I felt this is a welcome both eyes reading and my whole intellect and spirit absorbing! And how did I wake up and suddenly turn 65? Dang!! So even though I came out of retirement after 40 straight years of coaching - teaching English for over 30 years - to help with the high jump two days a week four years ago and had so much fun hanging out with a "new" team that I decided to offer to help with cross country too as I had been most serious about distance running in my high school and college days.
Somewhere after 50 while raising three beautiful daughters as an "older" dad I successfully battled through cancer, had to have a heart pacemaker implanted and decided to abstain from alcohol and of course with the pandemic teaching routine including lessons from my computer and screens adjacent to the kitchen, I had ballooned in weight.
Now, hanging with a "younger" and wiser head coach in my role as assistant who lives to run with the team, his family were all runners, he has read your books, preaches consistency, and lets me run to try and keep up with the very back of the pack - I'm so slow now - but I'm living a "new" life thanks to you and voices from the running crowd that preach a simple life of exercise, good health, balance and consistency. Good basics.
While in line for coffee a few weeks ago, a woman behind me and I struck up a conversation (nice validation of you, Steve, and Clay's frequent advice to stay OFF the phone when in public!)
She saw I was in workout clothes and asked me my thoughts on the "best" workout.
My advice was simple - the one you enjoy, because that's the one you'll do consistently. Just do SOMETHING and get movin'!
I was, of course, channeling The Growth Equation. Wish I could have footnoted the advice on the spot :)
Thank you - sensible, practical and helpful. My cycling coach told me on the first day that consistency (over years, exactly as you say) is the key that unlocks improved performance as well as health benefits. We are supposed to enjoy our sporting endeavours - not suffer from them.
This is wonderful.. i have been playing badminton with my dad every tuesday after work... and its now a fun activity i look forward to... keeps us both healthy and we spend quality time together ... now need to motivate him to get on to strength training..
To be honest though... posting about it has helped me stay more accountable too...
Great post Steve, and it’s a fantastic program for leading an active lifestyle. In a note I posted earlier, I’ve simplified my program to seven words: « Hike outside. Three miles daily. Invite friends. »
Coach this is a great plan for anyone! I have basically done this for 15 years straight without a day off. Easy days with a couple of hard days per week. What has it got me? 15 years and only been slightly ill once, down 50 lbs and have kept it off with a diet my wife says mimics a 16 year old. I’m 63 on no medications, fit and ready for the next 30 years. CONSISTENCY OVER INTENSITY!
I am 50 and this works for me. Lift 2-3x per week and run 2-3x per week. Consistency is key. I usually do total body workouts for 45min to and hour. I run typically 4-6 miles. I add in walking if time allows for extra steps. Just my 2 cents……
There can not be one “best exercise routine” to follow as it is best to have changes in your exercise routine. But whatever you do, swimming should be included if you are seeking what is better than the rest.
I may have missed this, but what evidence do you have to support this routine? It sounds doable and achievable, but it carries a lot of the buzzwords or "generic advice" from the instagram (or influencer) lifestyle that this article is arguing against.
I agree that "simple" and "consistency" should be essential to a workout routine. But I would like to see some empirical data or a case study (at the least) before I spend my time trying it out.
Agree with nearly all of this, and the simplicity is the point. One thing worth adding for a specific group.
This programme assumes the person can access the menu. Easy 30 minutes, compound movements, one hard day — all excellent, all quietly gated on tolerance. For someone twelve months post knee surgery, or with a back that’s been episodic for a decade, “pick something you enjoy and do it consistently” fails for reasons that have nothing to do with discipline. They get four weeks in, something flares, and they conclude they can’t exercise — when what actually happened is they had no route into the menu.
That group needs the same principles, just entered from further back: restoring range and tolerance to load before intensity is even a question. Not more complexity — a different starting line. It’s a big population and it mostly gets handed either clinical exercises long after they’ve stopped being useful, or general programmes it can’t yet tolerate.
Your line about balance and stability work for older trainees deserves more than a warm-up slot, for what it’s worth.
Consistency! The “what” doesn’t really matter. Just pick something you love doing and do it. Consistently.
I felt this is a welcome both eyes reading and my whole intellect and spirit absorbing! And how did I wake up and suddenly turn 65? Dang!! So even though I came out of retirement after 40 straight years of coaching - teaching English for over 30 years - to help with the high jump two days a week four years ago and had so much fun hanging out with a "new" team that I decided to offer to help with cross country too as I had been most serious about distance running in my high school and college days.
Somewhere after 50 while raising three beautiful daughters as an "older" dad I successfully battled through cancer, had to have a heart pacemaker implanted and decided to abstain from alcohol and of course with the pandemic teaching routine including lessons from my computer and screens adjacent to the kitchen, I had ballooned in weight.
Now, hanging with a "younger" and wiser head coach in my role as assistant who lives to run with the team, his family were all runners, he has read your books, preaches consistency, and lets me run to try and keep up with the very back of the pack - I'm so slow now - but I'm living a "new" life thanks to you and voices from the running crowd that preach a simple life of exercise, good health, balance and consistency. Good basics.
While in line for coffee a few weeks ago, a woman behind me and I struck up a conversation (nice validation of you, Steve, and Clay's frequent advice to stay OFF the phone when in public!)
She saw I was in workout clothes and asked me my thoughts on the "best" workout.
My advice was simple - the one you enjoy, because that's the one you'll do consistently. Just do SOMETHING and get movin'!
I was, of course, channeling The Growth Equation. Wish I could have footnoted the advice on the spot :)
Thank you - sensible, practical and helpful. My cycling coach told me on the first day that consistency (over years, exactly as you say) is the key that unlocks improved performance as well as health benefits. We are supposed to enjoy our sporting endeavours - not suffer from them.
This is wonderful.. i have been playing badminton with my dad every tuesday after work... and its now a fun activity i look forward to... keeps us both healthy and we spend quality time together ... now need to motivate him to get on to strength training..
To be honest though... posting about it has helped me stay more accountable too...
https://substack.com/@monicashastri/note/c-313504539?r=18bn7
You are the best for this one - the advice is so reasonable and approachable - a great antidote to the online FOMO culture for sure.
Great post Steve, and it’s a fantastic program for leading an active lifestyle. In a note I posted earlier, I’ve simplified my program to seven words: « Hike outside. Three miles daily. Invite friends. »
Thanks for sharing your exercise program!
Coach this is a great plan for anyone! I have basically done this for 15 years straight without a day off. Easy days with a couple of hard days per week. What has it got me? 15 years and only been slightly ill once, down 50 lbs and have kept it off with a diet my wife says mimics a 16 year old. I’m 63 on no medications, fit and ready for the next 30 years. CONSISTENCY OVER INTENSITY!
I am 50 and this works for me. Lift 2-3x per week and run 2-3x per week. Consistency is key. I usually do total body workouts for 45min to and hour. I run typically 4-6 miles. I add in walking if time allows for extra steps. Just my 2 cents……
Comme d'habitude ! Article de qualité 😉👍
Great post!
Yes!
There can not be one “best exercise routine” to follow as it is best to have changes in your exercise routine. But whatever you do, swimming should be included if you are seeking what is better than the rest.
I may have missed this, but what evidence do you have to support this routine? It sounds doable and achievable, but it carries a lot of the buzzwords or "generic advice" from the instagram (or influencer) lifestyle that this article is arguing against.
I agree that "simple" and "consistency" should be essential to a workout routine. But I would like to see some empirical data or a case study (at the least) before I spend my time trying it out.
I’m an exercise scientist who more importantly has spent decades coaching people from high school to Olympians.
And perhaps more importantly it’s what a century of evolution of training history tells us actually works.
Thank you!!!
Agree with nearly all of this, and the simplicity is the point. One thing worth adding for a specific group.
This programme assumes the person can access the menu. Easy 30 minutes, compound movements, one hard day — all excellent, all quietly gated on tolerance. For someone twelve months post knee surgery, or with a back that’s been episodic for a decade, “pick something you enjoy and do it consistently” fails for reasons that have nothing to do with discipline. They get four weeks in, something flares, and they conclude they can’t exercise — when what actually happened is they had no route into the menu.
That group needs the same principles, just entered from further back: restoring range and tolerance to load before intensity is even a question. Not more complexity — a different starting line. It’s a big population and it mostly gets handed either clinical exercises long after they’ve stopped being useful, or general programmes it can’t yet tolerate.
Your line about balance and stability work for older trainees deserves more than a warm-up slot, for what it’s worth.