My husbands an ex-body builder. I say this with an annoyed ‘eye-roll’! Oh the arguments! And ‘near on divorce scenarios’ we’ve had over the years with his body-building obsession.
And yes I know I’m supposed to be supportive of my partners interests….blah, blah, blah…but….! Urgh. Don’t get me started on this sport!
Our life is so much sweeter when he trains, but eats freely. Indulges in his massive sweet tooth and enjoys a few beers. He says I’m the only woman he knows who is constantly telling her partner to go out and have a few drinks!
Anyway he still lifts heavy, heavy weights. And sends me video evidence of his weight defying gym achievements. Yet he always has an issue lifting my 30 kilo suitcase off the luggage carousel! WTF! Or helping me move a heavy pot plant from a shady spot in the garden to a sunnier location! Oh the inconvenience!
He’s fit and strong but doesn’t always like to exert himself with non-gym related activities! But his muscles do come in handy as a deterrent in tricky “don’t mess with us” travel situations!
He’s 40 kilos heavier than me. And if we happen to do a bit of playful wrestling…. he’s always amazed at how strong I am!
Even I surprise myself sometimes with how capable I am. Particularly lifting and moving heavy things on my own. “Ooooh look at me” I think “Who needs a man!”
And it’s ALL core strength! I don’t lift massively heavy weights. But I’ve trained my body to be CORE strong. And that…makes you strong all over!
Build a Strong CORE…
Your core is everything from your shoulders to your butt – excluding your arms. Basically, the trunk of your body.
If you haven’t placed much emphasis in the past on keeping this part of your body strong, long and flexible. Then NOW is the time to build a strong CORE!
All your organs are housed here….and like the rest of you, they’re ageing daily. You don’t need me to tell you how unforgiving your body is in this age bracket. So they need all the support they can get.
I’m not going to dissect all parts of your core. But I want to touch briefly on two. Your spine and your butt muscles!
Your Spine….
If your spine starts to round over and you lose that beautiful natural curve in it…
- It compresses your diaphragm. You won’t be able to breathe calmly and deeply. Straight away this puts pressure on your heart and all your vital organs.
- This compression also puts downward pressure on your pelvic floor. Which is not what you want post 50!
And on a side note…… if you’re gripping through your stomach all the time. Constantly trying to hold your stomach in during the day. Or wearing pants that are digging into you. That gripping action pushes up on your diaphragm. Compressing it and restricting your breathing.
AND it also puts downward pressure on your pelvic floor. Compressing and restriction it too! Everything we want to avoid in this sometimes tricky age bracket!
Feel like you’re becoming more injury prone? Want to massively minimise the aches and pains in your neck, shoulders and back? Start lengthening and strengthening the muscles that support your spine.
Hunching and bad posture will age you. And if that’s not much of a deterrent for you, then think of the above. And the pressure your spine is putting on other areas of your body.
Your Glutes (butt, derriere)…..
Sleepy butt muscles happen over 50. It’s a fact. Lower oestrogen levels mess with the fullness and perkiness of your butt muscles. And it’s a fact you need to accept. Then you CAN and should, start to turn it around.
Your butt muscles affect nearly every part of your body if they’re not firing up as needed. It’s NOT just about an aesthetic thing! They’re there to support your hip joints, lower back and your whole pelvic floor.
And straight away it will mess with your knee joints if this 3 part muscle group isn’t working correctly. You want these muscles to be switching on and off as needed. Not in a constant state of gripping! That gripping will put too much pressure on your hip joints and pelvis.
You CAN easily strengthen and lengthen the CORE of your body with dynamic movements. Let me show you how…with my CoreStrength50plus programs.
Movements that replicate how you move during the day. And movements that make you strong and long and build a strong CORE. Without you being totally conscious that, that’s what you’re actually doing! All in a 20 minute workout. Workouts that are challenging and fun FOR women over 50!