I did something very unlike me today. Can you tell what it was? Shocked, aren't you?
Imagine you're me for a moment. You've lost muscle as you've grown older. The loss began in your mid-30s and has never slowed down. You've averaged a total muscle loss of 5 percent per decade. This has become one of the most sobering aspects of the aging process for you. Muscle is what allows you to move. The less muscle, the less you will move. Not a good thing.
When I was in my heyday I never thought about any of this. It wasn't until I neared retirement that I mustered up the courage to begin weight training. I headed to the gym brimming with all its strength-building equipment. I had no earthly idea how to use the weights or the machines. For 60 years plus, I simply hadn't paid any attention.
But I stuck with my new gym schedule and slowly -- ever so sloooowly -- worked out how to do the various exercises. My routine didn't produce any miraculous results. But after a few months, I actually began to enjoy my trips to the Y. I loved my workout routine. That love has been enough to keep me going. I've got a bit more muscle definition here and there. I'm no bulging AH-nold, but by the same token I've never wanted to get huge, or even shredded for that matter. Lean(er) is good enough. At any rate, along with running, I know I'll be strength training until the Lord calls me home or I end up an invalid. I hit the weights three time a week, and it works out well for me. For the most part, I concentrate 80 percent of my effort on the upper body, mostly because my legs get a workout while getting in my daily steps.
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| Today's steps. |
Recently I've been adding ab exercises to my routine, seeking to strengthen those "core" muscles. As we age, we tend to have more balance problems, so having a strong core is a good way to minimise the likelihood of a fall. My trainer preaches "functional fitness" -- that is, exercises that mimic your primary daily activities in life. You could hardly ask for more.
As we age, we're not able to lift heavy any longer and we tend to get notoriously slower in our running. But if you're still in the game in your 70s and 80s, that's a significant victory on its own. In the late 1990s a runner named John Cahill was one of the best marathoners in his age group. He was 72 when he finished a marathon in 3:05.
Double that and you have my current marathon time. No matter. A stopwatch can't measure quality of life. I will continue to run and lift through all the seasons of the year, and all the seasons of life.
If you're an aging man, I hope you're still pursuing excellence. I can't see any reason to stop being active just because I've reached retirement age. I want to keep on climbing mountains (both literally and metaphorically) even if they aren't as high as those I've tackled in the past.
I'll end this little sermonette by simply saying to anyone who will listen: No matter your age, you should pursue high-but-not-unattainable goals. Please, please don't just sit around. And for the love of God, never stand still.
Let's all keep moving forward, k?