It’s easy to think of aging as a steady decline. But fitness proves it doesn’t have to be that simple and dreadful. If you exercise regularly, you’re more likely to maintain physical abilities. Period. So think of it as a sliding scale –with physical dependence at one end and being an elite athlete on the
How do you feel today? It’s a simple question that can bring a lot of different responses, right? You might say, “I feel great – had a checkup with the doctor yesterday and everything’s good.” Or, “I feel kinda crabby… Didn’t get much sleep last night.” Or even, “I feel tired and sore, and I
At the gym, we often perform exercises in straight lines, like lifting a bar straight up, right? Our feet are generally even and parallel. All that’s great, but it’s not enough, since we don’t move like that in real life – just straight forward/back and up/down. Usually, we’re on one foot and moving to the
What sounds like a perfect way to celebrate your 75th birthday? For Jerry Mathis, it wasn’t about cake or resting by the pool. Jerry ran his first Spartan race, instead. It was a 5k course with 20 obstacles like climbing over walls, shimmying up ropes, and trekking through swampy land. Sound like fun to you?
A year ago, Pam was vibrant, an active member of a fitness studio, and celebrating her 83rd birthday. But after the Covid-19 pandemic kept her mostly housebound, she grew frail and hunched over, concerning her children and sending her back to the fitness studio she had loved so much. “It was shocking to me to
Some couples enjoy doing a few things together. Some value their time apart for hobbies and working out. Liz and Rich Clapp love doing almost everything together, including much of their exercise. “We are best friends to each other and have been since we were young,” says Liz. “I just enjoy spending time with him.
That Friday evening began like any other. When Deb Calderara (middle) sat down to watch “Jeopardy!” she had no idea how scary things were about to get. “I started having all the classic symptoms of a heart attack,” says Deb, who was 57 at the time. “I felt like someone was sitting on my chest
Dick O’Loughlin, 84, is getting ready to go skiing this winter, just as he has for more than 40 years. Covid can’t stop him from enjoying his outdoor passion. Just like strength-and-balance workouts with a personal trainer keep him in shape for it. “It’s not the easiest sport in the world, and I want to
A scientific study shows something we’ve believed here for a long time: Physical activity is good for your heart, no matter what your age. Being active keeps your heart stronger and healthier than being inactive. And the more you exercise, the healthier your heart gets. The National Institutes of Health says physical activity can help
How hard do you like to exercise? Some people over 50 think a leisurely stroll is good enough. Others turn up the intensity to get a good sweat. New research suggests “older” people should lean toward the latter, according to The BMJ (short for British Medical Journal). It’s the largest and the longest study of