Strong and Vital No 1

Edi torial

How can we motivate older people to start exercising , which is vital for our survival?

Here is my first editorial in English for the STRONG and VITAL online magazine. Back in 2007, I not only wrote an editorial for the English edition of Strenflex Fitness Sport magazine (one-off edition, otherwise only in German), but also printed the entire magazine in English. Once I even published a 100-page issue of FITNESS TRIBUNE in language of Shakespeare. The older I get, the more I realise that I only feel comfortable among like-minded people my own age. Young people think they know everything better. It is their right, I was like that too. What has bothered me all my life, even though I have been working in my beloved fitness gym in dustry for over 50 years now, is the fact that it is difficult to motivate people to exercise, especially to do weight training. I have tried to convince so many people in my circle of friends and family how important muscle training is for the human body and for health. Unfortunately, most of them preferred to believe their doctors. Today, some of these doctors, including certain acquaintances, are in their 70s and 80s and need a walker to be able to stroll or find themselves in a wheelchair in an institution for the elderly. 90 per cent of interventions to help the elderly occur because the assisted person does not have sufficient muscles to get up independently from bed, chair or toilet. In this respect, the Japanese are several decades ahead of us. Some 20 years ago special muscle training centres were opened for this age group. Today there are thousands of them where 70 plus trainers help Japanese men and women over 70 up to centenarians to rebuild their muscles through personal training so that they can continue to live independently at home. Japan counts now over 100’000 centenarians.

A few weeks ago, I accompanied a 78-year-old friend to a fitness centre and asked the instruc tor to follow him through the training programme because he was a new client. Now, after five trai ning sessions, my friend starts to get motivated because he realises that muscle training gives him strength for everyday life. But above all it helps him deal with lurking depression thanks to the release of myokines (messenger substances, including happiness hormones). Train your muscles 2 to 3 times a week for just 20-30 minutes, but please do it intensively like a competitive athlete, because our bodies can with stand much more than we want to admit. Yours Jean-Pierre

Jean-Pierre Leonhard Schupp Born 1954, Biological age "54", Health expert, book author, 5th Dan Black Belt Karate/kick-boxing, Curriculum vitae and contact; info@strongandvital.com

STRONG and VITAL No. 1 - 2024

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