Importance of proper stretching as you get older:
I am a 45 year old male. My body now reminds me of every injury I ever shook off as a young athlete. I have had multiple broken bones from football, baseball and boxing. I was wheelchair bound for 1 1/2 years due to a car accident. I am now 45, 5'11" tall and 195lbs. Around the time I turned 39 I was still working out like I did in my 20s, including distance running to give me the energy and help deal with the daily stresses of a job as a professional and raising 5 kids. Yet I started finding myself constantly fighting injuries, mainly pulled muscles, tendon tears and flare ups of tendinitis. Continually believed in the theory to just work through it. That thinking I found just landed me in the doctors office.
Then I started listening to the Yoga people and those who preached stretching. I now spend after a light warm up more time stretching and yoga type exercising then I do weight training. I am also a firm believer in Rich Seymour's more weight less rep training techniques. Not only does it burn more weight when you are actually sleeping, it’s easier on an older persons joints.
As an avid skier I have learned something else that has been more helpful to my fitness and feeling better on the slopes especially that painful first run.
You have probably heard many times people say as soon as I am done skiing, I am getting right in the HOT TUB. Try doing this before you ski, then once your body is thoroughly warmed up [20 minutes in the tub] stretch, especially those thigh muscles and ski. Let me know haw that first run is then.
So for you older people or someone recovering from injury and just getting back to the gym STRETCH. Stretch slowly while you breathe regular and thoroughly. Any feelings of pain stop.
Regards,
Terry Collier
I am a 45 year old male. My body now reminds me of every injury I ever shook off as a young athlete. I have had multiple broken bones from football, baseball and boxing. I was wheelchair bound for 1 1/2 years due to a car accident. I am now 45, 5'11" tall and 195lbs. Around the time I turned 39 I was still working out like I did in my 20s, including distance running to give me the energy and help deal with the daily stresses of a job as a professional and raising 5 kids. Yet I started finding myself constantly fighting injuries, mainly pulled muscles, tendon tears and flare ups of tendinitis. Continually believed in the theory to just work through it. That thinking I found just landed me in the doctors office.
Then I started listening to the Yoga people and those who preached stretching. I now spend after a light warm up more time stretching and yoga type exercising then I do weight training. I am also a firm believer in Rich Seymour's more weight less rep training techniques. Not only does it burn more weight when you are actually sleeping, it’s easier on an older persons joints.
As an avid skier I have learned something else that has been more helpful to my fitness and feeling better on the slopes especially that painful first run.
You have probably heard many times people say as soon as I am done skiing, I am getting right in the HOT TUB. Try doing this before you ski, then once your body is thoroughly warmed up [20 minutes in the tub] stretch, especially those thigh muscles and ski. Let me know haw that first run is then.
So for you older people or someone recovering from injury and just getting back to the gym STRETCH. Stretch slowly while you breathe regular and thoroughly. Any feelings of pain stop.
Regards,
Terry Collier