Train for the Life You Want: Strength as You Age

I don’t work out so that I can lift the most or have a particular body or because I should.

I work out so I can say yes to adventures. I want to keep fitness as I age.

A few years ago, I was in Hawaii and decided to hike Koko Head.

If you’ve never heard of it, Koko Head is an old railway trail with hundreds of steep, uneven “steps” straight up the side of a mountain.

It’s not exactly a casual walk.

But my sister wanted to hike it and I rarely say no to a hike.

And that’s really what I mean when I talk about training for the life you want.

When Your Body Starts to Feel Like It’s Working Against You

As we get older, it’s easy to start feeling like our bodies are working against us.

Maybe it’s a knee that bothers you. Or your back. Or your shoulder. Maybe you’ve had an injury or illness, or you’ve had to see the doctor more than you used to.

And sometimes it can start to feel like every new ache or setback is proof that you’re getting weaker, older, or less capable.

But I don't think that has to be the story.

Things happen. Bodies change. We get injured. We have periods when we need to back off and heal.

That doesn’t mean we stop.

Train for the Life You Want

You want to be able to feel confident to do something?

Train for that.

That might mean strength training. It might mean walking. It might mean working on your mobility or balance.

The goal isn’t to be able to do everything exactly the way we did when we were 20 or 30 or 40.

The goal is to keep building enough strength, mobility, balance and endurance that we can keep doing the things that matter to us.

For me, that means traveling. Hiking. Carrying my luggage where it needs to go. Getting outside to explore. Saying yes when someone suggests an adventure.

I want my fitness level to give me options, not take them away.

Modify, Heal, and Challenge Yourself Again

Sometimes we modify what we’re doing.

Maybe we lift less weight.

Maybe we take a shorter walk.

Maybe we change an exercise or take a little time off.

And then, when we’re ready, we start challenging ourselves again.

I think this is important because getting older doesn’t mean we have to stop challenging ourselves.

It means we may need to get better at listening to our bodies and adjusting what we’re doing.

There may be times when you need to back off.

There may be times when you need to heal.

And there may be times when you’re ready to challenge yourself again.

All of those things can be part of staying active.

Strength Gives You Options

I don’t work out because I need to have the perfect body.

I don’t need to be the fittest person in the room.

I work out so that when an opportunity comes along, I have a better chance of saying, “Yes. I can do that.”

That’s what strength, mobility, balance and endurance can give us.

Options.

The ability to travel.

The ability to hike.

The ability to carry our luggage.

The ability to get outside and explore.

The ability to keep doing the things we enjoy.

What Do You Want to Keep Doing?

So instead of asking yourself, “What workout should I be doing?” maybe start with a different question:

What do I want to keep doing?

Then train for that.

Maybe you want to travel.

Maybe you want to hike.

Maybe you want to play with your children or grandchildren.

Maybe you want to keep gardening, walking, cycling, skiing, dancing, or simply getting up and down from the floor with confidence.

Whatever it is, let that be part of the reason you train.

Because you’re not training just to be fit.

You’re training for the life you want to live in 5, 10, 20, 30 years.

What do you want to keep doing?

Start there.

FAQ

1. Why is strength training important as we get older?
Strength training can help you keep building the strength and capacity you need to continue doing the things that matter to you.

2. What should I do if an injury keeps me from exercising?
Modify what you’re doing. You may need to lift less weight, take a shorter walk, change an exercise or take some time off. Then, when you’re ready, start challenging yourself again.

3. How do I start training for the life I want?
Start by asking yourself, “What do I want to keep doing?” Then think about the strength, mobility, balance and endurance you need to keep doing those things.