Age is Just a Number!
Time and time again we come across patients that have heard from “so and so,” that they are too old to be doing/starting something they love -*insert physical activity/exercise here.* While we cannot vouch for every idea that comes to your mind, we can discuss weights, fitness, and/or recreational sports. These are all great things for us and these should not be limited by your age. Our job is to help you understand the basics of aging and staying active, or how to start; also why you should have a regular workout routine (with weights). When it comes to being active… Age is just a number!
“So, everything about aging is a lie?”
Nope, just some of the old generalizations are! It is true that your body is not the same as when you were 16 or 17, and yes our process of strengthening and recovering do slow down. But, neither of those reasons produce the effect of not being able to improve at some skill or get stronger, it just changes the time frame. As we age, we should become more aware of the feedback that our body gives us – too much, not enough? You may actually need 1 or 2 true recovery days after exercising; that’s okay. Recovering is just as important as the work itself – this allows your muscles to repair and/or your brain to retain the new information it gathered while you were practicing. More and more research is being produced that shows that the athletes that stay active in their sport can still perform at high levels and do not decline in performance as soon or as quickly as once thought by the health and fitness community.
“It does seem like I am injured more though.”
A couple points we bring to the table for this discussion involve actually comparing yourself 10 years ago, your pre-activity self and the person you are currently – injured or wanting to start an activity. Let’s use basketball as an example. Back in high school you would practice 2-3 hours everyday of the week for a 1.5 hour game on Saturday. So, 10-15 hours of work for 1.5 hours of game. Now, you have a job/family/pet/plants that require your time and are sneaking 30 minutes to 1 hour of strength training; 3-5 times a week for a weekend basketball open gym where you play 2-3 games. The work to game ratio is not the same as it was, and your training itself probably does not help your sport – incorporating plyometrics, etc. Which means – does your training/exercise mirror the sport/activity you want to be good at? The final point to ponder is – what is your experience with this activity – are you a newbie or a veteran? No matter your age, when starting a new skill you should train and exercise at the level you are currently at, not where you want to be. Trying to deadlift 200 lbs your first time deadlifting in years may not be the best place to start and put you at risk for an injury. Building yourself up and/or progressively overloading your body should be your route to achieve your goal.
THAT’S NOT ALL!
Staying active and adding resistance routine (weights) has been shown to help with bone loss, improve cardiovascular health, increase calorie burn, and actually reduce your risk of injury. Starting something new or progressing does not need to be scary, just focusing on doing it safely should be your first step! We have seen way more smiles from people dealing with an activity related injury versus those who have to deal with a medical related issue.
Age Is Just A Number – If You’re Stuck, We’re Here to Help
It turns out you can teach an old dog new tricks – and it can still compete as well! If you are just starting out with an exercise routine later in life or are dealing with an injury and someone says you should stop that sport – give us a ring! We would love to help you prove, “Age is just a number!”
Call us at 614.467.0285 or visit our website.