Aging—Use It Or Lose It
Many fitness influencers stress the importance of maintaining lean muscle mass as we get older. We heartily agree. There is research that shows, beyond a doubt, that maintaining muscle lowers all-cause mortality.
But what aren’t you willing to give up? Especially as we age–it’s use it or lose it.
If, for instance, you don’t want to be someone who needs help getting off the toilet–then we recommend a consistent squat routine. In fact, you’re doing a squat as you sit on the toilet. Why not do 10 more onto the toilet seat while you’re there? You can call it “Potty Training.” Or not.
If you’re someone who has done handstands against a wall–a truly great exercise for the shoulders–you may have stumbled upon the fact that this takes regular work. Not only is going upside down something to get used to–but your strength at accomplishing a handstand has to be trained regularly.
But as longevity expert Peter Attia describes, it’s not just muscle mass, strength, and coordination we lose as we get older. We also lose reactivity. These are quick, powerful movements we can train ourselves that help us quickly react to a situation where we might lose our balance and fall. We recommend squat jumps and jumping from side-to-side explosively. This will help you react quickly to a slip or a fall if and when it happens.
Let’s take a look at what else you probably don’t want to lose:
Putting luggage in an overhead compartment while travelling. To keep this, you should do overhead presses regularly.
Balance and the ability to move with grace. You might consider dance lessons of any kind, which train you to move well while maintaining your balance.
You may want to preserve the strength and skill to pull yourself up onto something above eye-level. Training pull-ups (even with a band to start) will help. You can also train this at a rock climbing gym.
If you really don’t want to have to get a hip replacement, banded side-to-side walks will help. This range of movement is often not trained–but is vital to glute and hip flexor strength.
If you want to keep being able to put on your own socks, train holding in the bottom-of-squat position–even if you have to hold onto something. This position is also great to maintain flexibility in your hips. In fact, being able to touch the floor with straight legs will also further develop the flexibility to put on your socks and shoes–and will save you from having a lower back injury.
Last, but certainly not least–no matter what–you want to develop and maintain core strength. All strength and stability truly comes from the core. The old trusty plank is a great way to train this, as well as holding yourself in a V position.
We will discuss more “use-it-or-lose” skills in upcoming blog articles. With consistent training, you can hold onto just about anything as you age. Not every loss of athleticism we associate with aging has to happen.
Join us on the “Use-It-Or-Lose It” trail by staying fit and physically capable in our senior years.
Until next time
Scott and Lennart