“I want to be strong AND flexible at 100 years old.”
That may sound like a bold claim, but for anyone under the age of 50, I think it’s very possible and highly probable that we will live to be well past 100 years. So, how do you want to function when you’re that old? Do you want to be active and mobile or lying in a hospital bed waiting to die?
As for me, I want to be exploring the world and living a full life.
Here’s the thing though…
What Keeps Us From Being Strong AND Flexible At 100 Years Old?
As a society, we sit WAY too much! Working at our computer, watching TV, sitting in rush our traffic… The list goes on and on.
I personally think that standing in one position all day is just as bad. Jobs like factory assembly lines, cashiers, etc. are no better for you than sitting in one position. Even standing desks can contribute to the problem if you stand in one positions for long periods of time.
As we move less, limitations in mobility and motor control start creeping in over time. If you don’t use it, you lose it. It’s as simple as that.
Here are a few of the things I’ve noticed over the last few years. (I’m currently 48.)
- Mobility in my left shoulder – I have had multiple occurrences over the last few years where the pain got so bad I could not sleep! Traditional Physical Therapy nor Airrosti helped. I did find a free program that absolutely helped! More on that later…
- Tennis Elbow from too much computer time. Same videos that I’ll share later helped with this.
- Creaky knees WTF?!? I sound like creaky floorboards when I go up the stairs. This one is what lead me to take a more focused approach to training…
Is it just me or have you experienced similar issues?
I don’t buy into the “just getting old” excuse. I believe this happens because we move less as we get older and to remedy the issue, we need to move more. Not only do we need to move more, but we need to correct any issues that already exist by moving in specific ways.
The benefits of strength training to keep your body strong are well documented, but to be honest, I never stick weight training for more than a few months or so – It bores me silly! And, it does little to nothing for mobility and fine motor control!
Yoga is another great option. It’s great for strength and flexibility – not to mention peace of mind… But for me, it’s still not enough “movement.” Yeah sure, you can do “workout yoga,” but that completely misses the point of yoga IMHO.
I LOVE to run, but that only moves my body in a very limited and repetitive way. (I recently got back into running after 20+ years – I’m in heaven, but that’s another post entirely.)
I spent countless hours looking for something that creates strength and mobility in more of a martial arts or gymnastics sort of way. The kind of training that helps you gain more control over the way your body moves. I believe that this sort of training will be engaging to both body and mind. The “use it or lose it” principle applies to your mind as well!
Seriously, who doesn’t want to look like a gymnast or martial artist – amazingly tight without too much bulk… flexible and graceful… Just picture the way these people move. Don’t you wish you could move like that? I know I do!
After all those hours of research, I found one program that just may do everything I want.
The Only Strength And Mobility Program I Find Interesting
GMB Fitness. GMB has a gymnastics and animal flow focus (think playing with movement), though it’s much more than that.
Remember the videos I mentioned? Check out the GMB Unbreakable Series. I highly recommend it. The wrist and shoulder exercises resolved my elbow pain when traditional physical therapy did not.
These videos are what got me REALLY interested in true movement and mobility training.
I’ve decided to start with the GMB Elements Program that I can do at home. I’ve never seen such excellent instruction in a video course. Once, I’ve watched the videos, I know EXACTLY what I’m supposed to do and how I’m supposed to do it. LOL, making it look like they do on the videos? Well, let’s just say I’m still working on that.
Check out the GMB Elements Program and let me know your thoughts on it as well as your opinions on training, mobility, and living past 100.