I appreciate this perspective a lot. The question, “Am I trying to improve today?”…cuts through the fear and the timelines. Growth mode as a way of living, not an age-dependent phase.
You’re right: if someone stops doing sports exactly at 40, the chances of health problems are much higher! I also think that caution doesn’t hurt at all, especially proper warm-ups, which become extremely important after 40. I’ll turn 42 in March, and even so I still do handstands, go down slides, and jump on the trampoline with the kids, but I now spend more time warming up and pay much closer attention to my joints to avoid sports injuries.
There is one dad who used to train with me often. He’s a real sportsman, but he had so many injuries that he eventually gave up competitive sports because of them. I also know many moms around my age who have already suffered serious injuries, even while training with a personal trainer. In several cases the trainer was male and younger, and didn’t fully take the additional risks into account. Still, it’s a fact that sport is very important throughout life, only the way we do it changes.
We live in Budapest’s 2nd district, and at the nearby gym about one third of the members are in their 20s–30s, one third are 40–50, and another third are between 60 and 70! That’s very impressive to me, because honestly, I didn’t expect this at first. And after a thorough warm-up, a 65-year-old, grey-haired lady completes the full one-hour circuit training, the same one that leaves people in their 30s dripping with sweat! Seriously! 😁👍✨ I think this says everything about how ageless training really can be.
If there’s ever a time when you absolutely shouldn’t stop exercising regularly, it’s at 40. I completely agree with that. I wish you good health and lots of success in achieving all your future plans!
Thank you, Ágnes! 💚 Warm up is something we tend to neglect in our 20s because our bodies can handle almost anything we want. But with age, it gets more and more important. I also do my warm up in the gym and stretch almost every day to keep my body flexible and injury free.
Another thing that changes is the weight. I use much less weight now than when I was around 30. I focus more on technique and less on how much maximum weight I can work with. Frequency overtakes intensity. Doing moderate sport every day becomes more important than training very intensely three times a week.
But as you said, sport becomes more and more important as we get older. Cardio gives us energy, and muscles improve the quality of our lives. I also see people in their 70s at the gym, and when I am running in the park, there are a couple of older men and women, surely above 75, who are still running. I am really impressed by them. Even if they run very slowly, they are there, even though they could just relax at home on the couch and nobody would blame them.
Keep up with being active, Ágnes, and thank you for stopping by!
Great work David. i believe i need to read it more than once and i plan to get back and read it again and again, just as a reminder for myself to not feel it's too late or i am too old , when you quoted :“I didn’t LIVE. I just existed. And now years are gone.” i really felt that.
Thank you for reading! In today’s life, when you have a decent job, a home, and a fridge full of food, it’s very easy to lose yourself in the comfort trap. From that point on, there is no reason to try new things or challenge yourself, and you can live on autopilot easily. Then you start thinking in decades instead of years and months, because for you there is no difference anymore.
So true... that's exactly how it starts
I appreciate this perspective a lot. The question, “Am I trying to improve today?”…cuts through the fear and the timelines. Growth mode as a way of living, not an age-dependent phase.
Great article! 💛
Thank you so much! 💚
You’re right: if someone stops doing sports exactly at 40, the chances of health problems are much higher! I also think that caution doesn’t hurt at all, especially proper warm-ups, which become extremely important after 40. I’ll turn 42 in March, and even so I still do handstands, go down slides, and jump on the trampoline with the kids, but I now spend more time warming up and pay much closer attention to my joints to avoid sports injuries.
There is one dad who used to train with me often. He’s a real sportsman, but he had so many injuries that he eventually gave up competitive sports because of them. I also know many moms around my age who have already suffered serious injuries, even while training with a personal trainer. In several cases the trainer was male and younger, and didn’t fully take the additional risks into account. Still, it’s a fact that sport is very important throughout life, only the way we do it changes.
We live in Budapest’s 2nd district, and at the nearby gym about one third of the members are in their 20s–30s, one third are 40–50, and another third are between 60 and 70! That’s very impressive to me, because honestly, I didn’t expect this at first. And after a thorough warm-up, a 65-year-old, grey-haired lady completes the full one-hour circuit training, the same one that leaves people in their 30s dripping with sweat! Seriously! 😁👍✨ I think this says everything about how ageless training really can be.
If there’s ever a time when you absolutely shouldn’t stop exercising regularly, it’s at 40. I completely agree with that. I wish you good health and lots of success in achieving all your future plans!
Thank you, Ágnes! 💚 Warm up is something we tend to neglect in our 20s because our bodies can handle almost anything we want. But with age, it gets more and more important. I also do my warm up in the gym and stretch almost every day to keep my body flexible and injury free.
Another thing that changes is the weight. I use much less weight now than when I was around 30. I focus more on technique and less on how much maximum weight I can work with. Frequency overtakes intensity. Doing moderate sport every day becomes more important than training very intensely three times a week.
But as you said, sport becomes more and more important as we get older. Cardio gives us energy, and muscles improve the quality of our lives. I also see people in their 70s at the gym, and when I am running in the park, there are a couple of older men and women, surely above 75, who are still running. I am really impressed by them. Even if they run very slowly, they are there, even though they could just relax at home on the couch and nobody would blame them.
Keep up with being active, Ágnes, and thank you for stopping by!
David
Wow I love the travel goals you have! Even if you didn't hit 44 countries, you still travel 16 countries and that's amazing!!
Thank you, Mira! Yes, I was really crazy back then, but I can tell you that I will never forget that year of my life. It was memorable.
Great work David. i believe i need to read it more than once and i plan to get back and read it again and again, just as a reminder for myself to not feel it's too late or i am too old , when you quoted :“I didn’t LIVE. I just existed. And now years are gone.” i really felt that.
Thank you for reading! In today’s life, when you have a decent job, a home, and a fridge full of food, it’s very easy to lose yourself in the comfort trap. From that point on, there is no reason to try new things or challenge yourself, and you can live on autopilot easily. Then you start thinking in decades instead of years and months, because for you there is no difference anymore.