Maybe Tracy and I peaked too early with our Fittest by Fifty plan. The headlines right now are all about a new trend, the Superfit Sixties. Or maybe the trends are just following along with us as we age?
Anyway, the Superfit Sixties stories are all over my newsfeed, because of course they are.
What are the Superfit Sixties all about? See The rise of the superfit sixties — here’s what it really takes.
“Modern day sixtysomethings are aware that age is not a deterrent to some of the most challenging athletic goals, and a new tribe of hard body sexagenarians is emerging. Members of the superfit 60+ers put in longer hours at the gyms than any other age group, and average 8+ visits to the gym each month, and it’s not just gentle classes such as yoga drawing them in, it’s high intensity workouts and tough training regimens, according to Nuffield Health. The biggest rise in sports participation in recent years in among older populations, with running and cycling having massive growth, according to Sport England. Over the past 12 months England Athletics has had a 12% increase in members aged 60+ joining running clubs; and British Cycling reports over 74% of those aged 60+ saying cycling is not just to enjoy the scenery but also to seriously improve fitness.”
I don’t have much to say about this, though I am feeling pretty fit in my sixties. I’m not riding quite as much as I like, but I have been doing lots of new things, and doing a fair bit of strength training. For the first time since my knee replacements, I’m back doing squats in the squat rack, 3 sets of 155 lbs this week, and I’ve been deadlifting again as well.
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Me too. On feeling fit in my sixties, which is still an uncomfortable number for me to say 5 months in. And, I don’t love that subtitle of “What it really takes”. Why is everything so macho? What if staying fit into our sixties is about the joy it brings us? Or even an admission that there’s a small (or large) part of it that feels mortality more keenly? Two cents from me.