Exercise, sport and age
Targeting workouts to specific activities, health and fitness levels is key: trainer
A lot of folks in their 40s and 50s take up new sports and fitness routines, according to fitness expert Krystle Johner.
“It’s popular in that age group. That’s when we start to become a little more concerned about our health and how it will affect us as we continue to age,” says Johner, fitness and lifestyle supervisor at the Saville Community Sports Centre, a hub for tennis, curling, weight training and other active pursuits on the city’s south side.
Taking up a new sport at any age can be hard work. But when you’re older, there are additional challenges, including injury, not to mention embarrassment. It’s important to keep expectations in line with reality.
“The elite athlete level is unattainable for us regular individuals who didn’t play sport all their lives, but there are lots of people out there doing all kinds of things who didn’t have a history of that,” she says.
A personal trainer for eight years, Johner says adult learners would be smart to follow a few simple rules when tackling tennis, or any other sport, for the first time.
First, think about taking lessons or classes. Lots of leagues and recreation groups cater to the older adult, so you won’t be alone. Groups encourage peer-topeer support and motivation, and provide social structure.
It’s also important to take stock of your body and to pay attention to any pre-existing injuries. Johner recommends an overall flexibility routine, outside of the actual sport being pursued, to increase joint flexibility and range of motion. Plus, all wannabe athletes should warm up before starting an activity or game. This is particularly critical for older adults, whose muscles may be stiff and will complain if startled.
“We don’t want to further injure ourselves and have that get in the way of our daily activities. Don’t push in the beginning. Let yourself get used to it.”
Johner says a warm-up should increase the heart rate, so consider getting on an exercise bike or walking briskly for five to 10 minutes beforehand. Thereafter, warm-up exercises should reflect the challenges of the sport.
Tennis, for instance, is a multidirectional game and so for me, Johner recommends a warm-up that includes shuffling side-toside. She also suggests warming up the shoulders with arm circles, and rotating the torso. A light rally with one’s partner is a good way to prepare for the more rigorous game to follow.
Johner says setbacks are inevitable, and being kind to oneself is important when starting something new. Avoid the term “failure.” Consider “personal growth.”