09/09/2026
Physical Healing. There is a time to push and a time to rest. When you are injured, it is so important that you give your body what it needs to heal. You cannot work through an injury and expect it to heal. Each time you aggravate or re-injure it, you will need an additional 2-3 weeks of time off training.
This week I had two difficult conversations with two of my gentleman clients. Their reasoning for not doing what was suggested for healing, was they were afraid of losing strength.
As a woman, I heard something else. I heard " I am afraid of being weak" and do not want to ask my wife for help. There is a phycological component that can hamper recovery from healing. Today, I had to express this to both men. This is temporary, this is temporary. We are older and things take time to heal. The knees bear a lot of burden. Burden of many decades. They have held us up, traveled through the highs and the lows, carried us while we carried children, carried luggage, carried groceries, carried loved ones, worked very physical and demanding jobs. We've knelt on them to pray, and we have bent them to lift ourselves up when things were difficult. Knees have carried the burden.
Now, they need some TLC, R.I.C.E and vacation from withstanding life's demands.
You are not broken, this is temporary, ask for help so you can heal in proper time to get back to life, and training. It's time to take care of you.
I think it was heard, I also think it was felt. Emotions play a large part in how we see ourselves as physical beings. When you are active, fit and you are now in your 60's, 70's or even 80's, we have to readjust how we see ourselves. We are no longer the athlete or Fitness enthusiast as we once were. This does not mean we stop training; it merely means that training takes on a whole other level.
First and foremost, the key factors that will allow us to continue to move with as much grace as we can.
1. Listen to your body.
Our bodies are wise. It knows what it was once capable of doing, I like to call this muscle memory. Things you did when you were younger may be easier to continue as we age. If we listen to our bodies ~ we will know when to modify.
2. Rest and Recovery
The standard 24-48 hours of rest before training the same muscle group, becomes training total body, twice a week with 3-4 days of rest in between. Of course, this is an example, rest & recovery is different for all of us. If we listen to our bodies ~ we will feel this in our bones.
3. Core, Glutes, Balance and Joint Mobility.
This is a message to my younger friends... by the time you hit 60, if you haven't put significant focus on training and flexibility for the Traverse abdominus muscle, pelvic floor, Internal and external rotators of the hip and shoulders, aging is going to be harder.
For those us who are here: This type of training is imperative!
4. Icing joints.
I swear by this. I also swear by foam rollers, trigger point balls and muscle massagers. I also swear by Tiger Balm, the ultra-sport, white balm. If I need a pain reliever I take it. Inflammation is the enemy of all joints! Inflammation initially is part of the healing process, but as soon as possible that injury needs to be iced. Ice packs vs Ice cubes. In an acute situation and Ice pack is great... especially if Ice cubes are not available. Ice cube massage is much more effective.
5. Being Horizontal
Non weight bearing is what we do during sleep. It is also what older people do to rest from the weight of the world. This is not weakness. If you listen to your body and get horizontal every once in a while when we need it, you will have more energy sooner. Your body will not hit the wall and crash. I call them " Rest Snacks"
6. Movement Moments
Research has suggested that sitting is detrimental to our health at any age. Exercise is Medicine, and the studies are showing it does not matter how old you are or how long it has been since you exercised. It is never too late to start. You can even start by breaking up sitting sessions with as little as one exercise per hour of sitting. Exercise is not enough, we need to be more active.
7. Be Smart ~ Balance
Finding the balance between exercise, activity and rest/recovery, is the challenge. If we listen to our bodies ~ it will tell us. Stress, responsibilities with work and family or social events require energy too and can wear you down. Injuries occur when you are tired and fatigued. Be Smart ~ Balance is injury prevention.
8. Do what you love.
Exercise and movement can be whatever you want it to be. If you listen to your body ~ you will do what you love.
