”
Buy a rocking chair and never sit in it.
”
This is the best advice I have ever received. It came from a
90-year old man. I was in awe of him. He swam a mile every day and
walked the complex where he lived in Florida every night.
“Buy a rocking chair and never sit in it.”
This is the best advice I have ever received. It came from a 90-year old man. I was in awe of him. He swam a mile every day and walked the complex where he lived in Florida every night. He had more energy than people I knew who were one-third his age. When I asked him what his secret was, the above statement was his reply.
My last article dove into the Fountain of Youth, so I thought this would be a fitting follow-up. I know I have written about this before, but it is a message that bears repeating.
Now, some of you may be thinking, “I haven’t exercised in such a long time (or even in my whole life). Is it too late to start?”
The answer is a resounding no! It is never too late to start.
I can give you many examples of people I have trained in their later years who have seen what a difference exercising can make. Here are just a few:
There was a woman in her late 70s who came to me a few years ago.
She had been told by her doctor that she needed to start exercising to help improve her health.
We began with riding a stationary bike for five minutes. It was all she could do.
Little by little she was able to increase her time until she was riding for a full 30 minutes. She also wanted to increase her strength.
We began with one- and two-pound dumbbells and gradually went up from there.
The results she saw were wonderful. She gained energy to be more active in her day, and more importantly, to be able to play with her grandchildren.
Another woman who came to see me was 90 years old. She came into the gym with her granddaughter. Like the other woman I just mentioned, she wanted to feel better.
We took a similar course of action, and began her with slow walking on the treadmill. Gradually, she was able to go a little longer and a little faster. We also began with very light weights, and in some cases, movements with no weight at all.
The same results ensued: more energy and a better overall feeling of well being.
Let’s talk about a gentleman with whom I worked. He was in his mid-70s, an avid fisherman and wanted to continue to go on his fishing trips.
He also wanted to be able to walk with friends in the park and not feel so winded. We structured his program around his goals. We started on the stationary bike till he felt more comfortable walking, then moved to the treadmill.
We also incorporated resistance bands and a stability ball along with weights. Just like the previous two women, he did beautifully and achieved his desired results.
One more example I feel is worth mentioning is a woman who also began exercising in her mid-70s. She had a Dowager’s hump, and was on cholesterol, blood pressure, and osteoporosis medications.
She began using the T-Tapp program, which incorporates isometric contractions of the muscles and putting the body into proper functional linear alignment.
Within a short amount of time, her Dowager’s Hump disappeared (and she grew an inch), and she got off all her medications.
So, what was this man’s advice to me? Keep moving! It is never too late to start. You’ll be glad you did.
