Long term (and I mean LONG TERM) exercise!

robininfl

Another thread I was watching turned into a conversation about old people and exercise.

What do you consider sustainable exercise?

Who do you know, or know of, who is still exercising at advanced age, and what do they do? How long have they done it?

What do you consider unsustainable exercise? What would break you down over time instead of maintaining you?

And do you think that what you do trumps genetics, or do you think that the old people who are athletes are genetically gifted and that's how they are able to continue so long?

Also anything else you want to add, of course.

quiksylver296

I'm hoping I'm the 85-year-old granny on Youtube deadlifting 225 pounds!!! Forty-four more years until I find out.

LivingtheLeanDream

Looking forward to seeing the replies for this question

At 47 I don't consider myself old but I do think about whether I'll be able to keep up my 90 mins a day workouts as I age (run for 45-60 mins x 5 days and walk loads plus strength train x 3 days).

I don't see why I couldn't continue my current schedule, been consistently active for 4 years now and love it

I strength train especially as I know it'll stand me know good stead for the aging process...I hope to be a fitted and strong old lady

I am of the notion, we keep using it, we won't lose it obviously if health allows, we never know what lies ahead of us (and a good job too).

Ruth

VeloRat1969

Define "advanced age"...

If I had to generalize - I'd say think in terms of low impact versus high impact (cycling and swimming versus running), and exercises/sports that don't require a lot of quick changes of direction (rowing versus basketball).

That said, there will be numerous exceptions to this rule, of course...

NorthCascades

As a cyclist, I notice a lot of older folks on bikes. It's a fun and low impact exercise, it's also transportation, that gets people outside (thus producing happiness), and is as intense or moderate as you want to make it - perfect recipe for the long term.

queenliz99

I hope to keep on hiking until the end.

astrampe

What age do you see as "old"?

LivingtheLeanDream

I have several mfp friends who are fit/active and in their 60s and even early 70s. One in particular lifts heavy even with ill health. I suppose where there's a will there's a way?

I know several 70 yr olds who cycle regularly 60+ miles at a time.

Cycling is easy on the joints

robininfl

I did Jazzercise with two ladies over 80
Met a 95 year old man jogging to an aerobics class.
My mom walks at least 5 miles a day at 75, she isn't athletic but is active.

I think of jogging, aerobics, definitely walking, and yoga as very sustainable forms of exercise. In sports I think of the Masters' division in AAU, which sports have an active older contingent...I know about swimming and diving, that's a busy league, there are masters' divisions in track and field and powerlifting and probably a bunch of others but I don't know how active they are? Someone pointed out in the earlier thread that there are a lot of older marathoners.

I do wonder about genetics vs behavior though...why do some people wear out so bad, and others seem to be helped so much by activity?

tulips_and_tea

I started walking at the high school track a block from my house 24 years ago when my youngest son was 6 weeks old. At first I felt odd because I was the youngest person out there with all the "old" folks. Well, 24 years have passed and I still walk there early mornings on the weekends and many of the same folks are still there! Staying active and walking as much as you can is very important. I plan to walk there for many years to come.

In the meantime, I'll still be hitting the weight room daily until I'm unable to do so.

NorthCascades

VeloRat1969 wrote: »

Define "advanced age"...

astrampe wrote: »

What age do you see as "old"?

How old? Here's a picture of a book he wrote.

Tweaking_Time

I ride, I golf, hunt and fish with my sons, and I work my farm with all the hard work that comes with it like clearing brush, chainsawing, digging, etc.

It might kill me one day, but at least I lived my life not cooped up in a house, inactive and overweight, looking at the idiot-tube and watching 1/2 hour of commercials for every hour of TV (although I used to do that - but no more).

Willbenchforcupcakes

Powerlifting. I know 88 year olds who still compete in full power, and watched a 91 year old do bench only a couple weekends ago. 75 year olds who took the sport up three years ago and are competitive.

I have plans to lift until I physically can't anymore.

robininfl

astrampe wrote: »

What age do you see as "old"?

Personally? Over 70, more or less. That's when I plan to be an old lady, sometime around 70 years old. Can't do it earlier as I had some of my kids later in life, LOL.

Asher_Ethan

My mom is 64 (65 in November) and dances 3x a week at least. She can also still do the splits. She been dancing for over 50 years.

cwolfman13

I'm a cyclist and hang out with a lot of other cyclist and my trainer works with a lot of cycling enthusiasts. One of his clients is in his late 70s and he lifts and rides...he's not doing power lifting or anything like that, but he lifts and he rides regularly...he's actually doing the time trial series this summer.

There are a lot of people in my circle of cycling friends who are in their 70s and a few in their 80s...and they aren't just casual joy riders, these folks are still doing 1/2 centuries and the like.

STEVE142142

robininfl wrote: »

astrampe wrote: »

What age do you see as "old"?

Personally? Over 70, more or less. That's when I plan to be an old lady, sometime around 70 years old. Can't do it earlier as I had some of my kids later in life, LOL.

Old age is a variable term. To me it's more of an attitude and that attitude is going to transfer into a physical reality. My uncle is over 80 years old and he still goes out with the younger guys (50's) and play soccer with them once in awhile.
And we all know people in the fifties who are ready to put one foot into the grave. One of the gyms I used to belong to had a a group of older gentlemen in their late seventies to mid-eighties who were the unofficial uncles and grandfathers of the gym. They would meet there a couple times a week workout BS and have a great time.

As far as what you refer to sustained exercise lot of the posters have summed it up could be walking bicycle riding swimming same kind of exercises you do now but not a less intense level.

acampbe2umd

My 91 year old grandma still goes to the Y to participate in aerobics classes 3 days per week. I would love to be like her!

Pam_Shebamm

There's this old guy who shows up to all the local 5ks and gets an award basically for finishing because the 70+ category is so small. I'm sure back in his prime he was actually winning, but the fact that he still shows up on race day is amazing. And I'm sure his medal collection is awesome.

That's who I want to be in 50+ years. The old lady with the bangin' medal display.

sijomial

Old is also a state of mind as well as calendar years - I work with a lovely guy who is a couple of years younger than me, he's fat, had a triple bypass, diabetic and acts so damn old! Never does any exercise, barely active really, only started to take care of his diet after becoming diabetic. Sadly I can't predict a long and healthy old age for him.

My health, strength and fitness are precious to me and I invest the time and effort accordingly. Neither of my parents had the retirement they deserved and that motivates me.

Started weight training in 1974 as a reaction to a bullying culture at school and can't see the time I will ever stop. There's a perverse satisfaction in lifting more than old farts are "supposed" to that tickles my funny bone. Also suits my self-competitive nature.

Cycling is my other big thing, part as a personal challenge to improve but it's also kind on my knackered knees and takes me to wonderful places. I'll need a knee replacement one day but that should only be a hurdle to overcome rather than a full stop.
I see loads of 70+ cyclists doing endurance events and they are a great inspiration, both because they are still doing it and also because of the obvious benefits to their quality of life: mental, emotional and physical.

Growing old gracefully my *kitten*!
Growing old disgracefully FTW.

RoxieDawn

OP please describe "OLD"..

I will be the 85 year old granny doing leg days on Tuesdays! I am not sure why so curious about this and is this part of a study you are doing?

And I cannot respond to all those questions, but sustainable exercise, is exercise that you can do.. at any age!!!!

Savannahmiamaddie

I'll be 65 next February. I'm always shocked when I think about my age because I don't feel old. When I exercise, I vary my activities. When I work out on my elliptical , I work out for 55 minutes, I have several step aerobic routines I do on a regular basis, I walk my dog, I walk up and down 7 flights of stairs at work 5 days per week (350 steps up and 350 steps down). I try to do cardio of some sort 5-6 days per week. I also don't consider it a good workout if I'm not drenched in sweat at the end of the workout. I do strength training 3x per week using dumb bells and resistance bands. I'm looking forward to retirement next year so that I can kick it up a notch. I'll let ya' all know when I get "old". Gotta' go, it's time to jump on the elliptical.

jennifer_417

I think a whole lot of what you can do in your advanced years has a whole lot to do with what you did in your less-advanced years. Of course, there are exceptions, but I think it's generally true.

GiddyupTim

For the sake of argument, I am going to consider over-50 years as old age.
My wife, who is 51, runs. In the past few years, she has run at least four marathons, and now, in the past year, she has been injured for most of the year, with slightly different ailments, mostly related to a stiff and achy, lower back.
My point is: Many of us tend to get locked in to one type of exercise that we like to do, and after a while the toll from doing the same thing over and over begins to add up. Sometimes the key to staying active long is to recognize this fact.
I have been trying to talk my wife into doing something different -- preferably something with a bit less pounding -- for at least six months. Maybe rowing. Maybe biking. Let the tissues rest. Let the little things heal. You can go back. But sometimes you have to rest from a repetitive motion.
I remember hearing Serena Williams say one time that she felt that one of the reasons she was still going strong at the advanced [ahem] age of 33 years (then) was because she was injured for a year and the time off allowed her body to rest.
I think the older you get the better off you are if you mix it up a bit.

Timshel_

I came to a bit of a slap in the face the beginning of the year when I tried dead lifting like I did 20 years back and had some injury issues. That said, while loads and progression might stop or diminish I will still being doing the same exercises, even if it is only body weight.

As an example, when I was doing personal training and some therapy work with a90 year old cardiac rehab client, I worked extensively with his doctor to develop a program to increase strength and mobility. The older gentleman's goal was, "to get back up on his horse himself." I start working in the pool doing super low impact work and after several months he came around nicely. Same exercise you and I do without weight, but in a pool the extra ballast and natural resistance worked excellent.

That said, I will play tennis until I die!

JustMissTracy

I plan to be that fit, crazy 80 year old they make meme's about...Weights, cardio, the works....I live by the adage "Use it or Lose it"!

goldthistime

My dad, who is 82, plays tennis twice a week in the summer and pickleball (which I haven't tried yet but seems to be all the rage amongst retirees) in the winter. He walks on his treadmill (or outside if weather permits) and does strength training several times a week. He has zero health problems. No meds at all. What's most interesting about him though is that he was completely sedentary and overweight until he turned 70! Good genes carried him through I guess, but the lack of activity seems to have spared wear and tear on his joints.

AnvilHead

jennifer_417 wrote: »

I think a whole lot of what you can do in your advanced years has a whole lot to do with what you did in your less-advanced years. Of course, there are exceptions, but I think it's generally true.

Good point. If you tear your body up when you're younger, it catches up with you when you get older. There's also a psychological component to it - some people consider themselves "too old" for physical activity long before they truly are.

I think just about any reasonable exercise regimen can be carried into your "golden years" provided that you scale it properly and take the appropriate precautions. I see plenty of people in their 60s-80s lifting weights in the gym, out on the biking/running trails, kayaking, stand-up paddleboarding, etc. In fact, strength training is recommended for seniors to help stave off osteoporosis and sarcopenia, as well as helping with proprioreception (balance) and mobility.

I overheard a guy in the gym today who was telling another member that he's 64 years old and has bad shoulders. He said he has to get in the gym and lift weights a few times a week because if he doesn't keep his shoulders strong and mobile, they lock up on him and he can't do anything.

Machka9

robininfl wrote: »

What do you consider sustainable exercise?

Who do you know, or know of, who is still exercising at advanced age, and what do they do? How long have they done it?

My father started cycling when he was a boy ... and is still cycling in his 70s.

mom22dogs

I belong to a medically oriented gym and I seem to be the youngest person there. I'm 47. Most are in their 70-80's. They use the weight machines, treadmills, free weights, etc. Some are there because they have injured themselves, but there are a lot of them there for their health and strength.

LINIA

True sustainable exercise isn't always requiring a lot of strength or muscle, so i see people 75 plus playing doubles ping pong, swimming, senior yoga, pool, doubles tennis, pickle ball , bowling and of course....walking.

Everything listed above is good also but what i see sometimes is ppl who have done basically nothing and they want to exercise ..so the choices need to be within the grasp of a novice and fun helps too.

Many of the 70+ crowd play card games...poker, bunco, canasta, mahjong etc....so many in that group do nothing physical but you're right. Many gyms offer inexpensive senior daytime sessions of weight training, aerobics etc.