How does fitness change over our lifespan?

The teen years…

It’s best to avoid heavy weightlifting until you’ve finished growing taller, as it can cause growth plates to seal up, however this is a great time to introduce fundamental movement patterns and clean up asymmetries in range of motion and imbalances of strength.  Your body recovers super quickly, so you can get away with many mistakes (I used to train every set to failure in my late teens!).  It’s great to have an experienced eye on you to check your form because your kinesthetic awareness is often not great.

The 20’s…

Ahhh, the 20’s.  When I was in my early 20’s, I would go to the gym and do a super-intense leg day for 2-2.5 hrs, then play basketball at the park for 2 hrs, then go work a 9-hr shift at the gym I worked at.  I realize this is an unusual amount of demand to put on one’s body, but my recovery was so good (mind you, I didn’t do anything like foam rolling at the time) I could get away with it.  Take advantage if you’re at this age: this is a great time to be building up your capacity to do work.  Get stronger, gain endurance, challenge your limits and your body will fix almost anything for you very quickly, should you get a muscle strain or a sprained ankle playing basketball.

The 30’s…

Many people experience declines in health during their 30’s, but this is usually lifestyle related.  We get into demanding careers or start families and we let our fitness slide down the priority list.  Naturally, it shouldn’t be at the top of the list, but it should be on there somewhere.  It’s harder to create a good health/fitness habit in your 40’s than in your 30’s.  However, if you can maintain a good habit you created before your 30’s, your strength and endurance, and physical ability can persist–and even progress–into this decade.  Many professional athletes enjoy career-best seasons during their early 30’s–experience collides with ability and the results are at their peak.  If you’re just starting your exercise journey during your 30’s, it’s often due to some new pain popping up or a doctor warning you that your blood pressure is high–start slowly, be consistent, clean up asymmetry and imbalance and set a good foundation for the rest of your life.

The 40’s…

When I was 38, I was training a bad-ass client who was 43.  As we were working through his back squats one day, we were discussing trying to maintain performance in your 40’s and he turned to me and said: “Aaron, 43 is different from 38.”  At the time, I didn’t know how right he was.  Now, with 43 in the rearview mirror, I can tell you he was right.  How?  Recovery takes longer, your body’s tolerance for movement errors shrinks, there are more days that your body won’t tolerate a 100% effort without pain, and your (bad) habits catch up with you (for example, you stay up too late and your body wakes up at the usual time even though you could benefit from an additional hour of sleep).  

*Disclaimer: my observations from here forward are 3rd party: I’ve observed how clients in their 50’s move and how their bodies respond, but I haven’t experienced it yet myself.

The 50’s…

You can still do incredible things, physically, in your 50’s.  As a 20-something, I remember several times being passed by a fellow triathlete who was in their 50’s (they write your age on your calf so you can easily tell how old those around you are)!  All the same things I mentioned for 40’s apply here, but to a greater degree: recovery taking longer, your body’s tolerance for movement errors being less, more days your body won’t tolerate a 100% effort without pain, sleep being lower quality… 

At this age, you should be doing weight-bearing exercise to avoid maladies like osteoporosis in the future.  If you’re just starting out, again, go slowly at first, have an experienced eye give you feedback, clean up asymmetries and imbalances, keep your cardiovascular system healthy–incorporate low-impact, aerobic exercises as needed to take pressure off joints–and make it a lifelong habit so your remaining years are full of quality living, not just deteriorating while you wait for the end. 

The 60’s…

Still capable of great things: one client of mine rides her bike hundreds of miles per week as a 60-something. All the same things I mentioned for your 50’s apply here as well, but to a still-greater degree: slower recovery, less tolerance for movement errors, more days you can’t train hard, lower sleep quality… don’t be discouraged.  You just do the best you can on any given day–consistency is king. But listen to your body: if you’re getting knee pain on your squats, but you’re supposed to do one more heavy set, regress the movement, or skip it this week.  Live to lift another day!  At this age, your nervous system is starting to decline leaving you more vulnerable to falling; incorporate more single-leg balancing, ankle dorsiflexion and plantarflexion training, and weighted carries for skeletal health.  Lastly, current research is showing that doing simultaneous movement with mental challenges can slow the decline of cognitive functions.

The 70’s, 80’s and 90’s…

Not a lot of difference from the 60’s, we just see a continued increase in the challenges: slower recovery, less tolerance for movement errors, more days you can’t train hard, lower sleep quality.  Again, do what you can, when you can.  If your low back hurts one day, maybe you can swim instead of lifting weights?  If your knee hurts one day, maybe you get on a stationary bike instead of playing pickleball?  Do what you can, when you can.  Consistency is king.