Fitness For Retirement

by Wendell Cayton

Life is backwards! It seems ironic to me that when we have all the energy and time in the world to travel and recreate, we are too young and lack the money. When we are older with time and money, we lack the physical capabilities to enjoy those pursuits. Maybe the three-legged stool of retirement…Social Security, Pension, and Savings…needs different legs—how about Material, Physical and Mental?

Last week, I was skiing at Alta, Utah, with my family. Halfway up the mountain we stopped for a quick lunch at Alf’s Restaurant, where we happened upon a birthday celebration for a local celebrity, Al Kessler. It was his 90th birthday! We learned from his skiing friends…most of them in their 80s…that he still skied the “hard stuff” and that if you didn’t move fast he would leave you behind.

Earlier in the week there had been a national championship race for amateur skiers at nearby Park City, Utah. A crowd favorite, Edwin McKay from Montana, won his age category—90 and above! Seems Mr. McKay wanted to get in a couple of days of practice before the big race but he couldn’t find anyone to accompany him from Montana, so he made the drive by himself…all nine hours!

I am intrigued by stories such as these. I believe we focus too much on the material side of retirement planning when, in fact, improving the physical and mental side of the equation can do more to enhance the quality of retirement living.

Dr. Barry Canty, a local Doctor of Chiropractic medicine, told me of a study done not long ago covering a group of seniors, aged 75-92. In a mere four weeks of light weight training, the group averaged a 20% increase in the amount of weight each could lift.

According to Dr. Canty, our bodies gain bone and muscle mass up to age 40. After age 40, bone and muscle mass begin to diminish and fat content increases, unless we do something to alter the process. Resistance and cardiovascular activities work to reverse this process by strengthening and building bone and muscle mass.

Digging a little deeper, I found many websites devoted to senior physical fitness. The American Senior Fitness Association maintains a website that contains numerous nuggets of information on fitness and nutrition. An article by Wayne Westcott, Ph.D., caught my eye.

Westcott is an author of several books on senior fitness, including a new release titled “Building Strength and Stamina with Strength Training Past 50.” He relates on the website the story of his father, who at 82 was dangerously thin and weak before he began a Nautilus regime. Within a few years he had gained 26 pounds and 2% body fat, and was amazing people with his strength and endurance. Today, at more than 90 years of age, his father manages his large house, while enjoying his daily walks and a much higher quality of life.

Dr. Westcott points out that a sensible and successful strength training program is not an energy-sapping or time-consuming ordeal. Basically, only 20 to 30 minutes, two or three days a week is all that is required to develop relatively high levels of musculoskeletal fitness.

As for me, I have already picked the site for my 90th birthday celebration—High Rustler at Alta. Bring the cake and your deep powder skis and we’ll enjoy some of the best skiing in the world!