At what age are you too old to exercise?

Anybody that knows me sees that question and knows that I have my tongue firmly planted in my cheek. For those of you too young to understand that, it means I’m kidding. Really.


I talked about prevention last week, offering guidelines for preventing illness and injuries. But what about preventing old age? Isn’t it inevitable? If you live long enough, aren’t you going to get old anyway? Well yeah, but how do you want to spend those golden years?


First, let’s define “old.” Years ago (many years ago) I would declare that “middle-aged” was whatever I was plus 10. I’m well past middle-aged so we can’t use that one. But that still doesn’t define what is old.

Maybe old is what I am now plus 10.  That would make "old" officially at 77.  Maybe. 


My dad had a friend who declared on his 80^th birthday “I’m officially old and no one can argue with me now.” I get that. Even as I fast approach that threshold.


OK. Let’s use 80 as the barometer. Does that mean that anything less than 80 isn’t old? I’ve known 60 year olds that were positively ancient. They dress old. They walk old. They think old. They talk old.


I also know that my 90 year old neighbor will outwork people a third of his age. He maintains a several acre yard and a big house and there is no one that meets him that would ever believe that he is 90. I saw him working on his house recently on a stepladder. How many people 90 do you see doing that?


He’s always worked. He’s always taken care of his own place. He just never stopped. Still hasn’t. He bought a truck recently to help carry stuff around. His only concession seems to be a golf cart, but as I said, he has a really big yard.


So, what is the secret? How do we both live long and live well? Is there a Fountain of Youth out there?


I believe there is. I believe that our own Fountain of Youth can be found in movement. A very long time ago, I studied Physics. One basic principle in Physics is that “a body in motion tends to stay in motion while a body at rest tends to stay at rest.”


I believe that is true for us too. If you move, if you never stop, you will be able to stay in motion. On the other hand, if you don’t move, if the recliner is your constant companion, you will get to the point where you can’t move.


Make sense? Let me put it in a personal perspective. I’m not a gifted athlete. My aerobic capacity is quite mediocre. I’ve not got broad shoulders and I’m sure not going to win any races. In other words, I’m an Average Joe.


But I’ve never stopped. I’m always in motion. Always have been. And because of that, I don’t move nor behave like I’m 67 years old. Mountain biking. Road biking. Hiking. CrossFit. Farm work. It’s always something.


Do you have to join a gym and lift weights? Heavens no. Most of us need strength training because we lose muscle mass as we get older but you can set up a home gym and do that on your own.


Don’t ignore body weight exercises. Pushups, pullups, situps, jumping jacks…they require no equipment but are effective tools for strength training. Building endurance doesn’t mean that you have to run a marathon or sit on a bicycle for 3-4 hours. It means simply that you get your heart rate up for 20-30 minutes.


You can stretch. You can build balance by standing on one leg. You can take the stairs. You can take a yoga class. But you’ve got to move. Movement is everything.


The answer to the original question? NEVER! You’re never too old to exercise. It can add quality and quantity to your life.