Leading industry expert for the 50+, Baby Boomers, Caregivers and Mature Adults, www.alexisabramson.comGet Fifty Alerts: Sign Up
I recently read a network news article entitled "Bucket Lists Gone Bad"....the author proceeded to give examples of "when senior 'thrills' become life threatening." As a leading 50+ expert, I would suggest that this alarmist piece managed to completely marginalize anyone over 50 who might be attempting to do anything that's considered physically challenging or risk-taking.
The article cites an 80-year-old woman who barely survived a tandem skydiving attempt and a 50-year-old man who crashed a motorcycle in the dealership parking lot having had no previous experience riding a bike. Of course these types of accidents can happen, but there's no reason for anyone over 50 to swear off bucket lists filled with adrenaline-pumping activities -- at any age we have to measure the potential consequences of our actions! I went skydiving forever ago -- on my 25th birthday -- and I can promise you my heart was pounding just as hard as any octogenarians would have been!
In fact, I find the whole notion that age should be considered a severely "limiting factor" when attempting risky activities quite disturbing. Sure, if you have any health conditions check in with your doctor first -- you might be a risk taker but you're not stupid! Aspirations and goals are what make the second half of life empowering -- if you don't fulfill them what's the point of dreaming in the first place? This whole risk-averse concept goes against my 30 Bonus Years way of thinking -- I firmly believe the second half of life is a chance to explore every possible outlet one can imagine!
The woman who almost died skydiving and the man who crashed the motorcycle were either not properly trained for the tasks or there was faulty equipment. Or perhaps they were just too damn scared and not in "the moment" - if you're going to do it take it seriously. The article quotes the emergency room physician who treated the wannabe motorcyclist as saying, "If you're going to build a bucket list don't fill it with 18 different versions of Russian Roulette." Motorcycles are dangerous... regardless of what year you were born... over 4000 people die in motorcycle accidents each year -- it's clearly not the safest activity -- at any age!
The article did a nice job of homogenizing the entire 50+ generation and, in my humble opinion, by attaching such broad generalizations the author managed to suck the fun out of aging -- or living -- by singling out isolated incidents. If you want to ride a motorcycle, take a course from your local motorcycle safety course. Take time to learn the ins-and-outs of a motorcycle and join the legions of 50+ safe bikers that have a blast riding on a regular basis!
The article also quotes an AARP employee who warns about the dangers of running a marathon or competing in a Tough Mudder obstacle course race. Even a 22-year-old fitness buff can get injured doing extreme sports. So train properly, read about the best training techniques and join a group with a good coach or leader. And like anyone else, build the necessary strength and endurance your body needs to handle the rigors of the challenge.
Having worked for over two decades with both spry and sloth-like mature adults here's my advice -- PLEASE don't tear up that bucket list -- you just have to be even more studied in your approach. Be patient. Stretching and recovery cannot be skipped. In other words, prepare properly and pay attention to any old injuries that might come into play. Obey the cliche: Listen to your body. When in doubt, take it easy.
Knowing your own limits and true aspirations is also important. Don't add motorcycle riding to your bucket list if you've never really wanted to go fast on two wheels. It's just as admirable to become an expert chess player, try your hand at standup comedy or join an online dating site if you're single (that's probably the riskiest of all!!!).
Bucket lists should be a reflection of your personality. So if you've always been a competitive endurance athlete, by all means try to qualify for the Ironman triathlon and train hard for it. Don't let someone tell you it's impossible at your age -- or at any age! We simply don't have to be relegated to the sidelines just because we've had our 50th birthday -- get up and "go for the glory" golden edgers!
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Yoga offers a myriad of wellness benefits: flexibility, balance, centeredness, strength, mindfulness and others. Yoga is a great option for aging bodies, as it promotes working within your own comfort zone. Postures and sequences range from gentle and relaxing to more intensive for advanced yogis.
Another way to promote flexibility and overall health is incorporating some simple stretches into your daily routine, be it at home, at the gym or even outdoors. Stretching prevents injury, can relieve back pain and boosts energy. Note: It's important to stretch properly to avoid injury. Check out some good examples of stretches here and these common stretching mistakes.
Biking is a great low-impact, cardiovascular workout, not to mention it's a lot of fun. There are a few ways to incorporate biking into your routine. Joy rides in your free time are always a good option -- alone or with a group. You could consider joining a local bike group or riding to nearby destinations instead of taking the car. Stationary bikes also have great health benefits. Already a cycler? Here's how to get more benefit from your bike ride.
One of the most beneficial exercises is something humans have been doing for centuries: walking. Simple modifications to your routine, like parking further away and walking the extra distance or taking the stairs instead of the elevator, can really add up to boost your overall health. For an even greater benefit, take brisk walks that get your heart rate up.
Pilates is another low-impact exercise that's ideal for aging bodies. It's similar to yoga but puts more emphasis on gaining control and balance of the body by strengthening the core muscles. Pilates can be done in a class or at home with a video or other guide. This piece offers a great run-down of the activity, along with images of some classic pilates stretches and workouts.
Tennis is a classic sport, well-loved for being fun and great for you. It's a strong aerobic workout and helps keep you agile, especially important as you get older. Tennis is also a very social activity -- great for the body, mind and spirit!
Swimming is easy on the body and is also one of the most comprehensive workouts, hitting all the major muscle groups: shoulders, back, abdominals, legs, hips and glutes. If you're getting serious about swimming, it's important to learn proper techniques, but even free-styling in the local pool or outdoors in the summer is a great way to exercise.
Dancing is one of those activities that doesn't feel like working out, but is an incredible aerobic exercise. It's a good option for those that want more physical activity but don't like the gym or in the winter when it's harder to get outdoors. There are a bunch of styles to choose from: ballroom dancing, contra dancing, salsa, ballet, tap, country and others.
As the body ages, running and jogging can take a toll on the joints, knees or back and potentially cause injury. An elliptical cross-training machine is an alternative to running, which still gets your heart rate up but at a lower impact.
You can take a simple walk to the next level by bringing weights along to build strength in your arms and boost the cardio benefits. Strength-building techniques like pushups, squats and lunges are easy to do at home or can be squeezed into buckets of free time throughout the day.
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