A year or three back (it has been awhile) I was listening to Dan Patrick during my summer break. He stated something that I thought is indicative of many gentlemen, and gentlewomen in middle age. He share that (paraphrase): I just finished P90X. I have never been in better shape in my life. I have also never felt so bad.
And there is the trick. Finding a way to be fit, but doing it in a manner that does not keep us hobbled after we exercise. My internist and I have discussed this. My spine specialist has drawn the line in the exam room, no free weights or jogging, etc.
I have obviously found the Bullworker and Charles Atlas, as well as swimming. I intersperse these workouts on occassion with Airdyne rides.
I have discussed with my wife how all of the weights I lifted in my early adulthood and early middle age did nothing more than pound my body without lasting results in the fitness department. I think the 60+ year old I know who runs 1/2 marathons is an outlier.
What do you all think?
The bottom line is that we become more and more fragile as we age. That is just a fact of human physiology. I am in good physical condition, but there are many things I cannot and should not do anymore. The body doesn't recover as well, and is not as resilient as it was in our younger years. We can stave off the aging process with exercise, but we have to be more careful in how we exercise.