The Charging 40s

This is a time when many active people report the wheels falling off. Injuries start to occur with greater frequency and workouts become harder to recover from. That’s often taken as a sign that it’s time to hang up the boots, or at least cut back on the intensity. But you only have to take a look at contemporary sport to realise that is nonsense. With the help of modern sports science, many pro athletes are at the top of their game going into their 40s, even in sports with a very high strength requirement: from the NFL’s Tom Brady (44, won a Super Bowl at 43) to 2021 Downhill MTB World Champ Greg Minnaar (40 this year). The real problem is that this is the age when bad habits come to collect, and old injuries that you never properly rehabbed return to haunt you. Your sport or workout preferences may have led to strength imbalances, which by now will be entrenched and may increase the likelihood of new injuries. Added into the mix is the fact that, from some time in your 30s, your testosterone levels naturally drop by one to two per cent each year, making post-exercise recovery harder. So, this is the time to get serious about making healthy changes to your diet and lifestyle. Conversely, eating inflammatory foods or drinking alcohol post-session is going to torpedo your efforts like never before. One of the best things you can do for yourself in your 40s is to get coaching. Not only can a qualified PT or sport coach spot strength imbalances and improve your movement skills, but they can also help you to get on track to hit some of those elusive life goals. Oh, and if you’ve ever considered running a nutty, 24-hour ultramarathon, you’ll be pleased to know that the peak times for these distances – as recorded in a Frontiers in Physiology study – are set by runners over 40…