One of the truths that Life shares with us is that we all must get older. While some of us Baby Boomers are still working on growing up, we are all confronted with bodies that are changing with age. Previously quiet joints and little aches and pains now talk to us in very clear voices and describe the consequences of our pushing our bodies over the years. We’ve had our fun and now the bill is coming due.
The first and admittedly biggest hurdle is working with our thinking. So gather round. Let’s understand and accept that we are no longer 20 years old. Okay? No amount of wishing it otherwise will make your body perform like it did when we were younger. A little tough love like this makes things later go much easier.
So let’s assume you’ve got that first step down. Now for a little good news. We can still compete at our age. Yep! And we may even be able to be competitive with those younger folks too!
Why?
Because we have the advantage of decades of experience stored away in our minds and bodies. Remember the adage that “Old age and treachery will always overcome youth and skill”. While this is a tongue-in-cheek reference, there is a kernel of truth in there.
You have been a learner throughout your years of participation in your sport and here is where all of those lessons pay off.
So finding yourself in a familiar athletic situations (ones that you have experienced at some time in your past), your mind and body will remember and your response can be much quicker than your younger opponent. It’s all in our training.
So cut yourself some slack in the competition department. Your additional years mean that you approach exercise from less than the take-no-prisoners approach of years past. We now train smarter and we pick our battles – carefully.
Next time: how to listen to what our bodies are telling us and how to use this to our advantage.
Image Credits:
<a href=”https://www.flickr.com/photos/96413675@N00/6659497069/”>Paul Holloway</a> via <a href=”http://compfight.com”>Compfight</a> <a href=”https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0/”>cc</a>
By Pete unseth (Own work) [CC BY-SA 3.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0)], via Wikimedia Commons
By fibercool (deporte y vida) [CC BY-SA 2.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0)], via Wikimedia Commons
You must be logged in to post a comment.