Aging is an inevitable part of life. However, it can affect an athlete much more than the average person. While most people live a relatively normal active lifestyle, athletes are used to pushing themselves harder and faster than most to achieve better results in their sport. This kind of dedication can backfire when a person’s body is aging. Here are a few tips to keep healthy as you get older.
Tip 1: Accept the Changes
Changes in the body is a natural part of the aging process. Even athletes succumb to the pull of time, and everyone’s bodies undergo similar types of alterations. The nervous system becomes less sensitive, and balance becomes more of an issue. As people age, they also have a decrease in the maximum amount of air they can exhale after a maximum inhalation, which can affect breathing patterns. Heart rates decrease, and there is a much slower return to a resting heart rate after exercise. People can also experience hearing loss, vision problems, and decreased bone and muscle strength. On top of that, flexibility can decrease. No one wants to hear about these kinds of changes, least of all athletes who depend on their body’s peak performance to do their jobs. However, accepting that your body is shifting its capabilities means you’re able to maximize your performance as much as possible without damaging yourself.
Tip 2: Intensify Your Workout
Just because you’ve accepted your body’s changes, it doesn’t mean you have nothing to gain from pushing yourself to your new limits. Any fitness regimen includes frequency, duration, and intensity. As an athlete, however, you need to avoid doing long, slow exercises, and instead, focus on activities with an emphasis on muscular endurance. Additionally, anaerobic endurance and power should be a focus. Doing higher intensity workouts over a shorter duration for 2 to 3 times a week can help stimulate testosterone release, which can contribute to maintaining muscle mass.
Tip 3: Increase Resistance
Resistance training involves lifting weights and performing body-weight resisting exercises, such as pushups and squats. By putting bones and muscles under this kind of stress, it can help promote bone and muscle health. These types of exercises also help keep bone density at a good level and help support muscle growth.
Tip 4: Take Care of Yourself
Getting a good night’s sleep and keeping a proper nutritional diet have been directly linked to an athlete’s ability to recover from exercise. Sleep allows people to regenerate from the breakdown caused by the increased intensity of an exercise regime. It has also been linked to increased testosterone levels, a promoter of muscle growth. Additionally, good nutrition provides essential nutrients. Macronutrients and micronutrients are vital for energy and for muscle and bone growth. They also help repair tissues after a hard workout.
Tip 5: Drink Lots of Water
Our bodies are made up of 60% water. We require it for nearly everything we do, including regulating temperature, digesting food, absorbing nutrients, and excreting waste. Even younger athletes need to ensure drinking plenty of water before, during, and after any exercise. Physical activities can impact fluid loss, and research has shown that even 1% of fluid loss makes the heart beat slightly faster per minute. As an older individual, this kind of heart strain could be dangerous.
If you’ve been injured performing sports or working out, let our experienced Aberdeen physical therapists help. ProFysio is one of the leading physical rehabilitation practices in Monmouth County. Let us see how we can assist you with your recovery. Our practice features a team of highly trained doctors of physical therapy. They are also the only Fellowship Trained Orthopedic Manual Physical Therapists in the county. Talk to us by calling (732) 333-6360 and scheduling an appointment today.