Stay with it 3-4 days per week

Okay since my last post I have given you a little time to reflect on the past mature fitness revelations recorded in this blog site. Now I am going to drive home some important facts of life and reiterate some of the things I have said in the past. On Friday I went on a 200 mile motorcycle ride out in the Yellowhouse canyons, ate fried catfish for lunch, got back home and then went on a 25 mile bicycle ride, then topped the day off with a healthy vegetarian meal and two domestic beers. Then on Saturday I got up early, did some office work, and then went out on a 40 mile bicycle ride with 2 of my male friends and my wife. All of these training partners are people I have spent a lot of time in the saddle with and one of them will be doing an Ironman Triathlon in June, while the rest of us will be doing some form of running and triathlon competition over the course of the summer. The point to my story, first, all of these folks are 20 years younger then me, second, we learned the importance of doing some form of fitness workouts throughout the year, not just in the summer months, and fourth, each of us determined what we have to do to bring up our fitness level. I want to emphasize to everyone that a consistent 3-4 days per week of exercise throughout the year is very important. One of our training partners on the Saturday ride had not been able to train since late last summer or early fall. So he suffered throughout the day, while the rest of us, having exercised throughout the year, had a reasonably good day with no ill effects. Now please understand that I am not using this example to shame anyone or to suggest that everyone should achieve Ironman training fitness. For sure our Ironman training partner for June was in a higher degree of fitness level than the rest of us, even though we all completed the ride feeling strong. Our friend who was not able to train to any degree for the past few months was not feeling well, experiencing leg cramps and just general fatigue. But, with him being a former college athlete he was determined to get his program started for this year, and the next ride he will show progression towards this goal. My concluding point here would be to stay consistent, and ALWAYS do something 3-4 days per week. I remember when I first started swim training for triathlon and I worried about missing a workout, I was told to get in the water no matter how much time you had. So, if my workout was usually 2-3,000 yards and I only had time for 500 yards, do it anyway. It would be better than doing nothing. I encourage everyone to those 3-4 days of exercise in, no matter what.

Another point I would like to make is that while I know there is a big deal about senior or mature fitness diets, workouts, etc., I don’t think there is as much difference as the guru’s want us to think. While I do know that the volume of workouts do decrease and there are factors involved with aging that affect fitness levels basically we can continue to do what we please, as long as we feel like and have the desire. While some aspects of exercise may even be eliminated and replaced for another type of exercise, it matters not as long as that most important muscle, the heart, is properly exercised.

Have a great week of work, fun and exercise.

Mike Greer