Hail to the Dinosaurs!
I met some old friends at a dinner party
over the weekend, and they asked me if
I was still training.
The answer, of course, is "Yes, I am --
three times a week, as regular as
clockwork."
"But aren't you getting a little old for this
weightlifting stuff?" they asked.
"I'm older, but training keeps me young,"
I told them.
"How old are you?"
"I'm 59."
And that's when I got the "are you kidding
me?" looks. That's because I don't look 59.
Which is part of what I mean about weight
training keeping you young.
Bob Hoffman was saying this back in the 1930's,
but scientists, physicians and everyone else didn't
believe him. In fact, the conventional wisdom back
then was that weight training would probably kill
you.
Everyone other than Bob Hoffman and a small
handful of others told you not to do it.
And that anti-weight training bias lasted a very
long time. It was still around when I was in high
school. Many of the coaches refused to let their
athletes train with weights. They thought it would
ruin them.
But recent research has established that Hoffman
was right.
Weight training -- or any kind of progressive
strength training -- is good for you. It keeps
you strong, fit and healthy at any age. And it's
probably the best thing around for older adults.
Recent research has confirmed the following:
1. Progressive weight training increases bone
density and bone strength in older adults.
2. Progressive weight training improves balance,
mobility and coordination in older adults.
3. Muscular strength is associated with a 30 to
40 percent decrease in cancer mortality among
older men.
4. Progressive strength training improves brain
function in older adults.
5. Muscle mass is associated with healthy aging
and lower mortality in older men -- and weight
training helps you build or maintain muscle mass
at any age.
6. Progressive strength training stimulates your
body's production of male hormones -- and
maintaining high levels of male hormones helps
keep you young, strong, vigorous and healthy.
7. Progressive strength training helps you stay
lean and muscular at any age.
In other words, the medical world is discovering
"what Iron Slingers have known for many years --
and what Bob Hoffman wrote about back in the
1930's: progressive strength training is the best
thing in the world for older adults.
So give yourself a pat on the back for having
figured this out before the science honchos --
and keep on training!
Oh, and before I forget, here are three more
reasons to keep on hitting the iron:
8. It's fun.
a. Strength training is a perfect life-long hobby.
9. It makes you feel better.
a. And look better.
b. And when you look better, you feel better.
10. It makes you younger and stronger -- because
strength is life, and stronger is younger.
Yours in strength,
Brooks Kubik
P.S. Gray Hair and Black Iron is the best book
ever written on effective strength training for
anyone in the age 35 and up category:
http://www.brookskubik.com/grayhair_blackiron.html
I also did a terrific mini-course with an all-new
workout for older trainees. It's available in PDF
with immediate electronic download:
http://www.brookskubik.com/minicourse_01.html
P.S. 2. My other books and courses, Dinosaur
Training DVD's, links to my e-books on Kindle
and links to the monthly Dinosaur Files newsletter,
are right here at Dino headquarters:
http://www.brookskubik.com/products.html
P.S. 2. Thought for the Day: "Lifting iron keeps you
from rusting away." -- Brooks Kubik
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