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Bodyweight Keeping healthy functional past age 60.

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dobie

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I went to a funeral last week, most in attendance were people in there 70’s, some younger. Not only was the event sad but also scary. So many are becoming fragile and decrepit. Some can’t even walk that well, noticed a couple of them with limps and walking almost bouncing side to side.
2 people out of 100 looked good and moved normal. I asked both of them how they are staying fit and capable. They both had similar answer. Lots of walking, not over eating, especially with carbs and not drinking to much, perhaps a few per week. Clearly this was a general conversation with not many real specifics as limited time to discuss more.
Bigger question is best ways to avoid ending up like most of the people I saw. I get age will come for everyone but perhaps it doesn’t have to be so debilitating.
 
dobie said:
Lots of walking, not over eating, especially with carbs and not drinking to much, perhaps a few per week.
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I think this is most of it right here in what they told you. My mother (age 76) and grandmother (age 101) are great examples of this. Add in some resistance training for muscles and strong bones, and make sure functional patterns stay strong (i.e. getting up off the floor, lunge, squat, reaching overhead), address health screenings and get treatment for medical issues before they become big problems, and I think you'd have it made. But also don't forget staying mentally healthy and maintaining social connections so a long life is truly worth living.
 
I read an article about people in the Blue Zones and it discussed how keeping things simple nutrition wise and just doing basic things like gardening keeps them healthy and free from diseases.
 
dobie said:
I went to a funeral last week, most in attendance were people in there 70’s, some younger. Not only was the event sad but also scary. So many are becoming fragile and decrepit. Some can’t even walk that well, noticed a couple of them with limps and walking almost bouncing side to side.
2 people out of 100 looked good and moved normal. I asked both of them how they are staying fit and capable. They both had similar answer. Lots of walking, not over eating, especially with carbs and not drinking to much, perhaps a few per week. Clearly this was a general conversation with not many real specifics as limited time to discuss more.
Bigger question is best ways to avoid ending up like most of the people I saw. I get age will come for everyone but perhaps it doesn’t have to be so debilitating.
Click to expand...


“Strength training is really the key to the Biomarkers program.” Tufts University Health & Nutrition Letter

Clarence Bass is someone who walks the walk here, and the book he references in this updated review is spot on, IMO. You really don't need to read the book - Clarence's review will tell you everything, or certainly almost everything, that you need to know.

-S-
 
ShawnM said:
I read an article about people in the Blue Zones and it discussed how keeping things simple nutrition wise and just doing basic things like gardening keeps them healthy and free from diseases.
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Although one of the confounding factors in at least some Blue Zones is people misrepresenting their age.

Apparently some of the Sardinians are not as old as was thought -- people lied about their age to get pensions earlier in life than they deserved.

And birth records being a bit sketchy with some generations in the past, it was an easy scam.
 
watchnerd said:
Although one of the confounding factors in at least some Blue Zones is people misrepresenting their age.

Apparently some of the Sardinians are not as old as was thought -- people lied about their age to get pensions earlier in life than they deserved.

And birth records being a bit sketchy with some generations in the past, it was an easy scam.
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I had heard about this as well. Thanks for sharing the link.
 
Resistance exercise. The progression is inexorable, if you do not train in a way that preserves muscle mass the only option is to lose it.

To maintain a healthy composition and not tax the muscles that remain you are forced to become lighter and lighter. Failure to do this sets you up for a losing fight with gravity, and everything that implies re joints, posture etc etc.

Success at this strategy simply means you become increasingly frail and incapable of shrugging off the inevitable slips and trips of life. I am currently watching my mother in law, mid 80s struggle with this. Into her 70s she exercised regularly and was brisk and stable. She stopped for 3-4 years thinking her time was better spent caring for others, including her fitness time. Big mistake.

Resistance training and some cardio. Do not stop.
 
I have wondered for a while how much doing heavy carries might affect aging?

Humans are designed to lift things and our bodies can adjust so we can keep lifting things. The most normal natural lift would be carrying objects. Our ancestors would have spent a chunk of each day chopping and carrying wood and hauling water. I can't help but speculate (pure layman's speculation) that carries would be a natural deterrent for aging.
 
From personal experience: about 2yrs ago I caught up with a close friends parents that I hadn’t seen for awhile. I’m considered the fourth son to them & they mean the world to me, they took me in as a teenager when I needed it the most.
Anyway the dad left me shattered. He was 72 at the time & in a bad way. Too scared to walk down the street incase he fell over & couldn’t get up. Very hunched over, very frail looking, depressed & defeated. He was always active but the year before he’d had a prostate operation & never recovered.
Long story short the next day I gave the original strength book & dvd. Spent some time going through the daily 10min resets with him so he got the general idea. Didn’t see him for 6mths, but when I did I had tears. He was a completely new man. Standing bolt upright & confident. Doing resets 2/3 times a day. Back jogging which he always loved. I was blown away. Gave him a kettlebell to deadlift & some 1pound Indian clubs to swing. Today he’s an active 74 years young, exercises everyday & spreading the OS magic to his remaining living friends hoping to add years to their life.
Original Strength helps me with a few aches n pains & plays a part in my mobility work. But personally I think it’s real magic is the older generation. I seen it with my own eyes.
 
dc said:
From personal experience: about 2yrs ago I caught up with a close friends parents that I hadn’t seen for awhile. I’m considered the fourth son to them & they mean the world to me, they took me in as a teenager when I needed it the most.
Anyway the dad left me shattered. He was 72 at the time & in a bad way. Too scared to walk down the street incase he fell over & couldn’t get up. Very hunched over, very frail looking, depressed & defeated. He was always active but the year before he’d had a prostate operation & never recovered.
Long story short the next day I gave the original strength book & dvd. Spent some time going through the daily 10min resets with him so he got the general idea. Didn’t see him for 6mths, but when I did I had tears. He was a completely new man. Standing bolt upright & confident. Doing resets 2/3 times a day. Back jogging which he always loved. I was blown away. Gave him a kettlebell to deadlift & some 1pound Indian clubs to swing. Today he’s an active 74 years young, exercises everyday & spreading the OS magic to his remaining living friends hoping to add years to their life.
Original Strength helps me with a few aches n pains & plays a part in my mobility work. But personally I think it’s real magic is the older generation. I seen it with my own eyes.
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What an inspiring post!!! Thanks for what you did for that man.
 
dobie said:
So many are becoming fragile and decrepit.
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Choosing To Fragile and Decrepit

Many older individual chose to be Fragile and Decrepit; which occurs over time.

Years of not doing any type of physical activity and inadaquate protein intake are two of the prime reasons.

Statistics

1) Research shows that approximately 20% perform any type of physical activity or exercise program; the 80/20 Rule applies.

2) Research by Dr Donald Laymen found that the majority of individuals are not consuming enough protein to stimulate "Muscle Protein Synthesis" necessary to preserve/maintain or increase muscle mass.

Layman determined that the majority of individual only consume one meal a day (Dinner) that provides enough Protein for "Muscle Protein Synthesis".

That over time is one of the reason for the decrease in muscle mass.

"Successful People Are Willing To Do What Unsuccessful One Won't"

The majority of individual, regardless of age or health status, are not motivated to perfom some activity or an exercise program or consume enough Protein to preserve/maintain or increase muscle mass.

Motivation

Anyone who believe that the can Motivate others is dilusional, This topic was previous addressed on the StrongFirst Forum.

As Pavel stated, ...

"Over the years people have ask me, "Why don't I offer motivation tips. We are adults, either you have it or you don't."

Dr Jason Curtis, presententation at the 2012 Albuquerque Strength and Conditioning Clinic, came to the same conclusion as Pavel.

With that said, Curtis' found that individual who had enough motivation to show up could be encouraged when they bonded with their Personal Trainer.

Unfortunately, without a Personal Trainer or a Training Partner to hold them accountable, these semi-motivated individual did not have enough drive maintain a Training Program or a Eating Plan on their own.

Triage

1) Trying to help an individual who is not moviated is a waste of time will wear you down.

There individual cannot be "Save", so to speak.

I have no empathy of sympathy for them.

2) Working with an individual that is semi-motivated (shows up) is someone that you can make somewhat of a difference with.

3) Highly Motivated individual will do whatever it take. They are often over zealous, tending to OverTrain.

What is unique with them is that you often have to "Pull the reins in on them".

Time Investment

Working with individuals who have some motiviation is the greatest return.,

Working with individual who have no motivation and don't care is a waste of time.
 
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Agreed with everything that is written. An other factor is also being lean. Less fat, almost always help everything. If you are lean, and strong, you clear many negativities of getting old as long as possible.

I am really not sure about Hypertrophy tough. I believe strength training induced hypertrophy should be good enough to stay healthy and maybe even healthier than carrying around extra muscle gained by Hypertrophic training.

Which one you would prefer when you are really old. Big glutes as a result of banded hip Bridges ? Or strong glutes to do 1xBW deadlift but smaller glutes than the hip bridge guy? (No pun intended, I am currently on a hypertrophy cycle and have hip bridges in my current program)
 
dc said:
From personal experience: about 2yrs ago I caught up with a close friends parents that I hadn’t seen for awhile. I’m considered the fourth son to them & they mean the world to me, they took me in as a teenager when I needed it the most.
Anyway the dad left me shattered. He was 72 at the time & in a bad way. Too scared to walk down the street incase he fell over & couldn’t get up. Very hunched over, very frail looking, depressed & defeated. He was always active but the year before he’d had a prostate operation & never recovered.
Long story short the next day I gave the original strength book & dvd. Spent some time going through the daily 10min resets with him so he got the general idea. Didn’t see him for 6mths, but when I did I had tears. He was a completely new man. Standing bolt upright & confident. Doing resets 2/3 times a day. Back jogging which he always loved. I was blown away. Gave him a kettlebell to deadlift & some 1pound Indian clubs to swing. Today he’s an active 74 years young, exercises everyday & spreading the OS magic to his remaining living friends hoping to add years to their life.
Original Strength helps me with a few aches n pains & plays a part in my mobility work. But personally I think it’s real magic is the older generation. I seen it with my own eyes.
Click to expand...

Great story. I think you are on to something about OS being especially good for older people who have lost basic functions. That should be the target population.
 
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