If Not Now, When?

THIS ISSUE: Exercise At Any Age

Table of Contents:

1) Editor's Note
2) Food for Thought
3) Feature Article: Exercise At Any Age
4) Teleclasses
5) Question & Answer
6) Our Services

Editor's Note

Hi,

I've had better months! The rehab for my left knee hasn't been going as smoothly as the right one did back in May and June. I think they did a little more work on this one than they did on the other one, and it's causing my healing process to go more slowly. I had to adjust the amount of my daily exercising several times to take into account additional swelling and pain that I didn't expect. I guess that just goes to prove that you have to listen to your body closely, if you want to remain as pain and injury free as possible.

Because of my walking restrictions, we really didn't do much of anything in August. I did talk my wife into a short trip up to Prescott for a craft fair one weekend, but I had to take it real easy and get off my feet as much as possible.

I finally got out on my Harley for a short ride earlier this week. I always find that relaxing, but moving 800 pounds of motorcycle around when it's not under engine power is a challenge I had to leave until my knee started to regain some strength.

We haven't taken a real vacation (other than going back to Chicago to visit friends and relatives) in about 15 years. This October the dry spell ends. Our favorite vacation spot in the entire world is Maui, Hawaii, and we're going back there this October. We are both very excited. We had previously gone to the Hawaiian Islands about every other year, but 1994 is the last time we were there. We are expecting this to be a great trip.

Right after I sent out last month's newsletter, I received an e-mail from a reader who said, and I quote, “how about an article about fitness after 70 for an ex couch potato . . . I want to get in shape without a heart attack”. Well, that's what this newsletter and my site is all about – safe, sensible exercise for mature people. I'm guessing that since my site and newsletter are called “Fitness After 50”, this person took me a little too literally and didn't think I was addressing the needs of the “more mature” of the mature adults I consider as my demographic. Point taken.

As someone who has been trained and educated as a specialist in exercise physiology as it applies to cardiac rehab( I have a Masters in this specific area), my philosophy about exercise is very conservative. I'm going to try to make some points about how moderate, conservative exercise can be very helpful for people at almost any age. Of course, if you have any health conditions or concerns, it is always prudent to talk with a doctor before starting or getting back into an exercise program. And, since most doctors don't specialize in exercise, I think it would be a good idea to ask him or her for a reference to an exercise specialist; like a physical therapist or an exercise physiologist who works with a cardiac rehab program.

Good luck, keep exercising, and remember – "If not now, when?".

Best Wishes,

Tom Manfredi


Send any comments you may have to tom@fitness-after-50.com

My site fitness-after-50.com

Food for Thought

Feature Article - Exercise At Any Age

When I write my articles and my web site content, I basically try to keep my primary audience in mind. I consider my audience to be mature people from the age of about 50 through 80 plus. What that means is that my recommendations are on the conservative side. I don't want people getting hurt by doing the wrong kind of exercise, the wrong amount, or the wrong intensity. I also assume that the people reading my information may not have exercised for a long time, or even never. And, many of them have health issues they should be taking into consideration when they decide to start exercising.

Being in shape and being in condition plays a big role in minimizing our risk of injury. What we need to remember is that we have to train and condition ourselves at an age appropriate level. If you're starting a new fitness program, you need to work your way into it slowly.

It is difficult for me to give specific suggestions for an exercise program without knowing all the details about that person. Because of this, I write in generalities to give people some basic guidelines to follow. I suggest that anyone thinking about starting a new exercise program, especially if they are over 40, or have any medical issues, should talk with a doctor and get a referral to an exercise specialist. I don't mean the young person at the local health club, because most of them only have minimal amounts of training, and they are not qualified to give sound advice to mature people. Try to find an exercise physiologist, preferably one affiliated with a cardiac rehab program, or a fully certified physical therapist (most of them have to have a PhD these days to be fully qualified).

Here are some suggestions to help more mature people start a new exercise program: