#5: Get Strong
No matter what your sport and what your goal, strength is crucial to success. It’s also crucial to your well-being as an older dude. As we age, both our muscles and our bones naturally atrophy. That leaves us more susceptible to injury and illness. To participate vigorously in any sport, it’s crucial to have a well-balanced strength-training program to supplement your practice of your activity of choice.
The training Konstantin developed for me consisted of a an hour of circuit training focused on a rotation (one per session) of Legs/Back, Shoulder/Biceps, or Chest/Triceps followed by a half hour focused exclusively on developing leg strength.
For the first hour we most often did a rotation of three exercises at a time repeated three times, including two lifting movements and one aerobic one like jumps or Konstantin’s favorite, “jump like a bunny” which means hopping across the room and back. Over time, I was able to move from one exercise to the next without more than a moment of rest and what at first was intense sporadic pain became more of an endurance test.
Konstantin saved his real creativity for the last half hour of legwork. “We have to keep the pressure up now,” he’d tell me. Step ups on a bench with weight, hops onto a bench, heavy squats against the wall with a ball, and his favorite “rocking squat” which includes holding a heavy weight between your legs squatting and rocking forward to straight legs and then rocking back through another deep squat to straighten back up (don’t try that one at home).
Over the months of work together, my strength and condition increased dramatically over time and built the foundation for my success.
Why does it seem as though there is always a reference to Tom’s “alpha male” status? It’s the worst sort of humblebragging: I started out as an alpha male jerk, but congratulate me for getting in touch with my sensitive side now that mortality has come a-knockin’.
Shouldn’t all middle aged men be concerned about their health and fitness?
I was going to comment on the ‘a-word’ too Pedro. I agree.
Who cares about whether he is alpha or not?
Bonking is a slightly antiquated brit slang word for sex. It has a naughtysaucy seaseaside end-of-the-pier type feel to it, rather like the word ‘shag’.
‘bonk’ what a glorious word 🙂
David Lynch’s MULHOLLAND DRIVE is a great film. Naomi Watts gives probably her greatest performance in a hypnotic investigation of fame, love, and ambition in L.A. It’s not a really bad movie. It’s a brilliant piece of cinematic art.
You do look great, though.
Great photos! Looking hot, Tom! Interesting article….middle aged men trying to keep it all fit! My karate sensei ( a 46 yo 6th degree black belt who lifts 300+ lbs and does pushups on his thumbs) has had to face his own health issues: hypertension, a gastrointestinal illness that required an extensive work-up and scared him briefly about the possibility of cancer (all negative!), fertility issues (slightly low sperm count and facing future fatherhood), and stress from unemployment…..I kinda joined karate on a lark and have ended up dedicating a good portion of the last 3.5 years of my life… Read more »
Leia you should write about that, “I think I get men better through relating to them physically”
I liked the article, but could have passed on the “if he can do it you can” part. First, it’s a horribly lazy cliche. Second, it’s not even true — your first line notes your “background in swimming, rowing, marathon running, and kickboxing.” Is that really “if he can do it anyone can” baseline material?
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