aging

ctobin

ctobin

Member
Cathe, I would love to know what changes you observe as you age. Do you notice any change in your overall vigor as you work out? Any pain issues, and if so how do you decide what to 'push through'? I have been doing your workouts faithfully for years, am about the same age as you and am surprised by my body. Not in a good way. I push through most things, and modify where I cannot.
 
Excellent question! I am only 6 months younger than Cathe and just this year I've noticed some changes in energy level, improvements are slow and other minor things. I would love to hear from Cathe on this!
 
I am a year older than Cathe and have noticed a "general widening" of my body...it is still the same proportions from the waist down, just wider by a few inches! The upside to this is that I corner really well if have to walk fast around a curve :p;)!
 
I just wanted to chime in here too. :) I'm not sure how old Cathe is but I'm 47 and I've noticed some functional challenges only in the past year that have me a bit frustrated. Simple things like weeding the garden beds are definitely taking it's toll on my back and knees. I definitely don't have the strength in my lower body like I use to and I use to climb mountains on the weekends any given chance! LOL Did anyone see the article Cathe wrote on "Power Training"? Cathe Friedrich - Muscle Aging: The Importance of Power Training I would love to hear how to incorporate Cathe's programs/workouts into this kind of routine! I'm a hardgainer so I've been all about building muscle, but now I'm working more on endurance along with the strength. Anyone know of how we can build a Power Training routine with Cathe's workouts (I have just about them all!!!! :D)??? Cathe? :D
 
Interesting article. Thanks for the link! Definitely something I would love to see in future workouts, especially the kettlebells. I'm guessing Cardio Leg Blast from X Train and the STS Plyo Legs are power training workouts. I'd also like to see a Power Training rotation.

I have the back (and also shoulder) issues after gardening, or even housework in way I didn't used to.:( I'm 43, BTW.
 
Thank you for this thread! I am 48 and it seemed "overnight" I suddenly need longer recovery times. At one point I feared I was developing rheumatoid arthritis. I laid off the kettle bells because my fingers got so stiff at night. Just got the Xtrain series but already know I prob shouldn't work out 6 days/week. I don't really know which workout to drop each week, or should I keep shifting and finish in 100 days?


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Okay ladies, here's my story. I'm 63. I started working out about a year ago now after about 30 years of not doing much but gaining weight.

On Monday I did XTrain Hiit, Tuesday Party Rocking Step 2, Wednesday the entire Body Max 2, Thursday Party Rocking Step 2 (I'm determined to learn it). Today, I fully intended to do Bootcamp. I've done it before and really liked it but the body said no, rest. Right now I plan to do it tomorrow.

As you go along, you have to listen more to your body and do what it tells you. Other than having been overweight, I'm in really good health. Cathe has transformed my body to close to what it was 30 years ago. I still need to drop another 30 pounds or so but I'm progressing albeit slowly. The aches and pains last a little longer than they used to but part of that was deconditioning. The improvements have been phenomenal in terms of endurance and stamina and muscle strength. I actually have firm thighs now!

Anyway, aging is no fun, especially if you push beyond where you should. You can maintain your fitness without killing yourself like we used to when we were younger. There are days I do a shorter workout and days I can do a 90 minute workout. I listen to where I am at the moment and still manage 5-6 days a week. For the most part I can following the monthly rotations with occasionally substituting a workout here and there. Even if I don't do a Cathe workout, I do something physical every day. I have noticed that if I go more than 2 days without doing something, it's like I lose ground so I never go more than one day without doing something.

Hope that helps. Hang in there and keep moving!

Susan:)
 
Susan, you are an inspiration.

I'm 51 and find that I have to incorporate much more restorative yoga and have a monthly deep muscle massage (cupping, which is wonderful). Tight hips/glutes/hamstrings, aggravated from 27 years of spending my day behind a desk at work, have taken their toll.

I'm lucky that my energy level remains pretty high, but I've been blessed with good genes in terms of health (Irish Catholic family that didn't emigrate until 1911--survived the potato famine!!).
 
Thanks Nanbo!! I love your posts too!

I did Bootcamp this morning all the way through. Love it!! I think I'll do stretch max tomorrow. Another thing I noticed about getting older, I'm not as flexible as I used to be so time to work on that more!

Susan :)
 
Swimmer,

I hear ya! Stay on top of it now and your body won't freeze up as you age.

Everyone in my family died young except a grandmother and aunt. I've been blessed with that Scandinavian fortitude though and I'm not aging gracefully...I'm fighting it all the way!
 
I am 52 and fighting "bad genes." Fighting them kicking and screaming! The comment that irritates me the most is "I can't do that, I'm too old." I want to be the grandmother that can keep up with the grandkids, not one sitting in the chair waiting for a visit. Thank you Cathe for helping to keep us young.
 
When I was in my 20's and needed to mentally push myself in a workout, I would imagine looking cute in some outfit and that was the motivation needed. Now when I need to push myself, I imagine myself strong and functional in old age and that is the motivation needed. I like how my thinking has changed with age, and I am pretty accepting of the physical changes I see. But it is sort of like operating a new machine… I am no longer certain how to work it, which buttons will do damage if I push them, and which buttons make me go faster! And I am no longer certain of what constitutes normal, as I don't feel like my body is the same from day to day. And as a result, I do pay better attention to my body because there is less resilience, and I can't take so much for granted. All in all, I think I much prefer my current age even with the physical changes accounted for. I like knowing that there are other women my age and older, who are also pursuing fitness (and picturing you guys also working out will likely give me some extra mental juice when I need it!). And one of the many reasons I enjoy Cathe is because she is about my age. Seeing her get it on inspires me, and helps me fight my inner weeny (weenie?).
 
I turned 53 last month. I don't have lots of aches and pains and don't see much change in my energy levels. I have seen an increase in my weight and my middle seems to be expanding a bit despite eating a very clean diet.

I run, do weights, kettlebells and lots of functional fitness exercises. I do jump rope, jump squats, BOSU jumps, broad jumps, bear crawls and many compound moves with weights. I use weights in various forms (med balls, kettlebells, sandbags, barbells and dumbbells) in all my workouts except when I run.

I workout 5 days a week, eat clean and I am putting on muscle, especially in my upper body. I have to work my legs harder as that is where I tend to put on weight (genetics). I do lots of weighted squats and walking lunges.

The poster who said that she wanted to be functional in old age is exactly what I am aiming for. What I am doing at 53 I what to do at 83 and hopefully 93 and beyond.

If I do get a bit achy, I foam roll and stretch. I don't care for yoga or stretching (in fact I hate it) but foam rolling helps with any aches I get from running.

Everyone is different and you should listen to your body in terms of how far you can push it. The goal should be health, strength and functionally fit.

BTW...my mother is 80 and has had many health issues including stage IV endometrial cancer at the age of 76. She now goes to a physical therapist that has her doing pilates. She has gained so much strength from doing that. Before she could barely lift a half gallon of milk, now she can lift heavier items and even has some muscle tone. It's never too late to start getting healthy and fit.
 
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Will be 42 this year (yikes) the biggest thing I notice is my body's inconsistency in SPITE of MY consistency with exercise and diet. Some days/weeks I feel so tired for no apparent reason and pms takes me a good week to recover from. Some weeks I gain a ton of fluid weight and others I can eat treats with no negative effects. Some weeks I feel like a machine and go 11 days without a rest day- other weeks/months I can barely do my five-six days and am crawling to my workout room. Go figure? I am constantly trying to keep the balance - but I often find my body does what wants to no matter what.
 
That is a good way to describe what I experience. I am not operating the same body week to week, even hour to hour. I will be 49 in Jan, and haven't had a period in 11 months (yay me!), but I assume that the fluctuations I experience are hormonal. I watch my husband who seems to operate at a much more consistent energy level regardless of diet (devoid of nutrition), sleep (or periods of sleep interspersed with apnea) and can't fathom how he never seems to have 'off' days. Gotta be hormones. It is so good to see all the responses here, because it affirms to me that this is all part of the process. And now I don't feel so guilty that I slept 10 hours last night and had to take a nap today! ( at least I got a good workout in though! STS Strength. That 45lb dumbbell I used for the one arm row told me that she thinks I am pretty vigorous. haha!)
 
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