The importance of balance as you trend to older age has been mentioned in many studies. A huge amount of life-changing injuries leading to terminal decline start occurring due to trips and falls in 50+ age group. Balance is definitely a skill that can be tested, worked on and significantly improved by some very simple and safe exercises and strength development such as lying down and standing up, step ups, squatting, standing on one leg, use of a wobble board etc., which then has the benefit of counteracting some of the other causes of falls such as dizziness due to low blood pressure, muscular weakness, low level of fitness and flexibility.
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Been trying to think of some sort of TT standard of athleticism for the young bucks to aspire to when they hit 50.
Here’s my starter for 6:
- run 5km in less than 20 minutes
- bike FTP at least 4w/kg and at least 250W
- swim 400m in less than 6 minutes
- 50 press ups
- plank 5 minutes
- 10 pull ups
- body fat <15%
- row 2000m in 7m30
- HbA1c < 5.6%
- total cholesterol <4 mmol/l
- LDL cholesterol< 2 mmol/l
- hair is not white.
- have been mistaken for Brad Pitt or David Beckham (males only)
- help old ladies cross the road (old is 51+)
- never been asked if you are over 65 and therefore qualify for reduced entry fee to a private beach.
please feel free to add to the list. If anyone gets them all I’ll send them a special badge
My current score is zero btw, although haven’t given up hope of finding an old lady
oh I forgot:
- have 2 beers but wake less than 3 times in the night
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14, does my wife count?
If so, then 5, although not sure about the medical ones.
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These are in total since turning 50 right?
I wouldn’t even guess cholesterol or HbA1c. But as I limit seed oils and eat loads of butter, cream and dripping, the cholesterol is probably not low… HbA1c is more likely.
Is it any hairs on your body not white? Any hairs on your head?
But I’m not 50, so I don’t need to count anyway.
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I’m probably not doing too bad, there’s a few very closes that would be achievable if it wasn’t for injury, winter, lack of motivation! I’m sure I could get to a few with a few weeks effort.
A1C is usually a lot less than 5.6% but sometimes in a bad way! I reckon cholesterol is still around there.
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it’s going grey but still dark on top
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not me but one of the lads at work has been offered pensioners rates at swimming and the hairdressers when he was about 55
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can just about manage that! (this should be 16!!)
Anyway, you missed the real benchmark!
- Bologna in sub 17 (non-draft) and live
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10% off ish.
Run slightly less swim slightly more.
I’m not sure how many 50… ahem 55 year olds hit these?
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Obviously one after the other ?
Easy work.
The rest duck knows, or cares.
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Here, I think the 50 press ups might be “easiest” one to tick off. Might try tomorrow.
Also think body fat is probably <15% but no easy way of checking right now.
Blood tests not sure but plan to get them checked. My Mum has high cholesterol and takes a statin, it could be familial, I’m probably a bit slack not to have checked it yet. I’d take meds if high for sure.
The running riding and swimming ones feel like they might still be possible with a strong tailwind and a concerted effort, but am not in the shape I was back in UK for various reasons.
To manage 10 pull ups or the 7m30 row would definitely have to hit the PED thread. Send the testers round if I ever manage it.
Battle against white hair is rapidly being lost. Security guard asked if I was over 65 when we visited a local pay beach. Was 49 at the time so said “no, are you Taylor Swift?” (he was a large African gentleman with a full beard). The cheek. But in retrospect “yes” would have been a better answer, might have saved 5 quid. Those last couple of points were not serious though. But the first few, they kind of were.
edit: 50 press-ups done 
although shoulder was not amused. That’s two down.
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In one hit obviously ? ( press ups, not the large black guy?)
Well done.
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My other half hits all of them, other than the 250w constraint on the FTP, oh and the helping old ladies across the road, she’s 6months away from 50 though, so there could be a decline, oh actually the body fat one too I’m sure, but that’s just sexist really.
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yes good point, definitely had my man head on when posting that. Probably quite a few should be adjusted for women but how to do that? Sub 20 5km as an F45 or F50 is decent 
edit: ps which one did she get mistaken for, Brad or Becks 
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I’ve actually done more of these as it is just post-50 rather than current and I’ve got a few years head start on some of you 
I could possibly get close to the rowing one, used to do about 2.5k in 10 minutes I think without completely killing myself.
And does my swim at California count last year, there was no river assistance whatsoever 
Fairly sure I’ve done 10 pull ups as well a year or so ago.
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I did a 20:08? 5 k in a tri in the tri talk northwest sprint tri showdown 2? Years ago we’re three of us we’re within a min of each other.
My swim ( crap) and bike speeds are virtually identical and I’m slightly lighter too, a series of lower limb leg injuries has killed top end running ( OLD AGE).
I might have a crack at that row too… might help Jan.
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My list is slightly different.
- Do sporting activities that you enjoy
- Ignore pointless, arbitrary lists
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ah but what if you enjoy competitive list making?
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You need to join the dull men’s club on FB
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58 last week. Average male life expectancy = 80.9
Does that mean I am 58/80.9 % dead already (71.7%)? Gulp 
Is there even an over 60’s thread to look forward to?
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Belated HBD, but if you can avoid statistics like that we’d be grateful 
I think the over 60’s thread will be gathering momentum soon. As of Thursday I’ll be closer to my next birthday than my last
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ONS reckon life expectancy of a 58 year old man is 84
1 in 4 chance of reaching 92
1 in 10 chance of reaching 97
Although I imagine Covid changed those numbers a bit maybe…
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Woohoo, I might still have 30 years left
Of aches, pains, getting slower and pi$$ing my pants 
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Woah, and I thought I was a slow cyclist.
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