Ask anyone who has competed in a fun run and there is every chance they remember the moment they were overtaken by a person in their 60s. As you clock up another birthday, it's not so much age that decides what you can and can't do, but how you've used your body in the preceding years.
Pitted against a seasoned 50-year-old runner, an untrained, desk-bound person in his or her 20s is likely to run out of steam first, which is why exercise physiologists no longer pigeonhole people according to age. "We think in terms of a person's functional age - meaning how active they are and what they can do physically - rather than chronological age," says exercise physiologist Chris Tzar, who is the manager of the Lifestyle Clinic at the University of NSW's faculty of medicine.
20 to 35
What to do now: These are the bulletproof years - when death or disability seemeons away and there's no urgency to fight dwindling strength or stiffening arteries. But there are advantages to exercising now. People who are active at this age have a lower mortality rate later in life than those who aren't, Tzar says. It's also smart to capitalise on the time of your life when bones are building their peak strength. The more bone you build before the mid-30s when bone density starts declining, the stronger your bones are as you age. Weight-bearing exercise such as running, speed walking, strength training and team sports all help boost bone density. Breaking a sweat now could help ward away breast cancer - there's evidence long-term exercise reduces the risk, especially in women under 45 when breast cancer is more aggressive.
Beware of: Sporting injuries that set the scene for dodgy knees and other problems in middle age. "Weekend warriors in their 20s who do nothing all week, bar a single game of soccer or netball and one training session, have a high risk of injury," says James Short, the president of the Fitness NSW Personal Trainer Council. "Adding one or two sessions of strength training through the week reduces the risk."
35 to 50
What to do now: This is when metabolism can start slowing down - a problem caused more by muscle loss than increasing age. The more muscle you have, the more energy you burn, and the easier it is to maintain a healthy weight. But unless you counteract it, muscle loss kicks in in the 40s. By your 50s you could lose about three kilograms of muscle each decade. These are also the years when inactivity - if you let it - helps prime you for later problems such as cardiovascular disease, some cancers, diabetes, and osteoporosis.
But when every moment seems consumed by work and family, how do you stay fit?
"By spending less time working out, but working harder," Short suggests. "Instead of walking for 45 minutes or an hour, walk for 30 minutes but find a flight of steps and run - or walk briskly - up and down," he says. "Mix it up - alternate walking up one step at a time with walking up two steps at a time. Reach the top and do some push-ups. If you can only run or walk for 20 or even 10 minutes instead of 30, it's still worth it - just do it faster and harder."
As for strengthening muscles to prevent weight gain and future frailty, a gym with child care is one option for busy parents. But there are cheaper ways of getting stronger at home, Tzar says. He suggests callisthenics, such as push-ups, together with hand weights or exercise bands. "You don't have to buy hand weights - you can use two-litre milk containers filled with water or sand. As you get stronger, add more sand or water, or both, to the containers. If you're at the park with the kids, do some push-ups."
Beware of: If you're sedentary and/or a smoker, see your GP for a check-up before starting any exercise program, Tzar says. If there are any health problems, your doctor can refer you to an exercise physiologist who can prescribe a suitable exercise program. If you're diagnosed with diabetes, depression or arthritis, there's a Medicare rebate for consultations with an exercise physiologist.
50 to 65
What to do now: How you use your body now can influence how well you live later in life, but it's never too late to turn an inactive life around. German research has found that people who became physically active after 40 were 55 per cent less likely to develop heart disease than people who were inactive. The standard advice is to walk for 30 minutes on most days, preferably with two weekly strength-training sessions - but don't assume you can't do something more strenuous, providing you take it slowly.
"If you wanted to start running, you could," Tzar says. "But you'd need to get fit first by regular walking. What's important at this age is to increase the intensity of exercise gradually, in small doses - too much too soon increases the risk of injury."
Good balance is important. Strength training helps. So does increasing "core strength", meaning strengthening the muscles in your lower back, pelvis and abdomen to help keep you stable when you move around. Ways to boost core strength include Pilates, using an exercise ball or doing squats or lunges. The important thing is to activate core muscles by drawing your navel into your spine while you do these exercises, Short says. Expert advice will help you do them safely and effectively.
Beware of: "Thinking you're still in your 30s and can go back to playing soccer or touch football even though you're overweight and haven't trained for 20 years," Short warns. "With contact sports, there's a higher risk of injuries. At this age muscles are less elastic - any injuries take longer to heal."
65-plus
What to do now: All aspects of fitness are important, but strength training is of the greatest benefit to people of this age, Short says. "People often lose confidence, but I find that when they feel stronger they're more confident - they're not scared about living alone, and because physical tasks are easier to do, they get less tired and have more energy."
Beware of: Believing you're too old to embrace physical activity. "You can continue to adapt and improve at any age," Tzar says.
Fitness at any age
Ideally we should nurture all four aspects of fitness at all ages ¿ it makes everything you do easier and safer.
* Aerobic fitness increases your body's ability to use oxygen and conditions the heart and lungs. Maintain them with regular walking, swimming, cycling, running or dancing.
* Build muscle strength using dumbbells, barbells, resistance bands, weight machines or your own body weight (for example, in a push-up).
* Flexibility allows you to move your joints through their full range of motion. Stay flexible with stretching exercises, yoga, and tai chi.
* Strong "core" muscles in your lower back, pelvis, hips and abdomen help maintain your balance. Stay on your feet with regular exercise and strength training.
Paula Goodyer
December 1, 2006
www.smh.com.au