My Dad’s videos went viral twice last week on Instagram. This tells me two things: either people are looking for aging inspiration, or they find him super cute!
Those videos?
One was about his philosophy on how he stays thin, and the other?
Mobility and balance.
He built 3 decks for us in 5 days over the Labor Day weekend holiday last week.
Was he tired? Heck yes.
Did he complain about how he would have finished all 3 in a day in his youth? You bet.
But how many 90-year-olds are running circles around their 48-year-old kids?
5 years ago, I thought I was going to lose him, and now I’m impressed by him every day.
The aortic stenosis the docs thought he needed a valve replacement for this summer?
They would be shocked.
I’m still in awe of him and embarrassed that he is able to move boards into place to nail them perfectly while I fumble around trying to get the boards flush together and not hit my fingers with the hammer.
Watching him crawl under and step over the joists for the deck with the fluid motion of a guy who’s using muscle memory from decades of doing this work was awesome.
Meanwhile, I looked all robotic and awkward, tripping over myself multiple times.
Proof muscle memory truly does exist.
And keeping up with your hobbies helps.
My Dad doesn’t go to the gym. He figures the last time he was in a gym was when he was doing gymnastics at 15 years old.
Instead, he works on cars, tends to his garden in the summer, and does odd construction and remodeling jobs for friends and family.
He’s always doing something, and if he’s not, he will tell you how bored he is.
As I watch him age, I’m learning a lot, and it’s not what the conventional fitness space tells us.
I’ve seen many of my favorite fit weightlifting folks die early of cardiovascular disease and watched ex-pro football player patients of mine hobble around, spending most of their days in chronic pain in the La-Z-Boy.
Yet, the fitness noise out there is: lift weights, lift heavy, eat tons of protein.
What if it’s not all it’s cracked up to be?
My Dad has never counted his macros, and I could never get him to eat enough protein.
His health did decline when he was drinking a lot of Miller Lite for lunch while pounding Snickers bars for breakfast and dinner before I moved home.
I do think nutrition matters. I believe it’s individual and something you have to experiment with to find your personal sweet spot.
Weightlifting, I love it. Yet, I’ll be honest, if you’re doing it without mobility, balance, and agility work, you’re missing out on key aspects of movement crucial for longevity.
I lost a lot of mobility over the years due to my disc herniation injury, and that sucks.
The good news is, I’m getting it back by focusing more on mobility, balance, and agility over heavy weights.
I barely use a barbell these days.
I’m tired of listening to younger folks tell me about what’s best for longevity. I’d rather observe those who are really doing it and share what I learn.
Watching my Dad and some of the fit farmers here in Wisconsin who are over 80, I realize your hobbies may have something to do with living well and staying mobile for longer.
So, how’s your mobility, balance, and agility?
Can you balance on one leg for more than 30 seconds?
What about hopping from one foot to the other? Can you do it?
Can you bend over without pain or squat, touch the ground, and come back up easily?
If you had to get under a low-hanging branch on a hiking trail to continue your hike, could you do it without pain and with ease?
I’d rather focus on these things instead of my max weight when it comes to lifting these days.
What can you do to help improve your mobility, balance, and agility?
Here’s to training for a long and mobile life,
Dr. J
