Advice From The Masters--How You Can Be One, Too!

Last week, a client told us that after seeing people over 40 referred to as "senior," her teenage daughter had fun teasing her.

Actually, many sports refer to older competitors as "Masters." That's got a better ring to it, right?!

Not so long ago, 40 was considered over the hill in sports. That's been disproven by skier Lindsey Vonn, 40, climber Chris Sharma, 43, swimmer Dara Torres, and a host of others.

Challenges of being over 40

Your muscle mass starts declining in your 30s. Gaining it is harder as you get older, more so for your fast-twitch muscle fibers (the ones we train on power weeks) than for slow-twitch muscles. That explains why we see more marathoners than sprinters peak in their 40s.

Collagen loss with age makes our tendons and ligaments weaker and more rigid...and our skin wrinkle and sag.... 🙄

We'll start breaking down instead of building up if we overdo intense activity. But high-impact exercise and lifting heavy weights stimulate bone growth so It's a matter of finding the right balance.

It takes longer to recover from exercise as you age but that doesn’t necessarily mean more days off. Hard workout days can be balanced with recovery days, which could include walking, yoga, or mobility exercises.

Long ago I read a Runner's World article about a runner in his 50s or 60s who was concerned about his getting slower. He was advised to take an additional recovery day. That was all it took to get him back to running at his old pace!

Advantages of being over 40

If you've ever been athletic, your muscle memory gives you an advantage in starting an exercise program or getting back to it after several years.

Being older can give you the advantage of having greater experience and mental toughness, a "reasonable" approach to training, and a better understanding of your body's capability.

​Richard Morgan didn't start exercise training until he was 73. At 93, he had the aerobic capacity of a healthy 30- or 40-year-old and his body composition was 80% muscle and barely 15% body fat!

​At 96, Charles Eugster, a sprinter and bodybuilder, didn't start serious strength training until he was 87 and started running when he turned 95. He put on muscle and lost 24 pounds before he turned 88.

Advice from these "Masters"

💪 Vary your workouts: About 70% of Morgan's workouts are easy, another 20% are at a difficult but tolerable pace, and the final 10% at an all-out, barely sustainable intensity. Sprint intervals and power exercises for the win!

💪 Allow for plenty of recovery. Quality sleep is critical!

💪 Be consistent.

💪 Eat a varied diet with plenty of protein. We don't process protein to support and build muscle as well as we get older.

💪 Try different activities to challenge your body and mind.

💪 Keep an eye on your belly fat. Visceral fat is inflammatory, leading to chronic disease.

You define your age--not the other way around.

Instead of being a "senior," choose to be a "Master"!