We forget that sometimes, but the goal of working out should be more energy and physical well-being. I decided to take a break from logging my workouts this morning to encourage anyone who is working out to take stock of their workouts. It's not about being the best built, the strongest, the fastest etc. It is about feeling better and feeling better about yourself.

Over the years I've worked a lot a lot of different ways, but it always comes back to two things - deep breathing and tension/relaxation style exercise. It is not going to make you some cosmic superman or allow you to live past your allotted time on earth, but it gives you productivity and life while you are here.

Now working out with tension style exercise is hard because it requires a great deal of concentration, but developing that ability to concentrate is a plus as well. It is well worth the time invested because friends, the body and the joints aren't meant to last to eternity. They have a programmed life expectancy. The older you get, the more frail and succeptable to disease you become. We all age. Plastic surgery, mega doses of supplements, hormone therapy, extreme exercise programs etc. all take their toll on the body. The good news is that we can age in a way that preserves health as much as possible. Moderate eating, proper rest, and moderate exercise via tension/relaxation exercise can go a long way to putting that life into your years.

Doing Charles Atlas exercises with my granddaughter last summer. Age 56 for me - age 4 for her.