In 2016 I wrote a blog on how we should be exercising throughout the decades. Now, with a decade more of experience under my belt, I’m updating my thoughts on how we should be training as we age.
I like the emphasis on training for capability rather than appearance. Building movement skills, strength, and consistency over decades feels like a much more sustainable approach to healthy aging than chasing short-term fitness goals.
Kush, thanks mate! You’re so right, this is a long game, we need to approach exercise like athletes - train for performance, work capacity and resilience and everything else will fall into place.
The foot-ankle, hip, thoracic spine call-out is the part I'd want to sit with longer. Those three joints tend to decide whether the strength built in the gym actually translates into moving well day to day.
True that; a number of years ago a strength coach & physical therapist wrote a great piece on the need to maintain mobility of those joints for optimal movement efficiency. Those joints are like a transmission - they help apply power generated by muscles.
Well said , Pete ( yes I have one of your books) as someone who started trading when I was 14 will be 73 in August on the 21st . I have followed the almost exact pattern you described for each decade with a few tweaks . Readers Pete is correct and the funny thing is the guys who taught me who were in their 30’s when I started said almost exactly what you just wrote . All of these new yahoos think they have discovered something new sorry to burst their bubble no they haven’t. I hear quite often at my gym I want to grow up and be like you , I say well quite be mirror and body part guy train movements . I have trained 3 days Total Body and 2 or 3 days of 40 min swims
Start with Mobility then Agility / Power movement/ strength and finish with a conditioning exercise Loaded carries/ Sledgehammer/ Sleds
Shib, thanks mate - and congrats, hopefully I can be in your shape when I hit my 70s. You’re right, this info is in the research literature, it’s up to use to learn how to apply it successfully.
More importantly, you’re right, this is NOT my “discovery,” it’s an application of the research & applying the same methodology as planning for athletic success.
Good coaches & smart practitioners have been doing this all along; the goal is to help spread the word.
At 69, I have similar training regimen and hope to continue for many more years: Mon-Wed-Fri swim 30-40 minutes, and Tues-Thur-Sat weight training, with at least 20 minutes focused on core.
Really interesting update on LTAD. I'm 69 and previously didn't explicitly say or even think that way before, but I do, as you (Peter McCall) say, "train like an athlete, not a body builder".
Thanks for reading; I know I’m not the only one with this approach- no doubt smart people like yourself have figured it out. As we age, we want overall fitness as opposed to aesthetics.
I like the emphasis on training for capability rather than appearance. Building movement skills, strength, and consistency over decades feels like a much more sustainable approach to healthy aging than chasing short-term fitness goals.
Kush, thanks mate! You’re so right, this is a long game, we need to approach exercise like athletes - train for performance, work capacity and resilience and everything else will fall into place.
I think of myself as an athlete, even if a very average one. Just trying to be the best version of myself
The foot-ankle, hip, thoracic spine call-out is the part I'd want to sit with longer. Those three joints tend to decide whether the strength built in the gym actually translates into moving well day to day.
True that; a number of years ago a strength coach & physical therapist wrote a great piece on the need to maintain mobility of those joints for optimal movement efficiency. Those joints are like a transmission - they help apply power generated by muscles.
Very helpful, thank you!
Thank you for taking the time to read it.
Well said , Pete ( yes I have one of your books) as someone who started trading when I was 14 will be 73 in August on the 21st . I have followed the almost exact pattern you described for each decade with a few tweaks . Readers Pete is correct and the funny thing is the guys who taught me who were in their 30’s when I started said almost exactly what you just wrote . All of these new yahoos think they have discovered something new sorry to burst their bubble no they haven’t. I hear quite often at my gym I want to grow up and be like you , I say well quite be mirror and body part guy train movements . I have trained 3 days Total Body and 2 or 3 days of 40 min swims
Start with Mobility then Agility / Power movement/ strength and finish with a conditioning exercise Loaded carries/ Sledgehammer/ Sleds
Keep it up Pete
Shib, thanks mate - and congrats, hopefully I can be in your shape when I hit my 70s. You’re right, this info is in the research literature, it’s up to use to learn how to apply it successfully.
More importantly, you’re right, this is NOT my “discovery,” it’s an application of the research & applying the same methodology as planning for athletic success.
Good coaches & smart practitioners have been doing this all along; the goal is to help spread the word.
At 69, I have similar training regimen and hope to continue for many more years: Mon-Wed-Fri swim 30-40 minutes, and Tues-Thur-Sat weight training, with at least 20 minutes focused on core.
Really interesting update on LTAD. I'm 69 and previously didn't explicitly say or even think that way before, but I do, as you (Peter McCall) say, "train like an athlete, not a body builder".
Thanks for reading; I know I’m not the only one with this approach- no doubt smart people like yourself have figured it out. As we age, we want overall fitness as opposed to aesthetics.