Month #6 - Week #25

"The Weekly Workouts"

Those who've attended a "Longevity Kickstart", know that our plan involves systematically working on 10 unique attributes of fitness. We also approach each of these attributes in two separate ways; a monthly approach to help us GROW and improve in that attribute, and a more regular, weekly and daily approach. This second approach is much more casual and fun in order to maintain our fitness towards that attribute in particular (Our "Use It Or Lose It" application).

We welcome you to follow this plan as we tackle our 6th month and 25th week of a two year cycle. No worries that you're just joining us now because we'll simply be repeating the cycle for as long as we can! For more information on how the plan works, you can either schedule your "Longevity Kickstart" session (the preferred option), or you can read about it on the Methuselah Fitness Project main page entitled "A Unique Approach to Aging and Fitness". I'm certain you'll recognize that this may be the surest way to ensure that the "The Rest of Your Life, be the Best of Your Life",

Month #6 Week #25

Our Monthly Attribute for May:

As we work through this month of Agility, it's becoming obvious that there are other attributes that contribute to our ability to move and change directions in a quick and precise manner. Balance, Accuracy, Coordination & even to some extent Power, all play a hand in our ability to remain agile!

This entire month you're encouraged to do agility ladder drills, shuttle drills, dance steps and games that involve direction change and lateral movements... Outside the gym, you should play soccer (even just kicking the ball around), tennis, go dancing (Line dancing perhaps!) and simply change things up while you walk (Sidestep hills, walk sideways or even backwards if you can be careful enough!)...

Let's remember that agility is important! We know that it's not a regular element in the majority of our active pursuits as we get older, and we also know that neglecting any element of fitness for years or even decades means we're going to lose that ability!

Our Weekly Attribute for Week #25 is:

The types of work and play that are requisite for maintaining our balance through the years are also often neglected for decades at a time. We need to work on this unsung skill until we again feel comfortable enough to utilize our balance in a variety of tasks we may be called upon in our daily lives. i.e. - Putting on a pair of socks without sitting.

This week we will be engaging our balance skills through various stepping routines, walking lines, hopping tests, single foot drills, obstacle courses and various lunging & twisting challenges. We'll call upon our balance with our some Yoga poses and I may have some equipment aided challenges for you in the gym. For those following at home, check out this following section...

Your "Lifestyle Application" of Balance

The attribute of balance is best challenged through activities that fall into the realm of "play" and the list is long:

                                
• Riding a Bike
• Ice Skating
• Roller Skating
• Roller Blading
• Skateboarding
• Skiiing
• Surfing
• Wind Surfing
• Stand Up Paddle-board
• Water Skiing
• Dancing
• Slack Lining
• Yoga

And while these activities incorporate our balance in their execution, as a lifestyle, we can always be mindful to challenge ourselves to look for opportunities to test our balance. We can, for example, work our balance throughout our day by standing on one foot while in line at the bank or tackling that balance beam we come across while walking in a park or playground. Perhaps in tying our shoes or putting on our socks (After practice and with all safety in mind, of course!)

I'm sure there are many more and I'd LOVE to hear feedback and suggestions from my readers and fellow trainers.

Our Three Daily Attributes This Week

In addition to these Monthly and Weekly attributes, our "Small Group Longevity Class" will also touch on Speed, Coordination and Power for this week #25 of the program. Classes are forming now for UXL Fitness in Brunswick, Ohio... Contact me for details and times.