Ever do yoga?
I loved it. I have very fond memories of the classes I took.
My favorite instructor would hold us in a pose, like Downward Dog, for eternity and a day. At some point our muscles would be burning and our arms and legs shaking. We were all about to collapse.
At that moment he would calmly look up and say, “Now that you are suffering, find the part inside of you that is not.”
What? I’m about to fall down and he wants me to, like, meditate?
O.K. - I’m really good at following directions. So I look into myself and start searching, and searching, and searching.....
By damn, I find a part deep inside of me that is calm and peaceful. Totally indifferent to the pain in my body.
I couldn’t believe it. It was actually there.
As I continue to age, I’m noticing a similar experience. I can go into myself and feel a part of me that isn’t getting older. It isn’t aging at all. I’ll bet the farm you feel this way too.
This is one of the biggest eye-openers as we age. We’re not getting older on the inside. I still feel as young as I did in my twenties, which was a long time ago.
Time sprung a slow leak in our body, but it‘s not sinking our spirit.
This is the big secret younger people don’t know when they look at us.
I feel so much younger than my age, that seeing a recent picture of myself is a shock.
“Holy crap! I look that old?...... Really?”
For some reason looking in the mirror isn’t so bad. My mind warps what it sees into a younger version of myself.
I like that.
As years go on, the divide widens between how young our spirit feels and how our aging bodies perform. Many of us feel our physical age just by standing up from a chair.
Feeling the loss of strength and flexibility. The frustration of aches and pains. Narrowing our life down to only activities we can handle.
We get depressed. But does it need to be this way?
Nope. It doesn’t.
Our bodies can keep up with our spirit for decades longer than we’ve been led to believe.
This isn’t my pie in the sky idea. It’s been proven countless times. People in their 2nd 50 follow an intelligent strength/exercise program, and end up rock climbing, skiing and white water rafting into their 70s and 80s.
Don’t believe me?
Do yourself a huge favor and read the book “Younger Next Year.” By Chris Crowley and Henry S. Lodge MD. Especially pages 152-164.
My favorite book is, “The Barbell Prescription. Strength Training for Life After 40.” By Jonathon M. Sullivan MD and Andy Baker. This is my strength training bible.
These books are very funny and loaded with useful information. Read them, and I promise you will have a whole new outlook on what you’re capable of.
Getting stronger and living more? Closing the gap between how our spirits feel and our bodies perform? Having the freedom to run, climb, roll around on the grass laughing?
Sign me up!
Actually, I am signed up. I’ve been signed up for years.
Join me. Join us. Join a better life.
I’m not alone. And neither are you.
Get strong as hell,
Coach Ken