BY MIKE HARMS
In celebration of the Summer Olympics, here’s your challenge: List seven exercises or activities that you want to do for the rest of your life. I call this your, “Forever Heptathlon.”
Heptathletes like Anna Hall compete in seven events encompassing sprinting, jumping, and throwing. Let’s show some love to the Paris games, and to ourselves, by winning at longevity.
Here’s my Forever Heptathlon list:
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My age in push-ups. I do this every birthday. This year I’ll be 55, so I’ll “owe” 55 push-ups. As I get older, I might modify my push-ups by placing my hands on an elevated surface like a wall.
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10% of my age in miles. When I turn 55, I’ll run 5.5 miles. When I become an octogenarian, I’ll cover 8.0 miles in a run/walk.
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My age in pull-ups. Training for pull-ups strengthens the back, grip, and core muscles. Standing incline rows, using resistance straps, are similar but less demanding. A pull-up requires moving the entire body up and down, whereas with incline rows the feet stay planted.
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Lift and carry 30 lbs. of cat litter. That’s 15 lbs. of litter for each Chaos Kitten, my gym mascots. If travel is on your Forever Heptathlon list, try suitcase carries. Stand with a weighted object (like a suitcase or kettlebell) outside your right leg. Squat down and grasp the object. Brace your core and stand up. Walk slowly for one minute, then squat to place the object back down. Repeat on the other side.
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Climb hills and stairs. Every weekend, my wife and I go for long, hilly walks. It’s a tradition we’ll continue forever. Squats build strong quad and glute muscles, which are critical to walking, climbing, and getting up. Stand with feet about shoulder width apart. Keeping shoulders proud, sit back and slowly lower yourself into an imaginary chair. Once your thighs are parallel to the ground, pause, then slowly stand. To make the movement easier, perform a sit-to-stand, where you start seated in a chair.
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Perform Turkish Get-Ups (TGUs). To get up off the floor as we age, TGUs are great to practice now. The TGU is a series of interconnected movements that takes us from flat on our back to standing, while holding a weight overhead.
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Mow the lawn. I love working in my yard. If you prefer working on your golf swing, glute bridges can help. Lie flat on your back, feet on the floor, with knees bent. Brace your core, press feet into the ground, and press your hips up. Stop when your body forms a straight line from shoulders to knees, then squeeze your buttocks, hold for three seconds, and lower.
Find more “forever exercise” inspiration by reading about Peter Attia’s Centenarian Decathlon.
Now, Get Started
Once you’ve created your list, I encourage you to start the exercises right away. The more we practice in the present, the greater our success in the future. Good luck and stay strong!
Mike Harms owns a personal training studio in Edmonds, Wash. He is certified in training older adults. Learn more at http://www.mhfitness.com.
PHOTO CAPTION: Mike, 54, and Leo, 12, work on pull-ups training.