Happy final day of February!
This year sure is flying by, yeah?
The last letter in the acronym PLAY is of course the Y, and it stands for "youthful strength training."
The book refers to youthful strength training as "one of the most critical steps to recapturing our youth, vitality and health."
Sign me up.
In our society, we often get stuck on "strength training," thinking it's for athletes or bodybuilders, but this simply isn't true. And with CrossFit gyms popping up in nearly every town in America, it's easier than ever.
Some other examples are as follows:
- barbell training
- boot camp training
- body calisthenics
- canoeing/kayaking
- dumbell training
- gymnastics
- medicine ball training
- pull-up bars
- resistance bands
- rock climbing
- rowing machines
- sled training
- tire flipping
Granted, tire flipping may not be for everyone, but canoeing or kayaking and resistance bands are exercises that can be performed by people of any skill level.
We all need to challenge our muscles to keep them strong and pliable. One of my favorite tools for this is a kettlebell. Kettlebells are very versatile and can be utilized for a whole body workout when used properly.
A book that I use is called "Enter The Kettlebell" by Pavel Tsatsouline. I won't lie, it's a little hardcore. Pavel, a fitness instructor from the former Soviet Union, is not a warm and fuzzy guy. In fact, he once trained Russian special forces in the 1980s. Intensity aside, it's a great book with a ton of great tips and exercises.
Another great book on the topic of staying young through activity is called "Younger Next Year" by Chris Crowley. I highly recommend it as a guide for those of us men entering our 50's and 60's, but there is also one for women (available here).
The bottom line with all of these selections is that it is really a case of "use it or lose it" in regard to our musculature and bony structure.
Today's Bible verse:
“A cheerful heart is good medicine, but a crushed spirit dries up the bones.”
-Noel