Peace, Love and Exercise
Call it misguided youth, but I really believed that if my workout ethic stayed constant over the years, my body wouldn’t change. Damn that Newton and his Law of Gravity. Who knew an A cup would sag?
As if that’s not bad enough, our metabolic rate slows, motor nerves deteriorate, hand-to-eye coordination diminishes, blood vessels stiffen, we lose calcium and our bodies have a harder timer burning glucose.
So at 50 do we throw in the towel? Not no, but HELL NO. You picked on the wrong generation Father Time. You’re dealing with a Baby Boomer, buster. We changed the world back in our day; we walked on the moon (has anyone else done that —– noooo), we ushered in not only civil but also women’s rights, and in our spare time we changed the face of music with rock and roll — all without wearing helmets when we rode our bikes!
Yes, my generation is one tough customer and we’re smart enough to know that there are adjustments we can make. Fifty years of wear and tear can take its toll on a body. Shortened ligaments, thinning cartilage and dwindling synovial fluid can transform a runner’s high into a bad trip. It might be time to give up those running shoes. Just because you did something at 30 doesn’t necessarily mean you should still be doing it.
If that theory held I would still be wearing mini skirts and sportin’ big hair.
Don’t worry; there are plenty of other ways to get in cardio with less stress to your body. Try bike riding or take up swimming if you want a good challenge. And, ladies, what all that pavement pounding does to your pelvic muscles … oh my, how to explain. Let’s just say, keep working those core muscles and learn to Kegle — NOW. Become a pro at it; if not, buy stock in Charmin. Either way, you’ll be set for life.
Every trainer I ever had stressed the importance of a good warm up. Bah! No one has time for that, I thought at 30. Well, at 50 you damn straight better make time, and five minutes on the treadmill and a few static stretches is not gonna cut it. A dynamic warm-up is essential; get moving with arm circles, trunk rotations, knee ups and body-weight lunges.
At this age you need something stronger than a cup of coffee to wake up that nervous system. You gotta get those joints and muscles prepared for what’s coming. You also need to stretch after your workout to keep things flexible and ward off soreness. And before I forget, God bless the creator of the foam roller.
No doubt about it; you are going to age. But the factors listed above grow only worse with inactivity. Exercise is the ONLY thing that can slow the process and keep that old bastard Time at bay. It is far from over for us Boomers, we just have to embrace the aging process and be savvy enough to know when it is time for a change. Remember, you can be Fit Bottomed at any age!
Look on the bright side; for once in my life I actually have cleavage.
Has life forced you to change your workout routine? —Karen