The Come Alive Project

Tag: senior fitness

  • Energy Bite 371 – Move Naturally

    I’ve often written about moving your body the way nature intended you to move, as a solution you your exercise regimen. Natural movement beats unatural gym machine movements most of the time unless you want to pose for a “Mr/Ms Muscle” photoshoot or plan to participate in weightlifting competitions.

    One of the biggest proponents of Natural Movement is Erwan LeCorre and his MovNat program. MovNat is a worldwide leader in the Natural Movement field. I did one of the retreats back in 2009 and it helped determine much of my attitude about fitness today.

    I was given the opportunity to do an interview with the the folks at MovNat and it was published in their most recent newsletter. You can find it here. It provides a lot of the backstory as to how I got into Senior Fitness.

    If you are new to exercise, or even if you are a seasoned exerciser, I suggest you check out the MovNat website here ( https://www.movnat.com/)and try out some of the movements in the videos shown on the site. There are many beginner’s movements, shown in various videos, that most seniors can easily do.

    There are also more advanced movements that may be a bit more difficult for you. Give them a try too. MovNat movements might just be the solution to your exercise dilemma and might change your overall attitude about exercise (if you aren’t already a devotee). The MovNat website shows the locations of MovNat workshops around the world. If one comes to your area, you might want to look into it (NOTE: I DO NOT receive any compensation if you join one of the MovNat programs). They also have a new Home Study course that you may want to take a look at.

    You will also find some suggestions for getting up and down from the floor (called “get-ups”). Some may be out of range while others may help make getting up and down much easier for you — important to us aging denizens. Take a look at them and try them.

    This doesn’t suggest that you need to change whatever you are doing now. You know I like using resistance bands and do what I call “Floor & Core” movements, many of which include MovNat style movements.

    Whatever you do, remember to KEEP MOVING YOUR BODY!

    I went to the doctor this morning for my annual Wellness Exam (we used to call them “physicals”), and when I told him my age, he said: “Just keep on doing whatever it is you’re doing.” He added, “Whatever it is, it’s working.”  I simply keep on following my own advice: MOVE YOUR BODY, breathe deeply, and eat a balanced diet.

    Thank you for reading. And don’t forget to read the interview here.

  • Energy Bite 366 – Dick Van Dyke, Age 95 and Still At It

    I just finished re-reading Dick Van Dyke’s second book Keep Moving: and Other Tips and Truths About Aging, published in 2015 when he turned 90.  Dick Van Dyke turned 95 this past December, and is still going strong, almost as active as ever.

    Van Dyke is a classic example of how one can age well and feel young and vital, even at age 95.  His positive and upbeat attitude about life is part of the reason he retains his youth, and he attributes a daily workout to be a major reason why he is able to Keep Moving,

    .His book is filled with one liners, aphorisms, stories and suggestions, all related to aging and living a life filled with youthful thinking and vitality. I’ve included enough so you get the gist of his message, but not enough to run afoul of the copyright laws. Consider this article a review and endorsement of the book (I don’t receive anything if you go and buy it). Here are some quotes and a couple of the truths and tips included in the book.

    Quote: “Good habits matter. Eating light and fresh. Staying away from fast and processed foods. Not smoking. Working out regularly. Even going for a walk every day is extremely beneficial for longevity.” p. 43

    Quote: “In the morning I work out at my local gym. I’ll be honest, every day it gets tougher to get out of bed, put on the sweats, and work out. But it’s important.”   p. 42.

    That was at age 90. At age 93, he said: “I’m always dancing. I work out every day, mostly in the pool. I go to the gym and do a little bit of weight lifting, but at my age, not a lot.”

    Tip: “If a doctor tells you he can make you look twenty years younger, don’t believe him. Everybody will notice. And nobody will think you look twenty years younger.”  p. 143

    Truth: “Yes, you wasted too much time worrying about things that didn’t matter.”  p. 144

    Tip: “New experiences are the only things you can collect in life that end up being worth it.”  p. 144

    By the way, the book is a great read, and I recommend it to anyone who can remember back to the old Dick Van Dyke Show with Mary Tyler Moore, Rose Marie and Morey Amsterdam.

    Dick Van Dyke is still singing and dancing at his current age of 95. In his book (age 90), he said that while he still dances, it hurts more and he takes Advil. I would guess that he’ll keep on dancing for another ten years, or even more. What a great lesson in longevity.

    Van Dyke recently played a part in the movie Mary Poppins Returns and he was a Kennedy Center honoree in 2020 at age 94.

    Thank you for reading and KEEP MOVING!

  • Energy Bite 364 – Joint Replacement Recovery Made Easy

    How 2 Days a Week in a Fitness Class
     made Recovery from Knee Replacement
    Surgery a Snap

    My wife had knee replacement surgery two weeks ago. After a day or two of feeling miserable, she is recovering like a 14 year old. She feels good, is on her feet, has nearly tossed out her walker and is almost off her cane. She is climbing stairs, and also doing the hard part, coming back down.

    Her post operative Physical Therapist said that she is in better condition than when she had her other knee replaced seven years ago. When my wife mentioned that she is going to a fitness class at her gym two times a week, the Therapist said “that’s why”. When your body is fit, you are generally able to recover from any surgery much faster. While there are exceptions, mostly depending on how extensive the surgery, you will recover much more quickly from a normal surgical condition when you are fit.

    That said, it will still be a while before she is able to return to her fitness classes.

    The point is that when you are in good physical condition, you are likely to recover from the trauma of surgery much more comfortably than if you are out of condition. Good physical condition implies good bodily function both internally and externally for the most part, and can be a predictor of a more rapid recovery.

    In 2014, I had open heart surgery to replace a defective aortic valve with a cow part. I had to spend extra days in the hospital because the surgeon, or one of the members of his team, managed to accidentally puncture one of my lungs during the process. I was in pretty good physical condition going in to the surgery. After 9 days in the hospital, because of the punctured lung, my arm and leg muscles had atrophied down to the size of my wrists. I left the hospital weak and unstable.

    But recovery came fast. I was walking around the neighborhood soon after I got home (with the blessing and encouragement of a Physical Therapist), as well as using resistance bands and light weights to rebuild and strengthen my deteriorated muscles.

    My recovery was quick and easy. By the time I was able to get into the hospital’s Heart Rehabilitation Program, I was already well ahead of where most patients are when they come into that program. Why? Because I was already doing most of the exercises they were doing at the rehabilitation facility and because I had been in good physical condition going in.

    As you get older, body parts, particularly knee and hip joints, become damaged, worn out, or arthritic. In many cases, they need to be replaced. The better physical condition you are in when you go in for the surgery, the better your recovery will normally be.

    Too many times I have seen others, including close family members who don’t exercise, have long term challenges after a hip or knee replacement. That makes a pretty strong case for having some sort of simple, basic and ongoing exercise program.

    Is it true always? Not necessarily, but it is in most cases. So advanced warning: Get fit now. Stay fit. And you are far more likely to recover quickly from body part replacement surgery, without the long term disability that often comes with it.

    Thank you for reading.