To anyone under 35

Relish in your youth, your ability to recover, get away with minimal sleep, have a quick metabolism which means you burn fat efficiently.

Seriously it goes downhill after 50, I’m 53 and despite being fitter now than i was in my 30’s, you can’t out pedal the ageing process. You can mitigate and diminish the impact but my body feels its in a late afternoon heading into a winters evening!

Just saying!

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Yes but by staying fit you will have problems like my grandpa (85, cancer survivor for two years), who has called me recently with the information that he has a feeling that ge gets old because he was tired after 40 km bike ride in mountainous area :wink:

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Per Jumanji The Next Level

Getting old is a gift

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It is true your body changes but most bodies are surprisingly resilient and can handle strength and endurance training well into your golden years. There is an older dude in our town, probably mid 70s, that goes into the gym at 6am and first thing he does is 10 honest pull-ups. Stay strong :muscle:

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I’ll add that younger athletes should make a habit of your strength and flexibility routines.
Almost all of my injuries are linked to skipping those. Stretching and lifting are to riding as homework and reading are to class.
Also this analogy may explain my performance on some schoolwork :thinking:

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This is a good reminder to appreciate relative youth.

Any other pearls of wisdom people want to impart for those of us under 35 to slow or impede the effects of aging? Anything you wish you would have done when you were younger that would have helped your current self?

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Yes!
Smoke 40 Marlboro less per day, and drink about 95% less. And eat better. And don’t be a dick when you’re young - You become a lot more circumspect with age and feel a lot better for it.

And take up cycling before you are 44!

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  • Feed yourself like a race car: don’t put crap into the gas tank
  • Resistance training: incorporate it as part of your lifestyle and always be lifting
  • Be curious and always learning something new
  • Focus on the positive aspects of your life, have fun, set appropriate goals, and don’t dwell on the negative

Part of this is genetic I suspect, I’m thankful for still feeling (relatively) young a couple of years before 60.

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Make friends with your future self by staying away from alcohol, working on your weaknesses, and getting enough rest.

I have to say this too: be deliberate with your money and save some every month. It adds up and you’re going to need it when you get older.

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I’m 30 now, with enough free time to dedicate the next 4 ish years to try to reach hopefully somewhere close to my genetic potential on the bike.
The biggest thing holding me back right now is my lack of flexibility. I wake up hunched over like a 65 yr old. I have anterior pelvic tilt, insanely tight quads, hip flexors, adductors, weaker core/glutes/posterior chain in general all causing lower back problems that are hindering any progression I’m making. So advice to my peers (and you old folks) make sure you balance your body, stretch, do yoga, maintain flexibility and pliability in your muscles.

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I had many of those issues after 30 years working at a desk. Tried yoga and stretching, really did nothing. If I had a do over, would invest in a kettlebell and a couple of bands as the centerpiece of my home gym. This year I’ve seen amazing results in posture/strength by swinging the kettlebell 3 times a week. Highly recommended.

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If only I could find some kettlebells. ALWAYS sold out right now.

What kind of band exercises do you do?

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smaller bands around ankles/knees for glute activation before lifting:

  • monster walks
  • hip abduction

I work in front of a computer, and use larger bands periodically during the day to open up chest and counteract the slouching:

  • band pull aparts
  • face pulls

I bought these small bands at Amazon a few years ago:

and larger bands:
https://u-powex.com/products/upowex-pull-up-assist-bands-set-of-4-heavy-duty-resistance-bands-mobility-and-powerlifting-exercise-bands-perfect-for-body-stretching-powerlifting-and-resistance-training

crazy hard to buy anything fitness related… I’ve got an Amazon 25lb Kettlebell, and two Vulcan Strength kettlebells (16kg/35lb and 20kg/44lb). Bought the Vulcan fitness kettlebells on Amazon with free shipping, but they no longer sell them on Amazon. Almost pulled the trigger a month ago on a Vulcan 24kg bell, but it was $90 plus $60 for shipping. Think it was available on the Vulcan website for 1 day… and now nothing with no expected by date.

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Don’t play rugby for 25 years.

And more general advice:

  • Don’t drink too much alcohol
  • Get 8 hours sleep a night
  • Avoid stress at work
  • Eat healthy
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I saw the thread title and a little part of me honestly hoped to open it and see F* YOU! :joy:

I’m too childish to be allowed on the internet.

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More wisdom? Quit your boring-ass job and do something fun instead :stuck_out_tongue:

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There’s a guy here in Melbourne by the name of Neil Gilbert. Look him up.

He’s about 80 years old and he’s done, last time we spoke, 40-something Ironman (high 40’s…) and he was hoping to hit 50. He was a late starter to the sport too. Looks absolutely ripped running shirtless along the beach…

If I see him while I’m out on our local beach road ride (usually after work as a recovery ride) I’ll slow down and spin along with him for a while. We can learn a lot from older generations (usually!).

TLDR; It’s never, ever too late!

Edit: My bad, he’s 74 :wink: here he is: Neil Gilbert has been an Ironman 45 times - ABC Radio National

Hi
No one has said meet the right woman that understands How many bikes you want.
Will come and rescue when you have a slight mechanical (100miles from home)
Does not mind the smell of 3 day unwashed cycle gear that is still in the wash basket.
Does not mind when you come back from a 4 hour cycle, sweaty and you want a kiss.
Listens to your Spotify play list whilst you are training indoors…

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I’m 3 months away from hitting 35 and already depressed as all hell about it. Thanks for this :wink:

Currently having a mini midlife crisis as I remembered last month that 2 years ago I decided I wanted to run a sub 20 minute 5k before my 35th birthday, then did precisely nothing to achieve it. Trying to convince myself there’s still time!

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yep - you can maintain it and improve a bit if you try a new sport - stopped running marathons when I was 49 as I was getting injured and couldn’t see any more improvements on my 2:47…started TT below 55 mins for 25 now but it’s all tiny margins…always envious of the young guys who are coming in and smashing pb’s every week. I think I was in the pub to much at their age :laughing: Oh…and yes find the right woman…thought I had but after 20 odd years she was obviously fed up with me racing, riding running and swimming…still more time on my hands now and nobody to tell me I have to many bikes! :grinning:

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