Think you’re too old to get in shape?
Age used to be an excuse for not being active, but these days there are tons of aging athletes kickin butt!
There are lots of older athletes that are dominating in their sports. The most recognizable ones being Brett Favre, Lance Armstrong, Randy Couture, George Foreman, Evander Holyfield, Nolan Ryan, Dara Torres and many more. These people are over 40, some 50, and dominating at their respective sports. Heck, these guys aren’t playing ping pong either. Most of these people are dominating in the toughest sports that exist!
They are overcoming criticism and doubt, proving to the rest of the world that they aren’t too old to compete. People are inspired by the efforts and you hear about them everywhere, but why are they any different than you?
Sure, you might not ever play in the NFL or fight in the UFC, but you can improve. You can get better at whatever you want.
So why do most people slow down? Is it the physiological aging process? That might have something to do with it, but I don’t think that’s the core of most people’s deterioration.
The majority of people in this country are only active when they are young, playing sports as they grow up, competing in high school and maybe college. Then its off to work for most of us. We spend our days sitting behind a desk or in a car, talking about the good old days, bbq on the weekend, watching tv every night and we wonder why our back hurts and the knees are aching.
It doesn’t have to be this way.
Remember the term “Use it, or lose it”?
Most people aren’t deteriorating from age, they are falling apart because of their thinking,crappy diets and their sedentary lifestyle.
Sure you might lose some fast twitch muscle fibers and have less testosterone than you did in your twenties, but it doesn’t matter. Your unhealthy lifestyle is the cause of your problems. When’s the last time you chased a goal or really trained for anything? And no, Fantasy Football doesn’t count!
I think most people just need to get back in the game and chase something. Start small and get consistent. Maybe its hiking to a point, swimming a certain amount of laps, running a 5k, gaining some strength, going for walks, etc. You can be as creative as you want, but just get moving!
Once you start moving, you will feel better and have more energy! As the momentum builds, you can always change your goals and try to achieve bigger and better things.
Remember, “inch by inch, its a cinch” Sounds cheesy, but it is so true.
There are thousands of examples of people achieving amazing things as they get older. The common denominator is that they all believed they could do it and took action, period.
So, get out there, stay active and I look forward to hearing about your adventures as an older athlete!
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I love this article! 🙂
that man in the bikini scares me!
The name is Dara Torres not Dana
Thank you very much Ronnie. 🙂
I love this post because I think about myself and my family, nd getting older. One of my greatest desires is to be active and fit my whole life. And it is so possible!
At any age you can reach your goals! You just can't be afraid to take the first step!
As a college student, this definitely encourages me to stay active after school.
I am inspired by older people being in good shape.
Ive met adults that say they were college athletes and champions at that. The only trophey they carry with them now is a big old beer belly. The phrase "If you dont use it you loose it" is extremely true.
This is definitely a reminder and motivator for me to stay active and continue doing what I love to do – participate in physical activities and stay active. “There are thousands of examples of people achieving amazing things as they get older. The common denominator is that they all believed they could do it and took action, period” I will be one of them!
This reminds me of a recent commercial I watched of the “Biggest Loser Glory Days” where the contestants were former accomplished athletes. I guess I always assumed such high level athletes would keep a healthy lifestyle even after their sports career ended. It just goes to show anyone is vulnerable to leading a sedentary lifestyle as time goes on. Thankfully there are athletes such as those listed in the article who show it is possible to maintain extreme athleticism at an older age.
Start small and be consistent! That’s all anyone could really ask for. That alone will make anyone successful at anything.
This instantly brings to mind an Australian couple who ran a marathon a day for 366 days, wearing minimalist toe shoes (Vibrams), and lived off a diet of nothing but fruits and veggies. Oh and did I mention they were 64 and 68 years old at the time? And they broke the previous world record of 365 marathons in a years time. Anything is possible.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/australiaandthepacific/australia/10545857/Vegans-powered-by-raw-food-complete-year-of-daily-marathons.html
Or how about the 71 year old woman who broke the world planking record with a time of over 36 minutes? She did this one two years training, just after a life threatening illness that nearly caused her kidneys to fail due to her poor lifestyle habits? There are countless feats of amazing super seniors out there, so what’s your excuse?
http://www.examiner.com/article/71-year-old-woman-sets-guinness-world-record-for-the-plank-pose
Or finally, this Chinese man who nearly drank himself to death at the age of fifty, now at the age of 64 easily hoists 120lbs plus blocks of cement in the air, tossing them around as though they were inflatable air toys. He inspired his entire neighborhood to come and join him in the game, and through this process completely reinvented himself and transformed the community around him.
http://rosstraining.com/blog/2014/04/30/never-too-late-to-change/
So many people let time and procrastination get in the way of reaching there goals. Like the article says every little bit counts. people want to switch there whole life around and get overwhelmed, if you start crushing small goals you will get there in no time.
I think this is the best article I’ve read here on the Innovative Results website. As a kinesiology major, I get asked questions all the time about how someone with a sedentary lifestyle should start on the road to fitness. The main thing I tell them is to just start moving. You don’t have to train like an MMA fighter or a triathlete, because it really isn’t that serious, unless that’s actually what you want to do. Find something you love to do, get active, eat correctly, get moving, and you’ll be healthy. It’s that simple.
I am sending this article to every adult in my family. Unfortunately it is all too common for adults, even ones that are relatively young at the age of 40, to believe the are “too old” for certain movements or exercises. The SAD (Standard American Diet), is exactly that… sad! Adults are allowing their bodies to dwindle away because they fall victim to this fallacy. It is my greatest intention to keep moving my whole life, to set a solid foundation of movement right now and never decline! I will take steps of ACTION my whole life to ensure that my movement and health can be at its best potential.
Great inspiration, Randy couture after winning his last fight, when asked by Joe, said “I’m 46 years young”.
If the mind is willing to go, the body is willing follow. Maintenance and persistence will keep the momentum up and motivation flowing.
Though Im no spring chicken any more (I’m 47 as of this writing) Im probably in the best shape of my lifetime- and Im only just getting started. Keep active, eat well, and keep engaged- all of these things keep us young in body, mind, and spirit.
Age is nothing but a number. As humans we are mean to move and move well. Skip, run, hike, crawl, sprint, and so much more at any age. Great article that can be shared with all those people that once said and continue to say, “I am to old for this” . Get up and get moving, use it or lose it!
It kills me when I hear older people claim that they are “too old” to train or that their body pains and restrictions are simply unavoidable due to age. Don’t fall for it; age is not a dictator in what you are capable of! With IR, you will discover just how strong you really are, despite age.
One of my favorite article! Some of my most motivated clients have been people in their 50, 60, even 70s. They want to keep moving and be able to do the things they love and in order to do that they need to stay on top of their strength, mobility, and endurance. Keep moving so that you dont get to a place where you have tons of repairs to do on your body!
Some older athletes can easily defeat younger athletes.
Great piece, definitely no age to get in the right shape!
Glad I started early, and hope to continue this even after I’m 60, makes it a therapy for me.
“Start small and get consistent” is such a great mindset for those who may not have moved in a while! Our short term goals are powerful and impactful!!