Age is Meaningless, Part 8

This one speaks for itself: At 41, Dara Torres is going to the Olympics, again.

I've written in the past about her training, and the Times recently wrote again about it and her quest.

One Key for Success -- A Plan

I see so many people come into the gym and just wander from one piece of equipment to another, clearly with no plan in place for their workout. A little bit of this, some of that, and oh, that looks worthwhile.

The problem with this approach is that you never really progress. Sure, you might keep yourself in OK shape but even that is questionable.

But if you craft a plan -- there are plenty of good places to find them -- you'll make sure your entire body gets a workout. This in turn will ensure your body doesn't become unbalance, which can lead to injuries. A plan also allows you to chart your progress, which can be awfully satisfying.

Listen to Your Body, Part 2

Well, it worked -- I hit the gym tonight after walking away Sunday when I had nothing left and tonight I felt good. My strength was back and I felt mentally much more into it. So let's call this one a lesson learned.

Listen to Your Body

As I dressed to go to the gym today, I knew it. As I walked to the gym, I knew it. And on my second set of hang cleans, my first exercise for the day after warm-ups, I really knew it. I knew I had nothing left.

I surfed for three and a half hours yesterday, and it wasn't one of those days where you spent a lot of time waiting for the next wave. You caught one, paddled back out and quickly caught another. Or you were padding to stay in position. In other words, I was almost constantly moving.

That's not a huge amount of surfing (I once did seven hours in Costa Rica) but it felt like a lot given the fact that I hadn't surfed in about a month.

So today, I could feel the effects all over. But I still went to the gym. Why? I love going to the gym and I love how it makes me feel.

Yet I should've listened to my body. We all need recovery time, especially as we get older. I've know that but sometimes I'm still a little hardheaded when it comes to fitness, which of course can lead to injuries.

So after not finishing that second set of hang cleans, I stupidly tried another. It went nowhere and I finally did the smart thing. I went home, to rest.

Interesting Exercises

The other day at the gym a guy I've talked to before said to me, "You do some interesting exercises." Now, I think I do fairly basic exercises. Things like front squats, hang cleans and pull-ups.

On this occasion, I was doing something I hadn't done before, the jackknife push-up. But even that move is hardly exotic.

His statement made me wonder whether many of the basics, many of the moves I use, have simply gotten lost in many gyms amid all the isolation moves likes curls that are more suited to bodybuilders and the silly exercises trainers push like squats on a Bosu ball.

In other words, have the basics become "interesting" again?

Try Something Different

If you've ever wondered whether cross-training works, check out this video featuring Steve Nash. Sure, it's a Nike commercial but I was fascinated by the idea that he uses soccer to tune up his basketball skills. And sure, I love the fact that he skateboards, since I do that too.

Age is Meaningless, Part 7

The examples just keep coming in of what we can do as we age. The latest: a 70 year old who plans to swim the English Channel. My friend Katie Hobson writes about him over at U.S. News.

Here's one great quote: "A lot of people my age are couch potatoes and don't believe they can get back to a youthful physical state. But the body doesn't really lose its ability in endurance sports as much as we allow it to lose its ability. I want to promote that people of my age can do better than what they're doing."