YOU’RE NEVER TOO OLD TO IMPROVE YOUR FITNESS
Exercise should be a part of everybody’s day. The human machine is designed to move, not to remain idle. In fact the less you move, the faster your body falls into disrepair.
Think of it this way; If you or someone you know has ever had the misfortune to be in a cast (broken arm…not a movie), or been bed ridden, then it is evident how quickly muscles shrink and become weakened.
The good part of what makes our body a fantastic “machine” is that if you reintroduce a strength overload that is appropriate, the muscle tissues can respond by absorbing dietary protein and become stronger once again.
It’s possible to build muscular strength and muscle density at any age. There are a lot of different types of exercise that mature adults can choose from to get in shape. There are of course sports and recreational activities that people can participate in as part of an active lifestyle, but in my experience almost all of these activities require or are enhanced by participation in a fitness program. Cycling, swimming, walk/run, curling, golf, tennis, skiing, old timers hockey….the list goes on.
Here is where fitness fits in: Muscular strength, muscular and cardiorespiratory endurance, flexibility, mobility, agility, power, balance, reaction time. All of these fitness factors and more play a role on fitness and performance. If we take into account individual differences, age, experience, physical limitations and past injuries and so on, it’s easy to recognise that people often have a different starting point, which is a critical factor to take into account. As long as you are cleared to follow an exercise routine, there’s no reason why you can’t. Here’s the thing though to think about before you sign up and jump into something that might be over your head. A Fitness Coach or trainer with the education & experience to recognize individual needs and “teach” appropriate exercise with correct technique, can be a valuable resource. Youtube….not so much.
Here is the important thing to remember: Just Do It! or at least just move it! You might be 50,60,70,80 or more, but once you realise that fitness is something that you can do to feel better and roll back the years…the next step is to take action. Every decade has new physical challenges, but the more physically prepared you are to meet them the better position you’ll find yourself in.