1. < Aging Well

Staying fit in advanced age

Posted by Rod @rek, Nov 9, 2023

I'm 76 and have been working to maintain fitness actively for about 10 years now. I have come to recognize how age affects our physical abilities. My heart rate won't ever pass 170 again. I have to be careful on training. If I train too often, I get hurt now. I can't run every day. The legs get sore and don't have time to recover. That's also when I can injure joints. On the other hand, I still seem to be able to gain strength through careful repetition, my balance keeps improving with training, and flexibility as well although there seems to be a real limit to my ageing joints. Oh yes, I seem to be out of breath more quickly as I age. And all of this remains uncertain.
I don't know what is normal for a 76 year old healthy male, how I can improve abilities or should I work more to preserve present ability? There don't seem to be many men or women my age to compare to. I'd love to join a workout community or some such thing but I sure don't know how to get started.

Interested in more discussions like this? Go to the Aging Well Support Group.

saddlesoar | @saddlesoar | Nov 27, 2023

Have you heard about a program called "Silver Sneakers? I believe it is ran by MediCare outreach? Not sure but that might be worth looking into. Bruce H

REPLY
1 reply
cmbg | @cmbg | Nov 27, 2023
In reply to @captboat "I just turned 80 November 11 and learned to “move it or lose use of it”...." + (show)
@captboat

I just turned 80 November 11 and learned to “move it or lose use of it”. I’m in physical therapy to improve my balance and walking, I ride my exercise bike, and do stretches. And I started using fiber soluble and insoluble (2-3 times a day). U do U, nobody else can or will. God bless you all and never give up.

Jump to this post

My big struggle is finding the new reasonable me. I remember exercising when I was younger and I fight with myself over what are reasonable expectations for me now. I tend to injure myself. I try and remember something Arnold Schwarzenegger said - I’m paraphrasing but it was to the effect that when students complained to him about the slow 6 week start to their body building journey he would tell them that the 6 weeks will pass anyway so do they want to be getting stronger or injured at the end of them?

REPLY
1 reply
randywhite | @randywhite | Nov 28, 2023

I live in an ‘Active adult retirement resort community’ in Arizona. An abundance of amenities facilitates living fit and healthy. Average age is about 73. People are making the best of what is left, and adapt to their circumstances. Even the man ‘walking his dog’ on the motorized wheelchair is gettin some exercise via activity, and keeping his dog well.

REPLY
Mentor
Sue, Volunteer Mentor | @sueinmn | Nov 28, 2023
In reply to @cmbg "My big struggle is finding the new reasonable me. I remember exercising when I was younger..." + (show)
@cmbg

My big struggle is finding the new reasonable me. I remember exercising when I was younger and I fight with myself over what are reasonable expectations for me now. I tend to injure myself. I try and remember something Arnold Schwarzenegger said - I’m paraphrasing but it was to the effect that when students complained to him about the slow 6 week start to their body building journey he would tell them that the 6 weeks will pass anyway so do they want to be getting stronger or injured at the end of them?

Jump to this post

Capt & @randywhite Yeah - I hear you! My PT and I have been working on my "new normal" for 3 years now. Every time I pretend I am still in my 40's...or 50's...or 60's...some new ache or pain reminds me I am not.
I am away from my regular every-two-weeks PT visits for the winter, and at our last visit he warned me "Just maintain. Let's not ramp up anything until I see you again. I don't want you to come back in pain like you did last Spring." So I do my daily stretches & walks, and have added 3 times weekly "senior chair yoga" with my friends. One of my best friends joined the local gym, but I remembered his warning and resisted...
Randy - We have lots of people out walking here - from race walking to scooters, everyone does what they can. The same with other activities - only a few of us still climb ladders to hang decorations (with a spotter) - others work at ground level. I have no problem telling people "I used to be the one who hauled totes & tables - but I retired from that now." The beauty of "senior communities" is turnover - there are always younger folks replacing those who have moved on, so this year we have a new group of younger seniors to do the heavy lifting.
Sue

REPLY
Moderator
Colleen Young, Connect Director | @colleenyoung | Dec 1, 2023

I think the members in this discussion will appreciate this week's Member Spotlight. Humor, sport and heart 💜(transplant).
- Every day is a good day: Meet @scottij https://connect.mayoclinic.org/blog/about-connect/newsfeed-post/every-day-is-a-good-day-meet-scottij/

REPLY
ladybug4joints | @ladybug4joints | Dec 2, 2023

I am 75 1/2 year old female, fit most of my life, but my inherited osteoarthritis and skiing led to total hips in 2017 and 2019, left total knee in 2022, and right total knee in January 2023!!. Due to determination, and “sheer effort, as well as working with a personal trainer at the gym for 30 years, I remain active. After my left total knee in 2022, I walked 5 miles at 6 weeks postop, and walked my goal of walking 5 miles at 5 weeks postop after my right total knee. Recently my walking group did an 8.6 mile hike, which I somehow survived.
I am glad to be in this community, and hope for the longevity which exists in my family(My father played golf from age 16 to age 99, and lived to be 101!)
Recommend: Be active, walk a lot, despite joint pain, stay fit, stay trim, eat a healthy diet, ( choose your parents wisely!!), socialize when you exercise, have a great sense of humor, find excellent orthopedic care if needed, and WALL, WALK, WALK😀‼️
Hope to hear from other fit (young at heart women)( and men) !!
Bonnie

REPLY
1 reply
omta | @omta | Dec 2, 2023
In reply to @bmilanowski53 "You are fortunate but your gratitude and your willingness to move says it all" + (show)
@bmilanowski53

You are fortunate but your gratitude and your willingness to move says it all

Jump to this post

It’s not rock science. I just enjoy life and i’m in fear of losing it so i do everything that i can to keep alive . i know i had a long life for which im very thankful but im not ready to go yet. I like to think i have a lot of miles to go before i sleep

REPLY
pablo81 | @pablo81 | Jan 15 11:35am

I am 82. I have various ailments such as BPH and spinal stenosis. I try to do a Dailey workout that consists of warm-ups (based upon Japanese philosophy) , floor exercises that focus on the core of my body and legs and then about 15 minutes on the treadmill. Stretching is important....That keeps me going although I do have back pain when I walk , I just tolerate it. Always looking for other ways to keep physically active.

REPLY
2 replies
omta | @omta | Jan 15 12:15pm
In reply to @pablo81 "I am 82. I have various ailments such as BPH and spinal stenosis. I try to..." + (show)
@pablo81

I am 82. I have various ailments such as BPH and spinal stenosis. I try to do a Dailey workout that consists of warm-ups (based upon Japanese philosophy) , floor exercises that focus on the core of my body and legs and then about 15 minutes on the treadmill. Stretching is important....That keeps me going although I do have back pain when I walk , I just tolerate it. Always looking for other ways to keep physically active.

Jump to this post

Good for you
i
know it doesn’t sound like it is easy to keep going for you but you have no choice but to keep moving it has to be part of your daily life If you want to survive
Good luck

REPLY
1 reply
nattayaleuenberger | @nattayaleuenberger | Jan 16 7:02am
In reply to @pablo81 "I am 82. I have various ailments such as BPH and spinal stenosis. I try to..." + (show)
@pablo81

I am 82. I have various ailments such as BPH and spinal stenosis. I try to do a Dailey workout that consists of warm-ups (based upon Japanese philosophy) , floor exercises that focus on the core of my body and legs and then about 15 minutes on the treadmill. Stretching is important....That keeps me going although I do have back pain when I walk , I just tolerate it. Always looking for other ways to keep physically active.

Jump to this post

Great job! Chair yoga is good too, or the regular yoga. I am going to be 80 and I trying to walk 5000 steps or more every day, weight lifting twice per week.

REPLY
View MoreView Less
Please sign in or register to post a reply.