There comes a point in life when many of us start telling ourselves we are too old to do certain things.
Too old to play sport. Too old to get stronger. Too old to try something new. Too old to set ourselves a big physical goal.
But in many cases, age isn’t the thing stopping us. It’s the limits we begin placing on ourselves.
Recently, returning to grassroots football in my 40s has been a great reminder of this. Our Over 35s team included dads, old teammates and friends who hadn’t played competitive football for years. Some genuinely thought their playing days were over.
Yet almost a year later, we’re still playing and have made it through to a Grand Final.
The football is only a small part of the story.
The bigger lesson is what can happen when we keep moving, stay connected and continue challenging ourselves as we age.
We Need to Stop Putting an Expiry Date on Ourselves
Getting older obviously changes our bodies. We may not recover as quickly as we did at 25. We might have a few more aches and pains, and we need to be smarter about how we train.
But getting older doesn’t mean we should stop challenging ourselves.
In fact, maintaining strength, fitness, mobility and balance becomes increasingly important as we age.
At Live Well, we see this every day.
People in their 50s, 60s, 70s, 80s and beyond can continue getting stronger and improving their physical capacity. The goal isn’t necessarily to train like you’re 25 again.
The goal is to build a body that allows you to keep doing the things you love for as long as possible.
That might mean playing sport. It might mean travelling, hiking, gardening, playing with the grandkids or simply being able to get off the floor easily.
Your reason doesn’t matter. Continuing to have a reason to move does.
The Power of Being Part of a Team
There’s another important element of healthy ageing that sometimes gets overlooked: community.
Being part of a team gives you something that exercising alone often doesn’t.
You have people expecting you to turn up.
You share wins and losses.
You encourage each other.
You have a laugh.
And importantly, you feel like you’re part of something.
This doesn’t have to mean joining a football team.
Your “team” could be your training group, walking group, golf club, running group, family, friends or even the people you regularly see when you train.
When you’re surrounded by people who are also trying to stay active and healthy, it becomes much easier to keep going yourself.
Don’t Stop Setting Goals
One of the biggest mistakes we can make as we get older is to stop setting physical goals.
Goals give us something to work towards.
It could be completing your first 5km walk, doing 10 push-ups, improving your balance, lifting a certain weight, returning to a sport you used to love or preparing for an overseas hiking holiday.
The goal doesn’t need to impress anyone else.
It just needs to mean something to you.
And sometimes the goals that initially seem impossible are the ones worth pursuing.
Train for Your Life, Not Your Age
Instead of asking, “What should someone my age be able to do?”, perhaps a better question is:
“What do I want to still be able to do 10, 20 or 30 years from now?”
Then start training for that life today.
Build strength so you can remain independent.
Maintain your fitness so you can keep exploring.
Work on your balance and mobility so you can move confidently.
Stay involved in communities that give you connection, accountability and purpose.
Most importantly, don’t automatically stop doing something simply because you’ve reached a certain birthday.
You might need to modify it. You might need to prepare better. You might need some coaching and support.
But that doesn’t mean you can’t do it.
Keep moving. Keep playing. Keep challenging yourself. Keep being part of something.
Because your age might tell us how many years you’ve lived.
It doesn’t have to tell you what you’re capable of next.
Related blog post:
- Why Progressing Your Workouts Is the Key to Getting Stronger After 50
- Healthy Ageing: How to Map Out the Final Decades of Your Life.
- What Really Happens When You Start a Training Program After 40
- 7 Longevity Training Secrets Every 40+ Sydneysider Should Know
- How to Stay Strong Past 75: The Live Well Guide to Healthy Aging
