Are your workouts age-appropriate?

Gary_AquaMan

This is why I suggest looking into adding water exercising such as water walking, water jogging or Aqua Aerobics./Aqua Fitness.
http://sports.yahoo.com/news/benefits-water-aerobics-not-just-elderly-150900478--spt.html
http://www.livestrong.com/article/133611-water-aerobics-benefits/
http://www.dietsinreview.com/diet_column/03/top-10-benefits-of-water-aerobics/
http://www.diabeticlifestyle.com/exercise/exercise-option-water-aerobics
etc.
I teach 5 AF classes per week.

geebusuk

I was running a 8/9 mile loop with a few runners including a 70 year old last month.
I was in a bit better shape than him - but if we took it back to a year ago, he'd have left me panting after the first couple of miles!

bonniecarbs

I have slowed down only because one knee is bad and the other knee is shot. Under the bottom of BOTH feet - heel spurs and ball of foot pain. I'm a former hard core fast walker and heavy aerobics doer. I messed myself up pounding the pavement too hard in the past. I do very low impact cardio, ellips, strong body DVDs (Jillian, Susan Powter, etc.) with hand weights, and I don't tire easily. At the gym I take advantage of the machines, I only get to go about twice a month. My 2mph walks outside are cut to about 20 minutes because of my feet, so I'm having to do Leslie Sansone when I want my 45 minute walk. With all I do, I am still being told that I'm going to fall and break my hips because I dont lift heavy.

BerryH

You've all reminded me I should get back in touch with my running coach. She didn't start running until she moved to the UK at the age of 40, and within a couple of years she won the vets world champion Marathon gold medal! What an inspiration! She's 60 now and still coaching at all levels.

metacognition

I'm not at that point yet, but Dr. Oz (yeah, the Oprah guy) recommends lower impact cardio to preserve your joints, and never walking around with 3 lb weights on the arm.

Cathe Friedrich also has a killer low impact exercise series that kicks my butt as much as the hard stuff.

I would also consider 30 minutes of interval training over the steady state high impact cardio, which can wreck your knees.

I think HIIT and tabata yield the same results in about half the time of steady state jogging. An added bonus is that it can be done with low impact exercises such as the spin bike, elliptical, or even swimming.

For instance, yesterday 20 minutes of sprint / walk intervals outside gave me a red face and sweaty back. 1 hour of a light jog the other day...well, my makeup still looked perfect and I had zero sweat. I know which one shocked my body to adapt...

9jenn9

its all in your head- or perhaps your diet. People much much older than you are running marathons so No Excuses!

Mmm - no it's not all in your head. There are some older people who can run/weight lift/bike/swim at a competitive level well into their 70's or 80's, but not all of us are blessed with injury resistant physiology. I think most middle-aged to older people will tell you that there are more aches, pains and injuries. Does that mean we shouldn't fight the good fight? Of course not. Push your body, but listen to it too.

SlvrBluGoddess

I've never heard of "age appropriate" workouts.

Dragonfly1996

I never pay any attention to my age - it's just a number!! I may not be as thin I I was in my 20s but I sure am a darn sight fitter!!! What I lack in speed I make up for in stamina & the more consistently I run the less I ache afterwards.

A good friend of mine started running at 54 & now 7 marathons and countless shorter races at nearly 61, she is still going!! She just gives herself proper recovery time.

I say get back in touch with your running coach & see how she can help inspire you!!!

Whatever you do don't don the leotard, leg warmers & put Jabe Fonda DVDs on!!!! :flowerforyou:

GiddyupTim

I find that if you get that rocking chair really going you can get quite a burn.

asnnbrg

What's an age-appropriate workout? I would say that as long as a person is otherwise healthy, nothing should be off-limits as long as he or she can do it. I'm 39, have no health problems, and am kicking butt at p90x, but I also enjoy supplementing that with Leslie Sansone walking workouts. I'm not doing the latter because I'm old but because I enjoy them. I'm doing the former because, well, I don't plan to enter old age with creaks, bad joints and wasted muscles if I can help it.

sarahc001

I'll share my friend's FATHER's running experience. Both he and his wife started running at age 55 when his daughter ran her first marathon in 2000. 13 years later at the Napa marathon (at age 68) he ran a 3:42:24, beating his own previous PR by 12 minutes and setting a new AG record for the race by 18 minutes. Age appropriate?

lizziebeth1028

I'm 54 and have been working out since I was 19 years old. I'm proud to say that I pretty much kicked *kitten* until I hit the big 50!! These last few years I've noticed that my body can't take high impact workouts or super long workouts. And all those tips that I totally ignored when I was younger - drink water, warmup, pace yourself, cool down, stretch.....I now have to make sure I do!!! Rest and recovery days are super important too. As well as getting good nutrition. When I was 19, fries and a shake pre-workout...no problem. Now protein, protein, protein! But that being said - I still consider myself in great shape for my age. I still do intense low impact workouts, body weight workouts, lift weights, yoga...and an occasion short jog. I find I just have to be a whole lot smarter about it....listen to my body and take time for recovery days. I hope to be working out until a ripe old age!!

kklemarow

I was doing "Sweatin' to the Oldies" when I was in my early 20's and now, a decade later, I'm doing TurboFire workouts. You're only as old as you feel - whatever makes you feel good, do it!

Yeller_Sensation

I present to you: Jon Bon Jovi, 51 years old. Ad for Versace.

Pretty sure he doesn't think about his age when he works out.

Yeller_Sensation

Woops. Double post.

amye004

A couple things. First of all as someone who has exercised over a long period of time, your body will not be in shock/ all of a sudden break down because of aging. That being said, the body is going to change and you should make sure you are doing preventative things so you don't get a serious injury. Stretching, proper shoes, appropriate rest time, a foam roller if you are really sore (I love mine, highly recommend) are all things that can be done in advance of a problem. Talk to professionals if you're really are concerned with how to continue on.

Exercise will not only help with osteo issues but it is great for balance, and preventing falls as you get older. The body goes through a "use it or lose it" philosophy as you get older, so there is no way you should stop exercising. People are able to go into their 70's and 80's doing things like marathons because they keep their fitness levels up throughout the years. Don't worry about the others, as long as you're getting a good workout, that is all that matters. Good health is for every age.

lintino

I have a friend who is 72 who does Zumba 3 times a week!!

danifo0811

My grandma downhill skis 3 times a week. She turns 92 next month.

As long as you are able to do something, I see no reason why you can't.

bokodasu

I dunno, ask this guy: http://www.washingtonpost.com/local/fit-at-102/2013/03/12/786a7e96-8346-11e2-b99e-6baf4ebe42df_story.html

"'I was getting a little lazy at home, and I decided I’d go down to the exercise club,' he recalled."

"That was more than three years ago, when Clark was 98. As he turned 102 last week, Clark was able to curl 40 pounds, work out vigorously on a rowing machine and deftly pluck bouncing eight-pound kettle bells from the air with the hand-eye coordination of a much younger man."

I mean, sure, he probably can't be as active as he could have at 80, but that doesn't mean he's not more active than most people at 102 (who generally aren't pushing more than daisies).

ThickMcRunFast

Deena Kastor is in her 40s and took 3rd in the LA Marathon two days ago. Just sayin'.

funhouse77

This British man has been in our News a lot, and recently completed his final 10K race, aged 101 years old.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-london-21564489

He has ran Marathons in past couple of years. I would be happy to manage a 10K in my lifetime let alone a Marathon.

BerryH

I have slowed down only because one knee is bad and the other knee is shot. Under the bottom of BOTH feet - heel spurs and ball of foot pain.

Oh, I get constant plantar fasciitis in my heel and metatarsalgia in the ball of my feet, so I can't walk safely on any bit! They go away when I run, though. The doctor's first question was , "Do you wear heels a lot?" Err, no..

BerryH

Anyway, this thread was inspired by feeling sorry for myself (and very, very old!) as I'm recovering from bronchitis. Inspired by all your comments, I dug out Leslie Sansone (suitable for middle-aged ladies like myself ) last night and will ramp it up back to my speedier DVDs, running and lifting over the next week or so.

Thanks all :flowerforyou:

BerryH

I present to you: Jon Bon Jovi, 51 years old. Ad for Versace.

Pretty sure he doesn't think about his age when he works out.

Helloooooo nurse! Well, that helped me reach my max HR without doing any HIIT :laugh: Jonbon's certainly age-appropriate for me

kdiamond

I'm 36 and train much harder than I did in my 20's...and will continue to do so.

Most of the ladies doing Crossfit at my gym are about 45...and they do some serious stuff.

I won't stop until I can't do it anymore! I figure, the better shape I stay in, the better my bones will be later on in life.

Sabine_Stroehm

Breaking a hip? Are you in poor health??

I've upped my workouts over the years.

I am 48.
Currently I lift a few times a week (lately I've been doing stronglifts, for something new to do), and I run 5-10k a few times a week. I commute to work either on my bike or walking.
We ski in the winter (and just started focusing on bumps) and cycle in the summers.

BerryH

Breaking a hip? Are you in poor health??

Nah, it was just satirical shorthand for "I feel that old".

LorinaLynn

I didn't start really exercising until I was 38, so in my irrational thinking, I've molly-coddled my bones and muscles for most of my life, so they can take a beating now. :laugh: My brother is in his mid 50s, runs regularly and has been running for 30+ years. If I keep running for 30+ years, that'll take me into my 70s.

Then maybe I'll take up roller derby. :drinker:

StrongAtLast

There was a lady on the news the other day, who didn't start lifting weights until her 90's and she looked and acted 30 years younger!

AllonsYtotheTardis

I already felt old. I started exercising so I would feel less old. Seems to be working.