Are your workouts age-appropriate?

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  • Gary_AquaMan
    Gary_AquaMan Posts: 52 Member
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    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
    geebusuk Posts: 3,348 Member
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    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
    bonniecarbs Posts: 446 Member
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    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
    BerryH Posts: 4,698 Member
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    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
    metacognition Posts: 626 Member
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    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
    9jenn9 Posts: 309 Member
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    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
    SlvrBluGoddess Posts: 239 Member
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    I've never heard of "age appropriate" workouts.
  • Dragonfly1996
    Dragonfly1996 Posts: 196 Member
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    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
    GiddyupTim Posts: 2,819 Member
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    I find that if you get that rocking chair really going you can get quite a burn.
  • asnnbrg
    asnnbrg Posts: 34 Member
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    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
    sarahc001 Posts: 477 Member
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    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
    lizziebeth1028 Posts: 3,602 Member
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    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
    kklemarow Posts: 167 Member
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    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
    Yeller_Sensation Posts: 373 Member
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    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.

    2411hjo.jpg
  • Yeller_Sensation
    Yeller_Sensation Posts: 373 Member
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    Woops. Double post.
  • amye004
    amye004 Posts: 32
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    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
    lintino Posts: 526 Member
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    I have a friend who is 72 who does Zumba 3 times a week!!
  • danifo0811
    danifo0811 Posts: 542 Member
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    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
    bokodasu Posts: 629 Member
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    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
    ThickMcRunFast Posts: 22,511 Member
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    Deena Kastor is in her 40s and took 3rd in the LA Marathon two days ago. Just sayin'.

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