Does it do you harm to be too fit in older age?

I would say I’m still at nearly 50 close to as fit as I was at 20. I still weigh exactly the same (81kg), still do exactly the same training, Still have the same physique (alas not the same face).

But sometimes I look around the boxing gym and get a little concerned that I’m 20-30 years older than just about everyone else there.

My joints still feel ok. I get the odd ache now and again, but I always have after training, even at 20.

I was just wondering as this is a sporty sort of forum.. is there anyone else in a similar situation? anyone else worried that maybe they should be slowing it down a little?

So far personally, all I’ve ‘given up’ is sparring in the ring. Still do all the bag work, circuit training etc that I did at 20. Am I building up problems and should I really be giving up the intense stuff?

Probably not the best place to ask this question, but my answer to you would be keep going!

Its great that you are maintaining that level of fitness and from the sounds of it, you’re not doing anything that is detrimental to joints etc.

Personally, aged 51, I have had to swop running for cycling and cross training, due to knee deterioration, but I still push my body pretty hard and think that is a good thing.

(sadly not the same weight as I was at 20 though! :()

No specific answers but, I think it depends a lot on what sport area you hang around with. So nearly 50 would probably put you in the middle of the age range of a running club, but elder statesman in an athletics club.

The fact that you’re the oldest in the gym probably says more about how easily most people let it slide when they get a bit older than about whether you should be slowing down.

Keep at it, my old man turned 70 in september, keeps pretty fit and went to the World Veterans Fencing championships week before last to hit people with a sabre.

Im slightly embarrassed to say that he is probably fitter than I am…

I think the key is just to keep it up within the limits of what you body is cable of so you don’t injury yourself detrimentally.

63 apparently

This is interesting reading..

http://www.svl.ch/SportsAge.html

It seems that although the heart doesn’t beat as fast in your 50’s as it does in your 20’s, it can still pump as much blood per minute..

It’s just that the muscles can’t use that oxygenated blood as well anymore… because as we age, in general, we naturally slow down and we don’t use those muscles as much…

The answer seems to be keep doing what you’re doing! 😀

My mate is 48 he’s just done the double brutal iron triathalon and came second and in the summer did a mount ventoux challenge for charity and rode up and down the mountain twice up each of the three routes , so six up and downs in 18 hours.

He’s already looking at what’s next 😉

I am 48 and still have aspirations to be competitive in my age group (distance running V45)
I dont do the mileage that I used to do and the intensity of my sessions are lower however within my age group I know I can still perform well.

I dont see any reason not to continue trying to be competitive as long as it has no detrimental effect and you still enjoy it.

and save the brain

🙂

At 53 I’m still pretty fit if a tad heavier
The biggest change for me has been knee degradation meaning the running is now only 20% of what it once was.
I still get out on the bike quite a bit but I struggle with motivation in the Winter these days, we’re starting to go somewhere warmer for the Winter and the warmth certainly helps the joints and motivation.

I’ve trained with Bill Wallace – he’s 67, and still incredibly fit and fast. It’s never been more pleasurable to be roundhoused to the head 🙂

I’m two weeks off 58 and still plodding away, mainly mountain biking .I think it helps that its not load bearing thats there’s not the sort of long term damage to knees etc that runners get. One thing I notice on rides is that older riders won’t have the same explosive speed or sprinting ability due to slowing metabolism but that they will tend to keep going at a regular speed for longer times whereas younger riders will be wanting food.

damage to knees etc that runners get.

I think this is an often quoted myth. I have been a competitive runner (relative term!) for around 30 years so have had the fortune to train and be friends with a great number of runners from internationals to slower ones! I have never been aware of “degradation” or “wear” that people often attribute to long distance running. Lots of my friends go on to run competitively or recreationally until they decide to stop for whatever reason.
I cant think of any off the top of my head who cite running injuries as a reason to stop altogether.

I ran a 40.20m 10k a few years ago (37 at the time) which was 30 secs off my PB I’d set aged 30.
I was placed about 20th in the field and almost everyone ahead was older.

I suspect you can be as fit as you’re prepared to work for and that’s my plan until my body tells me otherwise

I think this is an often quoted myth

or more likely, an hereditary predisposition to joint issues in some people, exasperated by running etc?

I just know a lot of runners with knackered knees, maybe they were unlucky .Main point is that as long as you look after your body you can adapt and carry on

speed is exchanged for stamina as we age(on bikes anyway)

I’m now 58 and still pretty fit, if not fitter than I was at school. I ride both mtb and road, and although I can’t maintain a sudden burst of speed the way I used to be able to, my stamina is still there. I find running more of an issue than cycling. I also used to be able to lift a lot more than I can now, but I think that is because I am gigging less than I did and have just lost that specific fitness.

There is an old boy in our road club who can mix it up with the best. At 65 he is an animal.

I’ve just done the invited entries for our half marathon, predicted time of our V65 invite 1h25, V75 1h 50. Not too shabby. I’m not too rubbish as a fell runner but regularly get beaten by pensioners. Same in cyclocross.

Spanish climber Edu Marin has just done his first 8b+ age 60. Look it up, it’s a big number 🙂

I do orienteering (off-road running with navigation). At 42 I’m one of the youngsters in my club, plenty of over 50s (several of whom are faster than me, and I’m not a slouch), numerous over 60s and more than a few over 70s. All out there running around the woods. I don’t hear much in the way of major injury problems, if anything I seem to suffer with that more than the oldies do, but then I’m still coming to terms with not being able to train and race quite as hard as I once could.

47 here, and same weight/waist as I had at 25 – certainly fitter, but have to keep at it to maintain it.

And just tucking into a bacon and egg sarnie 😆

As we say, “as fit now as I’ll ever be”…

A mate of mine (who was 39 at the time) did London to Paris with her Dads roadie club a couple of years ago.
One of the guys in the club was turning 60, and said he’d buy the whole club dinner.. in Paris!
Oldest rider on the trip was 80, and apparently a total beast who rode the whole trip in the fastest group.
He also rocked up each morning with a banana and a bottle of water, and didn’t eat/drink anything else though out the day, as he said eating to much while riding gave him a stitch!

stop worrying your not old.

I’m 62 and do a 30 mile road cycle commute, then mtb at the weekend. Then there is is the g/f!

50 isn’t old for a cyclist – its not even old in terms of the demographic of this forum

One the elders of my village was still cycling and still doing serious, serious milage – 3000mile fortnights around scotland, 10s of 1000s of miles a year, well into his Eighties, and a difficult guy to keep in your sights on big hills too by all accounts.

In the end it was a strong heart that did for him – as in the heart was strong than the blood vessels in his head and he started to suffer from strokes.

I think this is an often quoted myth

or more likely, an hereditary predisposition to joint issues in some people, exasperated by running etc?

Bingo. I was at school with a National standard runner. He kept it up into his mid 20’s and had both hips replaced at 37 due to them being worn out.

There’s always a smoker who lives to 120 to justify the fact that smoking is harmless. The human body is a bit more complicated than handy soundbites can capture.

Dont understand the point you are making Scottchegg?

There’s always this chap who’s 56 http://unigeezer.com/ lot’s of youngsters like me wish they were just a fraction as good as him.

The point he’s making Surfer, is that whilst you have run without any knee issues, your neighbour doing exactly what you do, could have serious knee probs…..it’s not an exact science!

For the record I’ve always been a keen runner but also played a lot of sports. My Ortho surgeon said my knee was bone on bone so to avoid running. Of course I ignored him for a couple of years , but did find that when I gave it a miss for a while the pain cleared up. I finally gave it up and now am pain free.

Consider yourself fortunate….. It’s something I really miss!

I’m 56, got a RHR of 48, 32″ waist and intend to stay that way as long as I can. My inspiration is my mother who is 83 and still goes to the gym once a week, leads Ramblers’ walking groups and walks three tims a week on the Salisbury downs.

The only problem at my age is that if I stop exercising the waistline starts to feel a bit flabby and I lose fitness much faster than I used to.

Apparently you need to work on your calves to get the fast muscle reaction and strength to avoid tripping. So say New Scientist, at least.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-20026099

The answer seems to be keep doing what you’re doing

At 69, probably one of the really old farts on this site, but I still mountain bike 2-3 days a week, hike/walk 15 or so miles a week and lift weights 3 days a week.
As quoted above, keeping at it is key for me—-if I stop for too long I might not get started again.

All in all, as far as I read/heard/seen, there’s far more benefits to keeing fit in old age than not. Gosh? is that so?

My Dad, now 71, still rides his road bike regularly. A few weeks ago, he managed a 100miles across the Pennines, taking in all the steepest and scariest hills around our way. 😯

He’s now starting to ‘feel his knees’ more, and has a long term problem with frozen shoulder. He’s probably going to out live all of us.

your neighbour doing exactly what you do, could have serious knee probs…..it’s not an exact science!

I agree but the comment made was “the knee injuries that runners get” which I reacted to. Like saying the same for cyclists. Some will some wont.
As a long distance runner I dont like people to perpetuate the experience of a few and extrapolate. I have heard other people quote this as fact. As somebody above said people may have a predisposition to knee problems excacerbated by running which may have been excacerbated by almost any other activity, not caused by necessarily.

52 and still racing road, cross and MTB.
I do now notice a natural slowing down, however I do still feel I can improve.
I find I can train with 20 year old 2nd cats, but I can’t race them….quite.
I also feel that luck has something to do with it. My first road race was in 1975 and to date I’ve never had any problems with my body or health in general. My core is getting weaker, but I just need to address that.
Motivation isn’t an issue either. I race road with the LVRC, race XC in between road races and a full cross season over winter. I’ll ride at weekends and nights and more than happy to jump on the turbos three times a week.

My father in law is 75, he rides his bike every day and does a weekly 40 odd miler each way to Chester once a week. His idea of a holiday is riding all day every day for a week in the Welsh mountains.

He sees no need to take things easier and neither do I.

My father in law is 75, he rides his bike every day and does a weekly 40 odd miler each way to Chester once a week. His idea of a holiday is riding all day every day for a week in the Welsh mountains.

He sees no need to take things easier and neither do I.

That’s fantastic isn’t it…..bloody excellent! There’s an old boy who lives around me….must be at least 75 if not older, he wears a blue nylon tracksuit straight out of the 70’s (with the white stripe) and rides an old bone shaker with the original brakes….gives it max along the main roads. His rather modern helmet rather spoils the effect though!