As we get older sometimes it feels like there is always an ache, a pain, something about our bodies that doesn’t work. We make a commitment to get fit and before we know it some new injury has reared its ugly head. There are times when you kind of want to look up to the big man in the sky and go ‘Really, what else do you want from me? WTF!”
My first recollection of when I hit the slippery slope was in about 2006. I was 37. At that time, I was addicted to triathlons and at the after party of the Phuket Triathlon I drunkenly challenged an arch rival to a sprint along the beach. Against a younger, superior athlete I strained every sinew to get to the line first and tore my right hamstring, the first injury of any note apart from a football injury 20 years prior to that. In the 5 years that followed I tore my right calf, both menisci and suffered from some really dreadful Achilles issues where I had to walk down the stairs sideways every morning because they were so stiff! When I hit 40, I was probably the most injured I had ever been. However, from 2002 to 2006 I had trained 20-30 hours a week without any issues and before that had survived a childhood of playing every team sport my school participated in and rode my bike everywhere without any issues. So what had changed?
When I competed in triathlons, I used to finish races closely to another English guy called Andy. He was ex-army and had a very high pain threshold. Sometimes I would beat him but mainly he would beat me. Anyhow we were both doing quite well in races, and I was pleased with my performances and so was quite taken aback when one day Bob, our head coach said to me “What Andy is doing is far more impressive than what you are doing”. Bob, who had studied sports science at university, went on to explain that because Andy was 5 years older than me, he had reached an age where he would be in decline whereas I was still at my optimum age for competing in such events. Therefore, relatively, he was the superior athlete.
So what’s this got to do with being injured all the time?
The fact is that over the age of 40 for every year that passes you can lose 1% of muscle mass, 2-4% of strength and 8-10% of power. So, for any investors out there who see annual compound growth rates as the 8th wonder of the world this is that in reverse. It can be a horrific decline and this lack of strength particularly can mean that we are much more likely to pick up injuries when carrying our basic human movements required to carry shopping, garden, clean the patio etc. Too much sitting at your desk can mean that even picking something up can put your back into spasm. If you then try and play tennis just as a one off or have a kick around with the kids at the weekend its almost bolted on that you’ll be searching for the details of the local physio come Monday. Being a physiotherapist these days must be one of the safest and fastest growth industry to be in.
Any good news?
I almost hate to write this in case I tempt fate but these days I am rarely injured. Yes, I still get aches and pains but given the amount of exercise I do I don’t have much to complain about. I’m 54. What’s more I know many people in the same place as me. We have barely lost any strength and endurance either. In many cases we are now stronger and do more exercise than we have ever done. So what’s happening?
Well, it turns out that at Coach Bob was right and as it now turns out he was also wrong. Whilst we once believed that decline was inevitable studies have now shown that decline can be stopped, slowed, or reversed if you do the right things. However, it is my belief that the way that you train after a certain age needs to be different to how you trained when you were younger. The way I look at it is that you have a first half of your fitness life and a second half and that’s what I had in mind when I set up SecondHalf Active. It was based on my own experiences, the experiences of others and the current science. You can and should be really active throughout life, but you need to do things a bit differently if you want to get good results and keep injuries at bay.
So where does this second half begin and how do you need to adapt?
Coach Bob referenced 35 and late 30s was my experience of when I started getting injured. I have used 40 as an example. In reality it differs for each person but in my experience training should start to change as you hit that inflection point and these are my thoughts on how to minimise injuries: -
1. You need to prioritise recovery.
When I was younger, I wanted to train as much as possible. I tried to take as little recovery as I could get away with because I believed more would be better. Now I believe that training needs to be based around recovery.
2. You understand that stress is a wholistic bucket.
When you hit mid-life you it comes at you from every angle. Work, kids, parents’ ill health. All of this can impact how much training you can do and how much recovery you need. I like to exercise feeling relatively fresh and I also don’t like to carry residual stress from exercise into daily life because that makes it less enjoyable for me and those around me. This is not easy to achieve but can be done well particularly if you can optimise sleep.
3. You only get stronger and make adaptations when you sleep.
Exercise can contribute towards good sleep but if you can’t optimise your sleep then increasing the amount of exercise you do is counterproductive and will increase the risk of injury. Good sleep = good recovery = good training results.
4. Strength training comes first.
It not only gives me the injury protection for the other sports and activities I do but its other life benefits are too important to ignore. If i need to drop something one week I will drop a ride or miss 5-aside football.
5. Get the dosage of exercise right.
Most cardiovascular training should easy. A small amount should be hard. Try to avoid the middle intensity stuff. Dosage is about finding the right volume, duration, and intensity. As we age as a rule, we need to be more careful with intensity. A little goes a long way. 4 hard cardio sessions a week will most likely do more harm than good.
6. Unless you are an expert, seek expert advice on how to train.
Even then still do so. Strength and Cardiovascular (Zone 2 and V02 Max fitness) are two of the most important hallmarks of longevity and living well. If you want to live a heathy life you would be well advised to prioritise these. Some of my fittest, strongest friends are also my clients. I hire a cycling coach and over most career as a PT have had expert trainers coaching me in strength and conditioning. There is great free or low-priced advice out there as well. Check out the following resources: Huberman Lab Podcast - very detailed interviews on strength training with Andy Galpin. Feel better, live more - Podcast with Dr Rangan Chatterjee. Great general health and well-being podcast and many interviews with experts on all aspects of training Outlive. The science of art and longevity - Dr Peter Attia. Just One Thing - Podcast with Dr Michael Mosley. These are short simple podcasts with clear advice.
7. For your strength training consider getting a Personal Trainer who is at a similar stage of life to you.
Age doesn’t always equal experience, but I do feel that it’s hard to really feel what it’s like to be 50 when you are under 30 or still in that first half of your fitness life.
8. Focus on quality of movement and technique.
In his book OUTLIVE, Peter Attia talks about the concept of stability, and this isn’t (just) about balancing on our feet. It means, and it’s hard to explain but you will know it when you feel it, that you are strong and stable through any movement. You control the weight; your body is in the right place to perform the movement that you want to make. The movement is strong, powerful, and efficient. Energy or force does not “leak” but is channelled exactly where you intend. This can be the case when making many repetitive movements such as when cycling or running and when you are trying to move a heavy weight 8-12 times in a set of squats or when bench pressing.
9. Exercise good decision making when training in groups.
When younger I used to love high intensity circuit training. Doing 100 jumping lunges or competitive sprints was tough but fun and I didn’t get injured. Now I’m pretty sure that if I did this type of training I would hurt myself badly. It just doesn’t pass the risk versus reward test for me. However, the right type of circuit where the focus is of quality or repetition rather than maximising the number of repetitions could work very nicely. A coach that screams “more” and “harder” may not be what you need. The one that gives you technique tips and watches you closely may be more the ticket. Any group that encourages competition can also be dangerous especially if you’re the competitive type as I am. Pushing a heavier weight to keep up with the person next to you is a recipe for disaster.
10. Listen to your body.
Whilst consistency of training is important to drive adaptations and gains be prepared to revise your schedule if you are ill, tired or you feel a niggle or pain. I do not encourage anyone to train with me if they are ill. Not only will you potentially delay your recovery, but you are also more likely to get injured as your body understandably has other duties to prioritise. I might recommend a walk, gentle spin on a peloton or a short mobility session, avoiding any hard strength training. Do not train through pain. A good PT will usually be able to find a work around or if they can’t then they should cut the session short.
11. Form a good relationship with a local physio or osteopath.
If you choose an active lifestyle, it’s likely that some point you will get injured. When you do an early diagnosis is important. Some people like to wait and see and that is an option as time can often resolve small issues but for me, I prefer to have a good idea of what is wrong and know what I can do to get back to full fitness ASAP. By spending time with injury experts, I also build up my knowledge which has benefit for both my clients and me.
12. Try to move more each day.
I think so many injuries are caused these days by the choices we make. We sit down too much each day and take the car when we could walk. Try to build more movement into your daily lives, do more gardening regularly, get a dog, use the stairs at work. Be creative about how you can do this and start to build more exercise in to your life that doesn’t involve going to a gym or getting your training gear on. Your body will thank you for it.
Clearly some injuries can be with you for a long time. I have clients that have come to me with joint injuries which, despite having worked with specialists, mean they still may have restricted movement. However, in all cases there is much more of us that is working well and we can always find a programme for that individual that builds them and doesn’t (further) break them. Also, by forming a strong working relationship with a local physiotherapist or osteopath we can make sure that the programme combines any rehab where needed adding greater value to that client.
Phil Jacobs
Phil Jacobs is Founder and Coach at SecondHalf Active which promotes superior strength and fitness as the cornerstones of living our best lives over the age of 35. We believe exercise and training looks different for men and women as we age and that injury prevention and recovery have to be at the forefront of our thinking.
For your free PT trial at the SecondHalf Active gym in Harpenden, please call us on 0796163262 or email us at hello@secondhalf.co.uk
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