I learned a several years ago that playing team sports wouldn't last forever. If I wanted to get in shape and stay there, I had to find other fitness activities.
I grew up playing softball, touch football and basketball in the streets, parks and backyards of my neighborhood on Chicago's South Side. I could do this all day, every day without any residual effects. I never felt much need to warm up or stretch. I was never concerned about wearing the right shoes or clothing. I just went out there and started playing. A good night's sleep and I was ready to go again the next day.
Once I got into my 30's, I was still playing team sports, but only a couple of times a week. I no longer had the time or the energy to do this every day. The risk of getting hurt was increasing and it became more difficult to find enough people my age playing team sports.
It was a this point that I realized I needed to find some other form of exercise to keep me in shape. What I also realized is that I really wasn't in shape. Yes, I could play basketball for a couple of hours, no sweat. I had always been a fast runner and was never overweight. But I had never done anything to strengthen and tone my body. Whatever muscle tone I had, had come naturally.
So at first I turned to running to get in shape. I had always liked running and I could do this whenever I could fit it in to my now busy schedule. I read a couple of books on the subject, bought the proper shoes and clothing and off I went. I signed up for a few 5K races to give me motivation to get better, stronger. After several years, I had greatly improved my endurance and strengthened my lower body.
But I needed to work on the rest of my body. I needed to get into a health club where I could use machines and weights, exercises to vary my workouts. Running was still part of my routine, but the pounding on the pavement 5 or 6 times a week was taking a toll on my knees.
So I have been visiting a health club a couple of times a week and running a couple of times a week.
Now in the last few months, I've found something else that I can do at home that will give me a great workout: hitting the heavy bag. I purchased a heavy punching bag, a pair of boxing gloves and hand wraps. As Muhammad Ali used to say, I'm starting to "float like butterfly, sting like a bee." I'm getting a great cardio workout, improving my hand-eye coordination and my balance. I've still got a long way to go, but I'm having lots of fun.
The bottom line is, you are never too old to get in shape of stay in shape. Find something you like and stick with it. Yes, there will be a little pain and sacrifice, but the gain will be worth it.
I grew up playing softball, touch football and basketball in the streets, parks and backyards of my neighborhood on Chicago's South Side. I could do this all day, every day without any residual effects. I never felt much need to warm up or stretch. I was never concerned about wearing the right shoes or clothing. I just went out there and started playing. A good night's sleep and I was ready to go again the next day.
Once I got into my 30's, I was still playing team sports, but only a couple of times a week. I no longer had the time or the energy to do this every day. The risk of getting hurt was increasing and it became more difficult to find enough people my age playing team sports.
It was a this point that I realized I needed to find some other form of exercise to keep me in shape. What I also realized is that I really wasn't in shape. Yes, I could play basketball for a couple of hours, no sweat. I had always been a fast runner and was never overweight. But I had never done anything to strengthen and tone my body. Whatever muscle tone I had, had come naturally.
So at first I turned to running to get in shape. I had always liked running and I could do this whenever I could fit it in to my now busy schedule. I read a couple of books on the subject, bought the proper shoes and clothing and off I went. I signed up for a few 5K races to give me motivation to get better, stronger. After several years, I had greatly improved my endurance and strengthened my lower body.
But I needed to work on the rest of my body. I needed to get into a health club where I could use machines and weights, exercises to vary my workouts. Running was still part of my routine, but the pounding on the pavement 5 or 6 times a week was taking a toll on my knees.
So I have been visiting a health club a couple of times a week and running a couple of times a week.
Now in the last few months, I've found something else that I can do at home that will give me a great workout: hitting the heavy bag. I purchased a heavy punching bag, a pair of boxing gloves and hand wraps. As Muhammad Ali used to say, I'm starting to "float like butterfly, sting like a bee." I'm getting a great cardio workout, improving my hand-eye coordination and my balance. I've still got a long way to go, but I'm having lots of fun.
The bottom line is, you are never too old to get in shape of stay in shape. Find something you like and stick with it. Yes, there will be a little pain and sacrifice, but the gain will be worth it.
