Legs and Lungs. These can be deal breakers or deal makers as you get older. Your legs and lungs are often the first to go. But they don’t have to be. Your legs and lungs are the main two parts of the body that provide “staying power” for physical activity. When they go, your age catches up with you; when you keep them strong, you feel younger longer.
Stamina and Endurance. Stamina is the ability to perform at a high level for a given length of time. Endurance is the ability to perform for a long time. Stamina is like sprinting. Endurance is like a marathon. Both terms apply to “staying power” and having both are important as we get older. When you lose either, it’s normally a matter of weakening “legs and lungs”.
Years ago as I entered my 60s, an old rowing buddy from my High School and college rowing (Crew) days persuaded me to start rowing again. At age 60? You’re kidding? I did it anyway. I was terribly out of condition. The first time we took a two man boat out onto the Occoquan River outside Washington, DC, I had to stop at about every ten strokes to recover my breathing. My leg and lung capacity were virtually non-existent. The first night my legs were so shaky I could barely walk and my breathing was tortured to say the least.
But I kept at it, and within three to four weeks, I was able to row up to seven miles with only one stop when we turned the boat around to return to the starting point. Rowing can be a very intense sport and combines Stamina and Endurance (Sprints and Marathons), all at the same time.
Brisk walking can do the same thing for you. There is probably no better way for an older adult to build both Stamina and Endurance. Walking up hills will help with the stamina and walking long distances on relatively level ground will bring you endurance. Both are necessary to maintain your ability to “do things” as you get older. Both will build leg strength and lung capacity. I will point out that my wife has had both knees replaced and still walks. Check with a medical professional if you have a problem with your knees and most important, listen to your body.
Add to that some deep breathing and some squats (standing up and sitting down in a straight backed chair for a start), and you will help build your Stamina and Endurance quickly.
Since your legs and lungs are normally the first go go as you get older, it’s best to start doing something to prevent it from happening. As they say, the best time to start was twenty years ago. The second best time to start is NOW. So get out there and start working on building capacity with your legs and lungs. It will help keep you feeling alive.
Thank you for reading.