Have you ever wondered why some people are robust and energetic in their 40’s, 50’s, 60’s and beyond? While others struggle to get out of bed every morning, unable to work, or travel, or play with grandkids without aches, pains and exhaustion?
My name is Dianne Bailey (that's me and my team) and I want to share with you what I have learned over 20 years as a fitness professional. After writing 3 books, after thousands of personal training sessions, after hundreds of hours attending and speaking at conferences, after sharing the room with some of the top professionals on exercise and aging, I want to share with you the 4 Pillars of Exercise and how we implement it in our exercise studio every single day.
An important moment in our lives comes when we choose to live fit and when we choose to prioritize our health and our functionality. No longer do we have to feel low energy throughout our day, or chronically tight, or even weak as we age.
When you choose to exercise in a way that supports your life and goals, you can move forward towards a healthy, happy life!
Sometimes it takes a while to get to that decision and that’s ok. Sometimes we prioritize other things like family and work, before our own well-being. But when we finally choose to embrace exercise, change begins.
Energy…
to enjoy life: Taking care of family, for work, for playing with grandkids, etc.
Functionality…
to do the activities you love: Tennis, skiing, travel, hiking, etc.
Confidence…
knowing you are taking care of your body and your health.
Change starts with the right exercise program.
Before we get to the 4 Pillars, let’s agree on some philosophic basics of exercise
- Exercise should be safe for your experience level and body
- Exercise should improve your functionality in life
- Exercise should challenge you, but not hurt you
- Exercise should help you lead a HEALTHY, HAPPY LIFE!
Agree? Let’s move on.
I also understand it can be difficult to start an exercise program.
As we age, exercise becomes more tiring.
Exercise becomes more intimidating.
Our bodies are more prone to injury
Or we just don’t know what to do or where to start…
The question you may be asking yourself is: What is the proper exercise for me? How should I exercise as I age?
A program for you should be built on a foundation of the following tenets of exercise:
The 4 Pillars of Ageless Exercise
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Resistance Training
Exercise with weights, bands, and even your body weight has been proven to improve metabolism, blood sugar control, strength, balance, functionality, and more. To be clear, resistance training does NOT have to be like the weight lifting you may have seen the in the gym before. It’s doesn’t have to be crazy lifts, with unsafe amounts of weight. Like all exercise, it should be modified to fit where you are right now but challenge you to help you move toward the better version of you!
Specifically, we need to focus on free weight training. This strengthens secondary and supportive muscles along with the primary, training your body to move functionally. Plus, it is proven to be more effective for metabolism!
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Flexibility Training.
As we age, we can begin to feel more 'tight' or uncomfortable, so our flexibility should be a TOP priority. More flexible = more functional. More flexible = Less injuries.
Here at The Conditioning Classroom, we utilize traditional flexibility training, but within our sessions we also use a new, highly effective technique called Facilitated Stretching.
Simply put, this form of flexibility training is human assisted stretching, allowing your body to be stretched in a safe and more effective manner than traditional versions. After learning under Dr. Bob McAtee, our entire staff has been trained to use this in our sessions, allowing our clients to feel better when they leave their session and for days afterwards!
Below is a video demonstration of 2 facilitated stretches along with 2 at home stretches you can use.
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Exercise Based Brain Training
Now this kind of exercise is EXCITING! Stunning research and new forms of practical application have created a new way to exercise. You can train your body and your brain AT THE SAME TIME!
This is more than doing sudoku while on the treadmill…
This is brain and body simultaneous challenges, allowing your neural connections to develop and reinforce in a way that is EXPONENTIALLY more effective than sitting in your chair completing a crossword puzzle.
- Workout and feel good? ✔️
- Challenge your brain and delay the effect of aging? ✔️
- Have fun with all of this? ✔️
After studying under Ryan Glatt, a leading Brain Fitness Coach, we can share new, fun ways exercise can improve the following aspects of your mental acuity:
- Memory Recall
- Coordination
- Processing Speed
- Focus
- And More…
These exciting integrations of brain health and practical exercise can be subtle or more upfront, depending on your goals. BUT it is important as we age to take care of our mental acuity as well as our physical health.
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Cardio Training
Training our cardiovascular system is our final pillar. We must exercise our heart and circulatory system to ensure health and functionality as we age. Cardio is a traditional form of exercise and includes walking, ellipticals, treadmills, bicycling, etc.
But that doesn’t mean all cardio is the same. We need to implement varying levels of intensity to improve our metabolism, endurance, and overall capacity. This means we need to think beyond 30min of steady state cardio. Specifically, we should prioritize Interval Training. This is where we challenge our bodies for short periods of time, followed by lower intensity cardio designed as rest. The repetition of higher intensity – lower intensity cycle has been proven by countless studies to be one of the BEST forms of cardio training.
Interval training modified to your individual fitness level is an important element to your effective workout. The exciting part is that we blend interval cardio, resistance training, AND brain training seamlessly, so your exercise program is fast and fun!
BONUS: An Environment and Community to Support YOU.
Here at The Conditioning Classroom, we recognize it is not just about WHAT exercises you do, but HOW you do them and how you FEEL about exercise.
You need the right information, the right plan, but also accountability!
And it matters if the gym itself is not overcrowded and overwhelming. We need to be able to enjoy our workouts and feel comfortable in our own skin!
TCC is:
- A small, comfortable, clean gym.
- Created with an emphasis on NO judgement
- Where no special workout clothes are needed
- Operated by a welcoming staff that understands you and your needs
- Run by Certified Personal Trainers and Functional Aging Specialists who help you progress while avoiding injury and common missteps
- An open space and state of the art equipment
- Designed for flexible scheduling with your trainer, so it is personalized for your schedule
Think about what those 4 Pillars (+the bonus) could do for you…
What if your cardio and resistance training are age and goal appropriate?
What if you worked on your flexibility?
What if you improved your brain health?
What if you had a gym that felt welcoming with a community that supported you?
Imagine…
- Being able to do MORE of what you love (in less pain)
- More Energy
- Better brain health and mental acuity
- Less stiffness
- Improved strength and balance
- Exercising in a studio where you feel welcome and supported
- Workouts that are constantly changing to make exercise fresh, different, and FUN!
Here at The Conditioning Classroom, we’re here to help 🙂
I hope you learned something valuable that you can use while planning your next exercise program. Whether you work out at home, at a big box gym, or here at The Conditioning Classroom, you should be able to use these tips.
But if you need more help, you’re invited to come in and chat with me.
Need Help? Come in for a 1:1 consult.
Over the last few years, my staff and I at The Conditioning Classroom have been learning and implementing and mastering top strategies and techniques for exercising as we age. We strive to create an exercise experience that is FUN, FAST, and EFFECTIVE for your goals.
Come into our private, professional studio and learn more about how our approach to exercise can help you get on track and STAY on track.
This is your opportunity to ask questions and talk with us about where you are at and where you want to go. No obligation, just an opportunity to see if it is a good fit.
Sign up and schedule your FREE Consult at www.theconditioningclassroom.com/consultation/
Or give me a call directly @ 303-522-9001.
If you’re ready to feel your best
If you’re ready to make time for yourself
If you’re ready to escape the ‘Big Gym’
Start with a consult.
The consult is NO RISK. You come in and meet with us, and we get a chance to talk. No pressure.
We’re a small family owned business and over the years we have concluded that this consultation is the BEST way for people like you to feel confident moving forward with their health, their exercise, their lives.
