Top Quotes and Insider Fitness Trends for Boomers-2016

Fitness Trends for Boomers

Is it time to make your workouts even better, beloved baby boomers? Then get your insider insights right here. Step right up. Literally.

Who likes to be out in front? And I’m not talking cleavage or bellies here. If you’re ready to take advantage of the latest findings in the fitness world, then hang onto your stretchy legging waistbands.  Let’s zip together through some of the key highlights, workout tips, and quotes from the recent IDEA World Fitness Convention.

Take on some of these takeaways to enter the next year even more prepared to redefine active aging for our generation and the generations to come.

Reports from the IDEA World Fitness Convention

Alexandra and I just returned from this primary industry event for fitness professionals from around the world. In her capacity as a roving editor for IDEA, Alexandra attended a range of sessions. (See her reports here: 5 Trends from the IDEA Fitness Convention and Diversity and Collaboration Mark Key Themes). I had the honor to be both a presenter and attendee, with my keen eyes focused on sessions specifically for the over fifty crowd. (Add these other key midlife workout themes to your life and really soar).

Let’s jump to the head of class with a romp through some trends from the industry’s leaders.

Top Two Medical Conditions Adults Over 50 Have

From “Functional Power Training for Older Adults” led by Cody Sipe, PhD

Alexandra was inspired to whack Kymberly with her cane. No wonder we both have osteoarthritis.

Cody’s opening statement motivated me (as an over 50 personage myself): “Exercise has the ability to change older adults’ aging trajectory.” Knew it, but can always use the kick in the formerly tight, toned tushie of mine. Raise your hand if you want to disrupt your aging trajectory.

What do we need to add to our workouts? First, Cody asked us if we knew the two main conditions experienced by older adults? Turns out the top two are hypertension and osteoarthritis.  Oh yeah, I hear you Cody My Man. (Say I with the knee arthritis and sister who just had total knee replacement). Ok, so we have to account for these conditions while working to prevent them from limiting our lives. 

Next he posed the question: “Without training specifically to prevent it, which function do we lose with age more than muscular strength and muscle mass?” The answer surprised me as I know the (not so happy) stats on muscles loss in our aging population. You ready for it? Power, defined as the ability to move a load quickly. In addition to training for strength, we midlifers also need to focus on velocity and force of movement. In other words, it’s time to increase speed of motion while reducing the load when we consider a total resistance training right for our bodies. According to Cody, we’re past time if we pass our prime without power (Uh, I made up that exact wording as I kinda like how it encapsulates Cody’s point).

How Do Strength and Power Affect Your Daily Life?

Let’s put this into practical application and context of our daily activities:

• Strength allows us to carry groceries; Power allows us to prevent falls.
• Strength helps us pick up grandkids; Power kicks in when we grab our grandkids out of danger’s way.
• Strength gets our luggage up and into the overhead bin; Power serves us to transport that luggage from A to B. If you’ve ever traveled to China, let me say that A to B at their train stations includes only stairs — no ramps, elevators, escalators, or handy porters. Yes, this is personal experience talking. Our mom took Alexandra and me to China and Tibet a decade ago. She needed help with her luggage, which gave us lots of opportunity to develop our power as mom does not pack lightly and the A to B connections in China seem about a continent apart. Pant pant sweat sweat. I did my power training for a decade on that journey!

What’s the workout takeaway here? You finally get the official clearance to lift light weights — as long as you add speed to those moves! Therefore, it’s time to do some lifts, jumps, and throws my midlife buddies if you want to retain power and change your aging trajectory!

You Can’t Really Stay in One Place: You’re Either Going Forwards or Backwards

Going forwards, backwards, and upwards.

Using Function to Avoid Dysfunction, presented by Mark Kelly, PhD, CSCS

Mark is the living example of how lean, fit, funny, energetic, and functional an over 50 year old can be.  I was so busy taking notes that I took no picture of him. However, take my word for it that he turned his aging trajectory around big time!

Not only was his session loaded with great moves to improve function, but also he had some great quotes relative to movement that you may also enjoy.

• “Not going forwards is going backwards.”
• “Not going backwards is going forwards.”
• “If functional ability measures aging, and exercise increases functional ability, then exercise counters aging.” I know, I know — you already knew that, especially if you’ve been reading our blog for any time. But Mark puts the case so succinctly and it’s a good reminder.

If you want to try out some of the clever, fun, brain and body smart moves Mark introduced, then join my group fitness classes in Santa Barbara. Come on Fridays when I try out the good stuff on my fit-tastic and amazing class participants. They’re the ones saying “warn us next time you go to the IDEA Convention.”

Live Long: Die Short

Try these trends to be MORE fit!

Let’s leave Mark’s session with the question he opened with:

“Are we living longer or simply dying slower?”  

In a separate post, you’ll get the the direct pipeline to more happiness, less stress, and a more self-loving you, courtesy of award-winning presenter, Petra Kolber.  Her session “Heavily Meditated and Highly Motivated” had a lot of quick, easy, powerful meditations I am eager to share with you.   Meditation is a HUGE option and one of the biggest fitness trends for boomers as more research comes out about its benefits. For now, let’s take our leave with a reminder from Petra that I hope will have you adding power to your active life:

• “Don’t exchange what you want most for what you want at the moment.”

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