Fitness over 50 is different because you are different, your body is different, your mind is different and your life is different. You are reading this because you want more. Congratulations, it’s never too late. Follow my step by step guides and you will get fitter, healthier and better. Why follow me? Because I am 62 years old. I have been a professional personal trainer and strength conditioning coach since 2015. I am also a joint pain management and COVID rehab specialist who set up and ran the first such courses in the UK. I still play football (soccer) every week. Last week I told the guys I would be unavailable because it was my birthday. They asked how old I was, when I told them I was 62 the reply was something like ……….Off! They had me down as a “good for my age” 45 year old. I was 10 years older than some of the players’ fathers…I have The Body I need to live the life I want to live. Being better, fitter, healthier is a skill like any other. To get the skill you need a good teacher and then you need to practise practise practise! If you decide you want to play the piano, find the best teacher, have one lesson every week and don’t touch the piano until the next lesson, how long will it be before you can play?.
Oh, I’d best make a note that I’m not a doctor so speak to a doctor before you embark on any exercise regimen. Whatever they say or advise comes before anything I say. Understood? Let’s make a start to your day…
- Drink water. Didn’t see that coming did you? First drink of the day. I know, I don’t like water either. Big glass, get it done. Every day. Start now. Healthy aging: Staying hydrated can help you live longer and reduce your risk of chronic diseases like heart and lung disease.
- Move first thing. Nothing major yet.
- Make a fist then open your hands, repeat.
- Make a fist and roll your wrists one way then the other, repeat.
- Same with elbows, neck, shoulders.
- Reach down towards the ground, don’t force it, straighten up, repeat. Twist side to side. Thats your back warmed and exercised, when was the last time you gave it some attention?
- Remember hula hoops? Course you do, you’re over 50! Well pretend you’ve got one on now and rotate your hips one way then the other. Now same again but smaller circles.
- Bend down, put your hands on your knees, circle your knees one way then the other, repeat.
- Now then, stand on one leg, no? I know, it’s been a while. Lift your leg so the thigh is parallel to the floor, don’t worry if you can’t just lift it up aided or unaided, it doesn’t matter. Now just make circles with your feet, one way then the other, repeat. Then change legs.
- Take a deep breath. Hold it for 4 seconds. Let it go. Repeat 5 times.
Congratulations!
You’ve hydrated which will help you age better and could help combat or prevent chronic diseases
You’ve moved most joints and muscles in your body. When you move a joint your body will send lubrication to it to help it. Once it’s lubricated it moves more easily. Therefore you will move more easily. Therefore you have improved your life compared to yesterday.
Breathwork. You took a minimum of 5 deep breaths. It’s a start. Now there’s lots of positives to what you did and 5 breaths is just a start. There’s lots on the internet about the spiritual, mood and health benefits of breathwork which are all great but I homed in on this one, which went something like this. The brain needs oxygen to perform at it’s best for longer. The more oxygen the better. The way most people get more oxygen into the body is when they breathe heavier through physical exertion.. The older we get the less we want to exert ourselves, the less we exert ourselves the less we optimally oxygenate our brains. The less optimally we oxygenate our brains, the less optimally it functions… Death doesn’t occur when we have a heart attack, stroke, diseases etc. These things kill us because they deny the brain of oxygen, one way or another. Healthy brain, longer life? Fully and optimally oxygenated brain is a health brain? Taking deep breaths puts more oxygen into the body and brain? The primary way people breathe deeply is through physical exertion? Could we therefore not get the same or similar effect on the brain by performing deep breathing exercises?
By the way, I know some of you might find the above challenging. For now. If you do drop me a comment, we can modify all the above so that you can do it seated in a chair. 62 years old, I get it.