Joyous Japanese Geriatric Gymnast
Yes, it appears I’m on a kick about senior fitness (as well as never missing an opportunity for alliteration). But this is a message for all ages – “over-the-hill” seniors, mid-life crises middle-agers and young whippersnappers alike.
It’s a message of possibilities, the long-term investment in your health, and of happiness.
In response to the German granny gymnast emails I wrote, a reader sent me a video of an “elderly” Japanese gymnast. I put the word elderly in quotation marks because elderly he ain’t. You’ve got to see this guy move. He’s 63 but his physical abilities are impressive for any age. I’ve got a new hero.
When you watch the video below, notice the joy he exudes. This is the biggest benefit of exercise. Exercise = elation.
I don’t know this man’s story. My guess is he is a former competitive gymnast, but I could be wrong. It really doesn’t matter. It’s just proof positive that the human body can do amazing things regardless of age.
There are plenty of ex-athletes who have let their bodies go and joined the ranks of the aged and feeble, as if they’ve never laced it up. And there are plenty of ex-couch potatoes who had never moved a day in their lives but are now reaping the rewards of exercise in their senior years, leaving their old ways behind.
What this says, in both cases, is the past doesn’t matter but the present does. Your future is what you decide it to be by the actions you take now.
Check out this magnificent man’s majestic movements:
And, no, you don’t have to do anything as difficult as a routine on the rings or high bar like this Japanese gent does. Just move your body. Do something.
Whether you’re 63 or 23 and can’t move much, that’s okay. Don’t compare yourself to this gymnast from Japan. Just start off slowly, gently and easy. And be consistent. Exercise habit is key. Gradually build up and keep getting better. In no time you’ll be shedding years off your age and adding them to your life.
All the best,
Eddie Baran
P.S. If you’re brand spanking new to exercise, or if it’s been a while, go here…
