Slow down the aging process with a simple exercise routine

My German shepherd-border collie mix is 9 ½ years old but still acts like a puppy much of the time. She has sooooo much energy that she needs frequent exercise. Four days a week, we go for a run. On other days, she usually gets a walk.

On the day I got injured, we were running in my neighborhood when I decided to cross a busy street to take a different route. My brain craves variety that way.

My running buddy Elektra doesn’t like busy streets. She kind of freaks out. Her plan is to cross the busy street just as fast as her legs can go without any attention to the traffic. My plan is to hold her back and wait for a suitable moment.

That Friday morning, I held her leash well away from the curb and the cars flying by at 40 miles an hour as I waited for a break in the traffic. Meanwhile, she’s pulling hard, anxious to cross. Just as I begin to move to cross the street, she jerks suddenly and much harder than I expected. I trip and her momentum on the leash means I’m flying almost prone as I fall. My head, hands and knees bounce on the pavement of the sidewalk ramp to the street.

Of course I lose my end of the leash, but the dog stops right there in the middle of the street and looks back at me with surprised concern. I tell her, “come” and (thank you, Jesus) she returns to me. At least she didn’t keep barreling across the street. I half expected her to run away in her traffic-induced panic.

No, I didn’t take a picture that day. This one is from a happier outing.

A man in a little blue SUV who was preparing to turn out of our neighborhood got out of his car to check on me. He held Elektra’s leash while I inspected my bloody knee and assorted abrasions and contusions. Then he helped me up, and I hobbled home with a much more subdued canine companion.

Here’s a list of injuries: a knee that looked like raw hamburger and hurt like you know what, another throbbing knee that hurt even more to bend, a big knot on my forehead, a scrape on my chin, a skinned up hand and a badly bruised pride.

When I got home, I had tears in my eyes as I told Shawn, “That was bad, and I really hurt, but it could have been much worse.”

I found myself thanking God that I didn’t end up in the hospital or the dog didn’t get hit by a car.

I spent the rest of the day working on a big freelance writing project while propped up in the recliner with icepacks on my knees as I popped copious amounts of ibuprofen.

The head and hand injuries healed pretty quickly, but the knees took their own sweet time.

For the first week, I had trouble walking and I wore sweatpants or sweatpants disguised as dress pants (super soft fabric and elastic waist). The second week, I started walking for exercise. Then in week three, I could jog slowly and finally wear jeans again.

It’s been more than six weeks, and I still can’t kneel comfortably on my knees. That may prove problematic when we tile our bathroom floor in our big remodeling project. I bought a really nice pair of kneepads that I hope will allow me to work on my knees.

These injuries took a toll on my running and made me realize I’m not as young as I used to be. When I can’t exercise for a few weeks, I get kind of grumpy. But because of my perspective that it could have been much worse, I mostly appreciated going for a walk and later for a jog.

I’m reminded that regular exercise becomes more important as I age. Getting back into shape is much more difficult than getting out of shape (no duh).

If you’re in the habit of exercising, your body is able to recover faster. For instance, if you have a knee or hip injury, you can better support yourself while getting up if you’ve strengthened your upper body.

In case you forgot, when you hit 40, your muscle mass and bone density begin to decline (especially for menopausal women). Muscle mass declines at an alarming pace of 2 to 4 percent a year. With aging bones, osteoporosis becomes a concern. You also begin to lose elasticity in your ligaments, your lung capacity slips and your cartilage thins.

What can you do about this laundry list of ailments of aging? Some of it is just part of the price we pay for all that wisdom. At least that’s what I keep telling myself.

But we can slow down the process and improve our long-term health by developing a well-rounded exercise routine.

Exercises that help you age more gracefully

It’s mind boggling to think that in ten to 30 minutes a day, we can target different potential problem areas and improve our health over the next several decades. I ran across this inspirational quote right after New Year’s, and it certainly applies here: “Do something today that your future self will thank you for.”

Here are the most important forms of exercise for anyone over 45:

1. Weight-bearing exercise like jogging, walking, climbing stairs, playing tennis and dancing (think of that Zumba class or Jazzercise) all force you to work against gravity and improve your muscle and bone health.
2. Strength training like doing planks, squats, lunges or lifting weights (even little ones) help build stronger muscles.
3. Any aerobic exercise – all of those in no. 1 plus cycling and swimming – improves your cardiovascular health, your lung capacity and, again, strengthens muscles.
4. Stretching exercises like those that work your quadriceps and hamstrings, shoulder rolls, side stretches. Yoga and Pilates have a lot of great stretches, and there are plenty of short stretching workouts you can find on YouTube that will target different areas. The best time to stretch is after you exercise because your muscles are already warmed up. Stretching helps maintain the mobility of your thinning ligaments. I find that my hips get really tight, and I want to make a point of sitting cross-legged on the floor each week so I don’t lose the ability to do that.
5. Deep breathing exercises help maximize your lung capacity and have the added benefit of calming your nerves and lowering your blood pressure.

I’m really preaching to myself right now. After doing my posture challenge last year and using a strength-training or stretching video most every week over the summer, I realized I’ve only been jogging and walking lately.

On days I don’t have time for a morning run, I can do my 15 minute workout DVD or find some simple stretches or yoga on YouTube. I can spend a few minutes stretching before bed.

Here’s something to shoot for: the American Academy of Family Physicians recommends a total of 150 minutes of moderate aerobic activity per week. But don’t think that because you don’t have that amount of time to devote to exercise, you just won’t do anything. Ten minutes a day is better than nothing.

If you’re not in the habit of exercising, start by taking a short walk. And if you’ve got a rambunctious dog to walk, you might want to consider wearing kneepads.

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Related links:

Tips for better running after 40

How exercising in cold weather super charges your workout

30 day posture challenge begins

Posture challenge wrap up

We’re still good running buddies, but we’re driving to the park to run or staying on side streets.