We all assumed it was true, but now we have the science to back it up: Recent studies show that lifelong exercise yields sensational results!
An article from Science Daily details how active senior skiers in Sweden were shown to have twice the oxygen-uptake capacity of seniors who do not exercise. This was demonstrated in new research at Mid Sweden University.
“The findings show that humans have a great potential to maintain a high level of physical work capacity and thereby better quality of life even at advanced ages,” says Per Tesch, professor of sports science.
A year ago, Mid Sweden University and the Karolinska Institute launched a study of seniors who are still active skiers. The study attracted a great deal of attention in the media in connection with testing and experiments in Östersund. Some of Sweden’s skiing icons, now more than 90 years old, took part.
Now the results of the study are being presented. They show that the maximum capacity for oxygen uptake is twice as great among active senior men compared with men who do not exercise. The results for the active seniors are comparable to values for men who are 40-50 years younger but do not exercise to improve their stamina. Analyses of muscle samples at the molecular and cell level reveal a profile similar to what is found in younger men.
“The high values for maximum oxygen-uptake capacity that we have measured have never been reported before in a population of men of advanced age,” says Per Tesch.
The findings from the study will be presented at the American College of Sports Medicine: Integrative Physiology of Exercise in Miami Beach.
The study is part of a larger collaborative project co-directed by physiologist Per Tesch, professor of sports science at Mid Sweden University and Scott Trappe, professor of sports physiology at Ball State University in Muncie, Indiana. The ultimate purpose of the project is to study how musculature, the circulatory apparatus, and performance are affected by lifelong exercising well into senior years.
Personally, I think that if skiing can have that positive of an effect on a senior citizen’s fitness capacity, just think what something like CrossFit can potentially do to keep your body healthy and fit as you age! Can’t wait to see more, broader research on this topic in the future.
Today’s Workout
Buy-in: 400m run, 3 rounds of: 1 length of gym frog hops (squat to jump to soft landing), 7 knees to elbows, 7 pushups
Technical WOD: Misc Exercises
Sooner or later, these exercises pop up and might haunt your WOD experience. The only way to get better at them is to practice, and practice regularly. Today is the day you get to do some targeted practice to bring these movements up to par.
1. Double Unders.
- If you have your doubles down, see below. If you don’t, follow this progression:
- 30 singles continuous, rest x 2
- 10 singles, 1 double attempt x 4 (whip the WRISTS to make the rope go faster)
- 5 singles, 1 double x 4
- Attempt alternating single and double skips for five minutes OR try linking doubles together
- If you have your doubles, do 5 x 30 continuous reps, sets of 30 must be unbroken
2. Rowing
- Focus on two points – 1. Push the hands away and lean the torso forward from the finish to get the handle clear of the knees before they start to bend significantly. 2. Work on driving the handle (not the seat!) with the legs from the start of the stroke (i.e. if the seat moves an inch, the handle moves an inch – they MUST be connected).
- 1 minute at 22 strokes per minute, rest 30s
- 1 minute at 26 strokes per minute, rest 30s
- 1 minute at 30 strokes per minute, rest 30s
- 1 minute at 28 strokes per minute, rest 30s
- 1 minute at 24 strokes per minute, rest 30s
- see if you can hold the same pace at each stroke count (should be about 80% effort)
3. Ring Dips
- 5 sets of 6, using enough assistance so that the movement is smooth and controlled for all 6 reps in each set
Cash-out: Coaches’ choice mobility
