Baby Boomers' Guide to a Long Softball Life

Dec. 1, 2014 – Lisa Cachia

Baby Boomers, the set of individuals born between 1946 and 1964, are nonconformists who have been shaping and reshaping our perception of how things should be since the generation was defined.

And today, when it comes to what health and fitness looks like for individuals 50+ years of age it’s no different.

Members of this generation are living longer and healthier lives. In fact individuals 65+ years of age make up the fastest growing segment of our population. Of course modern medicine plays a role in this phenomenon but moreover it’s the changing ideas about how we can spend our golden years that is driving the trend.

There are several parts to maintaining a healthy, active life.

First, keep moving!

Staying physically active doesn’t have to be overly intense, painful or extremely time consuming. By planning for and dedicating about one hour of time to exercise almost every day the body stays in good general condition.

When thinking about how to get that exercise I suggest keeping it simple. Go for a walk, ride a bike, take a swim or hit the gym where there are more options like cardiovascular exercise equipment or age appropriate classes available.

Second, strength training is an important part of the process.

At the gym there are many machines or free weights available and classes to meet our strength training needs. If the gym is not the place for you, then incorporating some body weight exercises like push ups (full or modified), crunches of various types, squats, leg lifts, lunges and maybe a few exercises utilizing dumbbells at home is the solution.

Remember to take a few minutes or do all your cardiovascular exercise for the day before strength training. Warm muscles are more flexible and ready to work thus minimizing the risk of injury.

Senior softball players also need to stay connected to their sport particularly during the off-season. By making some of your weekly workouts specific to softball movements you’ll be more ready mentally and physically to play in the spring.

Visiting the batting cages, a simple game of catch with the kids or fetch with the dog can keep some of those skills sharpened. And if you play softball you’ve got to run a little. Warm up slow then start folding in a few short sprints (15 – 30 seconds) to keep the muscles ready for base running.

You may also consider a softball training camp. What a fun opportunity that would be to get together with peers and work on maintaining or improving sport specific skills!

In addition, taking a few minutes at the end of each workout to stretch large muscle groups and breathe deeply can round out our activity program, help us to relax and keep us injury free. Yoga can be an excellent option for everyone as it incorporates both strengthening, using only one’s body weight, flexibility and relaxation techniques into one activity.

But please warm up first!

If you are unsure about where to begin or how to take it to the next level consider speaking with a Certified Personal Trainer experienced in working with older persons to discuss ideas and options.

Scientific data has shown that maintaining a healthy body weight and remaining active physically, mentally and socially are the key ingredients for a vibrant life as we age.

And while this is certainly true it is equally important recognize and honor the real changes that occur in our aging bodies. Warm up and especially recovery time increases. There is also an unavoidable threshold beyond which we must yield and accept our body’s demand to slow down despite what our ego wants.

The good news is by taking a mindful, proactive approach to maintaining health we can keep playing for a long, long time.

If you are just beginning a new or more advance exercise program please consult your physician for a physical examination prior to your first work out.

Lisa Cachia is an ACSM Certified Personal Trainer/Group Exercise Instructor. You can reach her at benefitness@comcast.net