6 Celebrities Share Their Secrets to Staying Strong After 70
"AGE IS JUST a number." You might hear this old adage more frequently as you get older—and it may not exactly feel like a comfort as you look for motivation to keep up with your health and fitness. These Men's Health golden boys, however, are living, thriving examples that it's true.
Your body might not feel the way it used to in the gym, but that doesn't make training any less critical. In fact, the older you get, the more important it is to stay active if you want to be strong. Nature doesn't do you any favors—muscle mass naturally diminishes as you age, making activities and actions you once took for granted more difficult. You can stave off some of these side-effects of aging with a consistent physical training routine. Continuing your quest for fitness well into your 60s, 70s, 80s, and even 90s, keeps your body feeling better, longer.
Arnold Schwarzenegger, Hulk Hogan, Ric Flair, Stephen Lang, Skip Bayless, and Lou Ferrigno are doing just that, well into their 70s. To see how, they allowed Men's Health a look into their routines—and you better believe they're not slowing down anytime soon. Follow these nuggets of advice they've shared, and you won't either.
5 Fitness Tips From MH Stars Over 70
Keep Fitness Consistent
Most of these guys hit the gym or get some form of movement in several times a week. Finding time for exercise is high on their list of priorities. Lang calls working out "part of [his] job."
Don't Skip Your Warmup
As the body ages, you might find it takes more time to prime for movement. A proper warm up promotes blood flow to the muscles so they can perform their best under significant stress, helping protect our joints. Always incorporate a warm up with some cardio like Ferrigno, or with a starter low weight, high repetition set like Schwarzenegger.
Good Form Is Non-Negotiable
Having good form prevents injury and help you train effectively. "It's not about the weight—it's how you do it," Ferrigno says. That includes taking your time through each rep, rather than speeding to get it over with. Plus, your form plays a role in how you progress. As Schwarzenegger says: if you're never seeing improvement, you may want to take a deeper look at your form.
Try Hard Things
Close our your workout with a challenge every day like Bayless, or try yoga for the first time like Lang. The rewards (like a strong core and better mobility) outweigh the cost.
Don't Overthink Your Routine
Just get up and go, Schwarzenegger says. Whether your goal is to look better then the 30-year-olds (like Hogan), or simply maintain quality of life (like Lang)—fitness can, and should, have place in every stage of your life.
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