An Athlete Through the Years
I feel like I've had two very different athletic careers in my life. I used to be an endurance athlete, starting with distance running in high school (track and cross country) and then becoming a professional triathlete for nine years. I competed in Olympic-distance events, which are a 1.5 km swim, 40 km bike ride, and 10 km run, and I also enjoyed sprinting events that were half the distance. I also competed in long-distance and ultra-distance events. In 1988, I came in 5th place in the World Long Distance Championships in France, and in 1989, I set the USA record for the Hawaii Ironman, which is a 9-hour race.
Approximately 98% of the energy required for a two-hour long triathlon comes from the aerobic system, with the remainder coming from the anaerobic system, according to Dr. Phil Maffetone. This is an amazing feat, considering that even the mile run is predominantly aerobic. The cutoff point for an all-out performance that is half aerobic and half anaerobic is just one minute and fifteen seconds.
I embrace my high jumping obsession even though it's not something I'm genetically predisposed to. The satisfaction I get from achieving a good jump is just as powerful as winning a race.
Day by day Morning Flexibility/Mobility/Strengthening Routine
I've had a morning train routine that I have designed myself for the past 5 years and it has changed my life. It has become the key to maintaining my overall health as I age. When we get older, we have to work harder to establish a healthy baseline from which we can do all other formal exercises. My 24-year-old son can pull into a parking lot and jump right into a pickup basketball game after a few toe touches, but I have much less margin for error in everything I do now. This is especially important to me after being sidelined from activities like jumping and sprinting for 6 months due to a minor knee injury, which turned out to be a muscle weakness/imbalance issue instead of a joint issue. Do something every day to stay active, strong, and flexible.
I'm so passionate about my morning train routine that I declare it's obligatory for any health fanatic over age 50. No matter you do together with your formal exercises, make a dedication to spending not less than a couple of minutes getting the machine oiled as quickly as you get up. Critically, for those who solely have six minutes to spare, that's advantageous. However combine a morning motion routine into behavior so you may get the utmost profit and minimal threat you're your exercises.
Extensive Low-Level Movement
It is important to try to increase your movement throughout the day. This can be in the form of micro-workouts, walking, or using a standup desk. If you enjoy steady-state cardio, it is important to keep your heart rate at or below the MAF heart rate.
In depth Low-Stage Motion
It's important to try to get in some form of physical activity throughout the day, even if it's just taking a few quick breaks for mini workouts. You can also walk whenever and wherever you can, and use a standing desk to help you move more often. If you're a fan of cardio, make sure most of your sessions are at or below your maximum aerobic heart rate. This video has some great ideas for ways to mix up your routine and get in some activity even while at work.
Common Resistance Coaching
The most effective way to reduce the aging process is to put your body under resistance load regularly. Do something you enjoy, but make sure it is something that will load the muscles and cause short, high intensity efforts. In addition to a regular 30 minute session at the gym, you can also do micro-workouts such as 20 air squats at your desk, or several sets of body weight exercises (pushups, pull-ups, squats, planks).
You shouldn't do too much depth training. Exercises should never last more than half an hour (unless you have high level competitive goals) and all efforts should be done with impeccable form and maximum explosiveness. Leave the “fight and endure” mentality behind and perform crisp, powerful exercises. Finish the workout if you find your form and power falling off even a little. Note that a sprinkling of explosive effort here and there throughout a busy week can add up to big fitness progress over time.
Sprinting/Jumping Workouts
Brief, explosive all-out efforts are the best way to reduce fat, optimize hormones, and stay fit as you age. A little bit of this type of activity goes a long way, and research has shown that brief sprints are more effective than longer periods of steady-state cardio. For most people, one sprint workout per week is all that is needed.
It’s very important to design a sprint workout correctly. First, include an extensive cardiovascular warmup to get your heart rate and respiration up and break a light sweat. Next comes dynamic stretching, technique drills, and wind sprints. The main set of sprints should almost always follow these guidelines: 4-10 reps of lasting between 10 and 20 seconds. Recovery is six times longer than the sprint, so one to two minutes between efforts. This will enable repeat explosive efforts of consistent quality—same time and level of perceived exertion and preserving excellent technique. If technique falters or more effort is required to achieve the same performance standard (e.g., 20 seconds for an 80-meter sprint), it’s time to end the workout.
Regular Resistance Training
The best way to stay young is to regularly put your body under stress by doing things you enjoy. This could be anything from going to the gym and lifting weights to doing bodyweight exercises like pushups, pull-ups, squats, and planks. I personally like using the X3 Bar and Stretch Cordz for resistance training, and the hex bar deadlift for overall benefits.
You should not do a lot of intense exercise at once. Workouts should never take more than 30 minutes, unless you are training for a competition. Make sure you are doing the exercises correctly and with a lot of energy. If your form starts to get worse, end the workout. A few minutes of explosive exercise spread out over a week can help you improve your fitness level a lot over time.
Keep in mind: Mornings, Motion, Muscle mass and Sprinting
Plan and prep your meals to reduce seize and go, drive-thru, or breaking down and ordering in This text provides 4 suggestions for people who wish to be extra physically match: getting a morning train routine, transferring extra typically, doing cardio at a median tempo, and planning/preparing meals upfront.
You should put your body under some type of resistance load regularly, regardless of who you are. In December 2021, my 85-year-old mom started Dr. John Jacquish's lauded Osteostrong program—a simple once-a-week strength training session consisting of 4, full-body compound movements and lasting only 10 minutes. Seniors can progress faster than any other age group in strength and bone density, so starting at any age can be a life saver or at least a quality of life enhancer! It's best to get professional instruction before you get into serious resistance training, but if you want to get started gently then try doing a set of squats and pushups (with whatever modifications you need to align with your current capabilities) every day.If you can't yet handle the effects of sprinting on flat ground, you can start by sprinting on a stationary bike or other cardio machine.
How to Keep Pursing Fitness with Passion
My biggest motivation is to stay in peak physical condition and I am always looking for ways to better myself. I was pushed to my limits when I was younger and it took a toll on my body, making me age faster. Now I have a more balanced approach and I believe that this will help me live a longer and healthier life. It's important to find an activity that you love and are passionate about because that is key to maintaining motivation.I believe that we can all achieve greater levels of enjoyment and better health outcomes if we set realistic fitness goals for ourselves.
I've recently had an awakening that reframes my perspective on steady-state cardiovascular exercise. I used to think that any form of exercise delivers an excellent cardiovascular training effect, but I now realize that this isn't always the case. Sometimes, the typical approach to steady state cardio can actually be destructive to our health. When we engage in a recurring pattern of medium-to-difficult intensity, steady-state cardiovascular workouts, we can experience a chronic overproduction of stress hormones that lead to breakdown, burnout, illness and injury. Therefore, when it comes to cardio, I now understand that walking and general everyday movement offer great cardio benefits, and that it's easy to overdo it. I also realize that the more extreme you get (marathon, ultras, half-iron and iron-distance triathlon), the more you put your health at risk.
We discussed the importance of becoming a more resilient athlete in two parts, “Don't Job, It's Too Dangerous Part 1” and “Don't Job, It's Too Dangerous Part 2”. Our passion for jumping and avoiding injury led us to revise our typical morning jog into a more interesting, varied, and challenging outing that delivers all the cardiovascular benefits of a steady-state jog but also incorporates elements of balance, mobility, flexibility and explosiveness.
