The Aging Movement

Hey Fitters!
 Firstly, thank you Lonny for tonight's blog post topic! If any of you readers have an idea, post it in the comments below.

 Tonight's topic is personal to all of us. We're all doing it. I'm doing it, you're doing it, the Queen of England is doing it RIGHT NOW! It is the act of aging. It is inevitable, and as it happens, our body's needs change. But something that maybe people don't realize is this:

The needs of every individual differ by degree, NOT by kind.

Every human being needs to better themselves in the ten aspects of fitness (check out this Post to see those aspects). What an Olympic speed skater and what your grandmother need to support their quality of life is the same in that they need to develop their strength, coordination, agility, etc. However, while Apollo may be doing 185 pound explosive front squats to cut a tenth of a second, Bertha is doing box squats holding a 10 pound dumbbell at her chest. Both are the same movements that elicit the same stresses to the body, but differ by degree (speed, weight, depth) But why? Why do work on a movement that she won't be doing in real life? Let's think about it.

As we age, what is it we want to be able to do as long as possible? I think most of us would agree that it is to live independently. Would you rather live to be 85, visiting family hundreds of miles away and hiking in the woods, or live to be 110 in a chair in your house, with hospice taking care of you? Whatever your choice, we can agree that the second does not sound appealing. So by doing a weighted squat, Bertha is training her mobility through a squatting motion, as well as developing (or at least maintaining) muscle mass. This allows her to get out of a chair on her own, walk up and down stairs, step off curbs, get in and out of her car, all on her own. This allows her to maintain her independence well into her golden years.

With all of that being said, there are things we can focus on as we age to continue our quality of life, which are also the things we tend to lose as we age. The main aspects of fitness I believe we should focus on as we age are:

Mobility/Flexibility - As we get older, our muscles become less supple, and muscle imbalances cause us to not be able to move our joints through full range of motion. It is imperative that we work to maintain mobility through these ranges so we can continue to use our joints the way they are intended.

Strength - Along with muscles becoming more immobile, we also lose a great deal of muscle mass. To combat this, it is important to use resistance training (weighted exercises) to build and maintain muscle mass. This is what helps insure that we can get out of that chair, and keep getting up when we are down.

Balance - "I can't do that, I don't have any balance." I've heard this time and again from everyone from 75 year old men to 28 year old women.  Balance isn't like brown hair, it isn't genetic, you gain it by practice (which is how you work your neurological system, as opposed to training, which benefits things like strength, endurance, and other "organic" bodily changes). So if you want better balance, you have to work on your balance. And most injuries that occur to the older population occur via falls, making balance vital.

So now I tell you how to train for these things, right? Sorry, there is no way I could do that in one post, it would be an endless list. And moreover, everyone has different needs, even in their mobility (shoulders, ankles, hips, etc.) strength (hamstrings, shoulders, etc.) and balance (stand on one foot, stand on tiptoes with eyes closed, balance on a beam, etc.). So to truly learn more, you can continue to read my blog, look for more information on your specific needs with resources such as the internet, or even visit a personal trainer like myself and start preparing for living well the rest of your life!

Stay Fit.

Try telling this man "That's just a part of getting old." Don't let someone else's sorry excuse become your "reasoning" to live a poorer life. Squat, jump, run, lunge, pull, push. LIVE. Until the very day you stop, LIVE.