Suzie Hathaway and Kettlebell Boomer workouts have extensive instructional sections with modifications for assorted limitations (hip replacement, knee issues). The Boomer workout has exercisers of different abilities and each exercise has modifications.

ETA: I doubt one would find any of these workouts at Target or Walmart, so your average senior is not in danger.
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aging, balance training, ernestine shepherd, injuries, injury prevention, limitations, over 50, posture, senior exercise, senior strength training

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