A couple weeks ago I had my first official family reunion. It was fun to get together with relatives from all around the country, many of which I had never met before. We shared pictures, stories, and anecdotes from years past. Five different generations from all around the country were represented just about every age range was there, starting with a six month-old niece all the way up to my grandmother who is starting into her eighties. The average onlooker who saw us enjoying ourselves amidst the various hamburger buns, empty chip bags, and half-full soda bottles would be quick to note that like most families, mine has never been much into fitness. In that regard, I am of a "different breed" of sorts. Needless to say, the conversation with various relatives often gravitated towards my work at the gym, and my recommendations for them regarding exercise. This whole experience got me thinking about exercise as we age, and how the focus of our exercise goals must change as we age.
My Niece Ariela (Age 6)
Kids and exercise is perhaps at the most complex crossroads in today's society as it has ever been. The nature of kids to play lends itself naturally to a very active lifestyle. Kids are movers; they like to be out running whether it's an impromptu game of tag or an organized sport. Naturally, kids don't need much coaxing in order to exercise, and the goal at that age should be that of increased body awareness and coordination. Unfortunately, we live in a culture in which kids would rather pick up a Wii controller than a baseball bat. The strongest emphasis in childhood is to develop good exercise habits by ensuring that there is a balance in their activity level. A good measure is at least an hour of outside play for every half hour of TV watching or Video games.
My Nephew Edgar (Age 17)
If there is one age category that doesn't need a lot of coaxing in regards to exercise is the teenage and adolescent years. This age group is so preoccupied with self image that they are likely to exercise and play sports in order to attract the opposite sex or stand out among their peers. At this age, both biological function and physical performance are at their peak. This is the best time to establish sound exercise habits. Making gym visits part of a daily routine, and learning how to make sound nutrition decisions will establish a solid fitness foundation that can continue into adulthood and middle age.
My Cousin Joe (Age 42)
This is the stage where physical activity usually wanes. As family activities increase and it becomes less important to impress others through physical appearance and performance, physical fitness tends to take a back-seat role. The natural biological tendency is for a person's strength to plateau at this stage. Unfortunately, as a more sedentary lifestyle develops, wasting of lean tissue and the accumulation of excess body fat becomes more predominant. Increases in cardiovascular training will help stop and ever reverse these tendencies. It will also reduce risk of chronic conditions which start to appear at this time such as diabetes and heart disease.
With mature adulthood, comes a decrease in hormonal levels for both men and women through natural decreases and menopause. This is a crucial time to focus on strengthening the legs and increasing flexibility in the lower back and hip joint, which tend to be the problem areas when we enter into old age.
My Grandma Perla (Age 82)
Growing old is often considered a taboo in our society. Nonetheless it is a reality that we will all continue to age. It is up to us how we get to enjoy our old age. Retirement often brings a small increase in physical activity, even so, this is a crucial time for seniors to become and remain active. It is often at this age that lack of mobility is onset by injuries or fractures as our bones tend to become less dense and our tendons and ligaments weaken. In order to counteract these effects of aging, a balanced fitness program for this age group should include resistance training as well as flexibility. A daily regime to work on overall strength and stretching will help maintain a wider range of motion that will help the older person safely enjoy their daily tasks.
Regardless of the age, one thing is for certain; we must all look at our current fitness program and asses where we want to be five, ten, or twenty years from now. As a person who is reading this article, you are probably among the fitness minded inidviduals in your family. Just like me, you too can play a role in helping not only yours, but your relative's wellbeing. Establishing healthy habits early on, and being smart about your fitness will help ensure many happy and healthy family reunions to come.
