Competing with 20 year Olds at 35 Years Old
At age 18-23 I was in very good condition. I played all the high school sports at a very high level and went on to play college sports as well. I was able to control the field or the court and was generally in control off the field as well. I thought those days were behind me, I was wrong!
A typical sports practice will prove to many how important being in shape really is. The practice schedules are designed to keep players moving around the field and working at a high level during the practice and then at the end they use a “conditioning period” to focus strictly on getting the players into shape. It is a really good idea from a coaching stand point because you want the most out of your players during the games.
Weight programs and jump training were very common forms of pre-season training in the sport I played. On field drills designed to help us athletically with team building drills were all common place. This was all designed to get us in to shape both physically and mentally, and I was ready to play that is for sure and in very good shape as a result.
Fast forward 15 years or so and you would think I lost my edge for one reason or another. Well I am here to tell you that you can have that edge and maybe be even better at a given sport than your younger competitor. You have the knowledge of the game and if you are lucky you have the fitness knowledge that most younger people lack. You can run circles around some of those guys simply because you train smarter than they do.
The first smart workout I learned dealt with intensity in my workouts. The level of intensity you bring to your workout will determine the results you get, especially the older you get. Intensity is an interesting thing because you can struggle to get results without it. Far too often people go to the gym to look pretty and just to say they went. They don’t actually care about the results as much as they think they do, they care about their actions.
The second thing I learned was how to eat. I used to be able to eat everything I wanted, or so I thought. I really wish someone would have told me that I shouldn’t eat as many carbs as I was eating and should increase my protein intake. That would have make things a whole lot easier for me.
I hope these few secrets give you the vote of confidence to get back on the court or field and participate with these young guys. I think it will shock you to see that you can actually keep up, well until you get your first injury, those take longer to heal.
Looking to find more about how to lose fat and build muscle, for you, there is lots to know. Also find out the best muscle building supplements to assist you with losing fat and building muscle.