Raise your hand if you enjoy working out. Uh, not me….well, maybe the swimming part (it’s all of those negative ions floating around that give me that feel-good high). It just takes so much time out of your day with all of the other things you need to attend to. So why do we do it? What’s the point? Outside of the obvious, like a toned body and weight control:
- Increased circulation – improved blood flow flushes out toxins in the body; otherwise, they just hang around for a while wreaking havoc
- Increased blood flow leads to stronger blood vessels and building new bypasses….and how does that help us? Improved and faster recovery from injury….internal (e.g. heart attack) and external affecting muscles, bones, and organs
- Increased muscle strength leads to support of the entire body structure, which aids in protecting the body from external injury and provides a faster recovery…..you break your leg and you whiz through the rehab period since you have strong supporting tissues
In other words, you go from a Volkswagen Beetle to an armored tank. We all know the tank is not impenetrable, and neither is a fit body, but the damage is less and you can usually keep moving…..and you get back to normal a whole lot faster!
Unfortunately, no matter how fit we are, age happens, so we need to learn how to keep moving in spite of the occasional break-downs. As we age, we just can’t whip around like we used to. Now we have to think about our movements before we do them. That is our protective mechanism kicking in.
How many times have you heard the term “good body mechanics”? When you do, does your mind fog out and then move along to something else more important? Stop right there! This IS more important!
Let me give you a brief overview of me. I do not have a perfect body. I have moderate lumbar scoliosis where I have flexibility limitations. I have lost some of the curvature in my neck with some arthritis where I have limited range of motion. That being said, I have chosen to not let that diminish my quality of life. I love to ski, backpack, hike, golf, sail, and many other activities. I am not a couch potato! Now, enough about me. Let’s talk fitness.
A few definitions first:
- Moving = walking around the block, walking to your car, walking around the mall, going to the bathroom, going to the refrigerator because you are “starving”
- Exercising = performing any physical activity where you sustain your heart rate at an aerobic level (target zone) for a minimum of 30 minutes at a time (refer to the aerobic chart that is based on heart rate and age: https://www.heart.org/en/healthy-living/fitness/fitness-basics/target-heart-rates)
I needed to clarify this as there are folks who think moving is the same as exercising. Ummm…..not. Your little heart is slugging away and is “dying” to get pumped up (no pun intended) so it can “feel good” in spite of the years “ticking away”. Can’t you hear it? “Help meeeee…..”
The best thing for your body is variation. Whatever your body is capable of, you can do a combination of power walk, run, swim, classes, weights, etc. To follow, I have added my 2 cents to a few options:
First of all……
STRETCH!
When we don’t move around, our muscles go into sleep mode. After a period of time, or after strenuous activity, they go into freak-out mode and want to curl up into a ball. So we need to snap them back into shape. BEFORE ANY EXERCISE, S-T-R-E-T-C-H! You know what happens when you don’t? Injury……like the time I went to play tennis but didn’t warm up or stretch first and I blew out my calf muscle when all I did was step forward to return a volley. Lesson learned…..the hard way.
Rule of thumb: At least 30 seconds in each position…..or more if you are really stiff….depends on your body. In my Yin yoga class, we hold stretches for a while. So to divert our minds from the occasional achiness, the instructor reads poetry. Hey, whatever works.
I mentioned my neck issues. My C1 and C2 vertebrae are always out of alignment. Chiropractic did not help; it was merely a band aid approach (short term fix but not correcting the root cause). So along with my limited range of motion (ROM), I would get muscle spasms in my neck and upper back….especially with sitting in front of the computer. So…..for the last year I’ve been doing neck stretches every day. Before I even get out of bed in the morning, I sit on the edge of the bed and do my stretches. Guess what? No more spasms or headaches…..AND my ROM has improved! Hooray! Yes, it takes me longer to get ready in the morning now but SO WORTH IT to get up a little earlier to do this!
One thing to keep in mind, whether you are stretching, sitting in front of the computer, or relaxing in the big, fluffy chair at night: Keep your shoulders relaxed. When you tense up (many times subconsciously), up go your shoulders and, thus, the neck muscles tighten (can you feel that headache coming on?). So here is a new motto for you: Drop the shoulders. Now repeat after me: “Drop the shoulders.” And again…..”Drop the shoulders.” Good! Now you’ve got it! It will become second nature after a while and you will be a happy camper.
Oops….here’s another “one more thing”. You’re now focused on “up north”; i.e. your shoulders. Time to also focus on “down south”……your lower back. So here it is….ready? “Tuck the pelvis”…. “Tuck the pelvis”…. “Tuck the pelvis”. After living a pretty full life thus far, our poor backs have sure taken a beating. Our muscles are tired, weak, and are just feeling “old”. Our spines have gotten lazy and we struggle to stay upright or in alignment. Tucking your pelvis brings everything back into alignment to where the supporting structures; i.e. ligaments, tendons, etc., can do their job effectively. What is the common cry from our age group? “Ohhh, my back is out!” So keeping everything in alignment will hopefully minimize or eliminate any disc and/or nerve compression. So when you get out of bed in the morning, tuck it. When you stand in front of the mirror brushing your teeth, tuck it. When you bend over to empty the dishwasher, tuck it.
May 2024 Update
I recently had an MRI of my cervical spine (neck). There is narrowing of the disc space at C6-C7. In researching this, I found that this is actually a common issue with aging. Sigh. If you can’t address the root cause without surgery, go for symptom relief and any therapy that may keep the condition from worsening. None of this has caused me to stop my workouts! Keep moving!
Swimming
This is the best exercise you can do because it works ALL parts of your body. Rowing on a rowing machine is second best. Both are non-weight-bearing, which means easier on your joints. But you do need some weight-bearing exercise (walking, weight lifting) to encourage bone growth.
Here are some swimming tips:
- Use different strokes to work different muscle groups: freestyle, breast, side, back, and if your shoulders are strong enough – butterfly (do NOT do this if you have shoulder issues!).
- Breathe from both sides during freestyle stroke to develop your nervous system on both sides and encourage full range of motion with your neck. If you have neck issues, try using a swim snorkel (but you can only use this for the freestyle stroke).
- Want to strengthen your shoulder muscles? Add swim paddles. Start out with small paddles the size of your hands or a tad larger (don’t start out with dinner plate size!). Try them for 1-2 laps for a few swim sessions. Then gradually do more laps with the paddles. You will definitely feel this in your shoulders the next day. A little soreness is expected but this should dissipate by end of that next day. Here is a list of good paddles: https://theswimlist.com/best-swim-paddles/
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Note about posture: If you are concerned about yours, start thinking about your activities and what you can do to change them up….such as….
- Get rid of that big, heavy purse!!! Decide between fashionable and body-smart. Heavy satchels can also lead to rotator cuff problems. I actually sustained a rotator cuff injury while I was unpacking and setting up my 9 foot Christmas tree….and then the purse thing aggravated it. In fact, all who have forward-rotating shoulders will have weak rotator cuffs. (Note: If you end up with a tear and it is significantly impacting your day-to-day life, the surgical repair is extensive and the rehab is at least one year!!! Do everything you can to avoid this!)
- If you lap swim, do you just do the freestyle? That will totally pull your shoulders forward over time. Add in an equal number of laps of backstroke.
- Weight training at the gym? STOP doing anything that builds up the pecs, such as bench presses, flies, or chest presses. Instead, focus on exercises to build your upper back, such as rowing (when you pull back, focus on squeezing your shoulder blades together).
- Do you relax at night in that big easy chair all slumped down? Sit up straight, get a small pillow behind your lower back, and get your feet elevated at least to hip level.
- Sitting at a computer all day? ERGONOMICS! (Google away) I had my keyboard mounted under my desk so that my arms will be at 90 degree angles. Don’t forget your wrists! Also, I have a special chair from the Relax Your Back store. ERGONOMICS! Sitting in your big easy chair….all slouched down…..pounding away on your laptop = a body killer.