Next, I promised to share my Flat Ass Fitness Rules. See this post for more context on Flat Ass Rules, with credit to General Jim Mattis, former Secretary of Defense.
- Have fun. Whatever you choose to do with your recreational and fitness time, have a good time!
- Set goals. Three 'p's': Have a plan, plan in pictures, and make it positive. We perform better when we have a picture of what we want to accomplish. For example, note my front-on iron set up above, compared to 60-year old Bernard Langer. Not bad at address. And below, I see my back-swing is not too far off. But, in the final comparison, note how I need to keep my head and body 'back' at impact, as opposed to 'sliding-through' the shot. With guidance from Jon Tattersall, I have several specific fitness movements and stretches to help my body learn the correct impact-position. I bet I see results soon!
- Be injury-free. Try your best to stay injury-free. Be aware of your body's limits and don't push past those. Think about how active you want to be late in life and make decisions based on those plans. Keep a positive self-image of the body you were given by God. A concept called the Centenarian Olympics comes to mind.
- Understand your body's planes of motion and work on all movements. The Gray Institute (The Leader in Functional Movement) is a great place to start. Or this link from T4TG - my favorite gym! Also, work on balance constantly and especially as you age.
- Foam roll. The rule is for every decade you are old, you should foam roll that many days per week. (Or so says Chris Braden, QB1 at T4TG.) That is 6 days a week for me, so I just do it every day, sometimes twice a day!
- Deep tissue massage. Use the foam roller and other devices (tennis ball, lacrosse ball, rolling stick) to break down fascia and tissue around your muscles. Focus on ankles, knees, hips, and back mobility. Healthy ankles, knees, hips and vertebrae will lead to a lifetime of health and fitness. You can double up on a lot of this while foam rolling. For example, while I roll out each vertebra, I often also use a tennis ball on my wrist, knees, and ankles. For an actual massage, Cathy and I are big fans of Dr. Alexia Rodriguez at Fortview Chiropractic.
- Eat super healthy. Learn the importance of intermittent fasting (i.e. a shorter daily feeding window.) Don't eat or drink before bedtime. Drink moderately. No alcohol before 6PM. Take at least two days a week to be alcohol-free. (Understand that over time alcohol adds up and does damage to the brain and the body. Also, know that it can be addictive so always think moderation.)
- Sleep. Know how much sleep you need. This is different for everyone. For me, it is 5 hours and 55 minutes minimum. Eight hours is best.
- Recover. Take recovery days, especially when feeling run-down or sick.
- Breathwork. Work on your breathing. Learn to breathe in, as easily as you breathe out. (A good time to do breathwork is while you are foam rolling. This time can also double as meditation and prayer time.)
- Have hobbies you enjoy and that keep you fit. In my 60 years, I've been in love with many types of sports and activities. (Baseball, basketball, soccer, tennis, running, road biking, swimming, triathlon, mountain biking, juggling, skiing, cross-country skiing, scuba, tennis, table tennis, yoga, and golf to name a few. My favorite sports involve a ball!)
- Gratitude - be grateful. Prime the body for success first thing (early) in the morning by taking time to be grateful. I like to write down what I am grateful for as soon as I wake up. I never take fitness for granted and I am especially thankful for our golf course and club (i.e. backyard) where I can enjoy so many activities. I never drive through those gates without feeling grateful and blessed.
