CORE MUSCLE STRENGTH

Thanya Sawangjareanwat who at age 42 is a hard core fitness and yoga freak and

prize winning marathon runner introduced me to "The Plank"… a 60 second isometric exercise for strengthening your core muscles (around your back,, sides and stomach – the principle muscles that support movement).

OK, it looks REALLY easy and I’m a bodybuilder – piece of cake, or so I thought!

Just try it, exactly as shown in the photo. Similar to a press up, but rest on your elbows with your hands clasped in prayer! Straighten your body off the ground so a straight line runs from the top of your head along your back (don’t sag or stick it up in the air!) to your feet which are up on the toes.

Hold it and breathe normally.

Easy huh? I leg press 660 pounds and I’m here to say this is a worse killer. Do it for one minute. Most beginners won’t make it. If you can, then build up to 3 sets of a minute each. Start variations like the side or back plank. Raise your legs alternately. Check it out on the Web for lots of info. One good site is http://www.sportsmedicine.about.com

This is a great exercise for flattening the abs, building strength and becoming more agile. When you think you can, try this test for core muscle strength and stability designed by Brian Mackenzie , a senior athletics coach (UKA 4) with UK Athletics, the United Kingdom's National Governing body for Track and Field Athletics.

Conducting the Mackenzie Test

1. Position the watch or clock where you can easily see it (I like it just above my clasped hands)
2. Start in the Plank
   Hold for 60 seconds
3. Lift your right arm off the ground
   Hold for 15 seconds
4. Return your right arm to the ground and lift the left arm off the ground
   Hold for 15 seconds
5. Return your left arm to the ground and lift the right leg off the ground
   Hold for 15 seconds
6. Return your right leg to the ground and lift the left leg off the ground
   Hold for 15 seconds
7. Lift your left leg and right arm off the ground
   Hold for 15 seconds
8. Return you left leg and right arm to the ground
9. Lift your right leg and left arm off the ground
   Hold for 15 seconds
10. Return to the Plank
    Hold this position for 30 seconds

Results

• Good Core Strength
  If you can complete the test fully, you have good core strength.

I guarantee you are going to find this incredibly difficult, But without core strength, none of your other exercises are really going to help with all round fitness. Focus on core strength and everything else falls into place.

Photo courtesy from www.funfitnesssolutions.com

FITNESS PAST FIFTY

fitnesspastfifty.com seems a very simple and easy-to-use portal to a huge range of other dedicated fitness sites. No information is given about who runs this service and its free, but it includes main menus on Fitness, Yoga, Fitness Equipment, Pilates, Home Fitness, Products and Videos.

Under the Fitness Equipment menu, for example, you get links to machines and equipment and manufacturers. If I click the Strength Training button, this will take me to another links menu with clicks for Strength and Conditioning, Weight Training and other......... Someone has put a lot of work into this; great site, thanks! Check out the link to fitnesspastfifty.com on the right

ENERGY, STAMINA AND STRENGTH

These three practical/tactical topics are the fundamentals of physical (and mental) fitness. This blog is about both physical and mental health - including spiritual fitness - but the basic groundwork is keeping yourself physically fit.

The key message is: you can keep fit, strong and active well into old age!

There is no need to get decrepit... but there are lots of folks who are physically dysfunctional in their 39s and 40's..... you wouldn't neglect your car, so why neglect the vehicle for the most precious things you have - your mind and your spirit?

Under these three heads of ENERGY, STAMINA AND STRENGTH we cover a huge variety of topics including:

• Extreme sports (including marathons)
• Nutrition and food supplements
• Running/jogging/walking
• Golf
• Swimming
• Aerobics
• Cycling
• Fitness centres and gyms
• Resistance training and bodybuilding (Yes, you CAN - well into later life!)

..............and a few more as they come to mind

By the way....... practical/tactical activities that help with integrated mind and body well-being such as yoga and martial arts are covered as a separate category - we haven't forgotten them.

OVERVIEW and GOALS

The goal of this blog is to provide a focal point for Baby Boomers to learn and exchange ideas about mind-body fitness over 50.

The target audience is for those born between 1946 and 1964 - the Baby Boom Generation. For more information check out The Boomer Initiative (formerly the American Association of Baby Boomers) – a non-profit organization that addresses the challenges of the members of this vast generation and the challenges of the generations to follow (see link on the right).

The BB Generation is focused on internally directed values such as:

• age acceptance
• gains in stamina and energy
• preventing age-related illness
• mental and spiritual well-being

The blog has three main parts, two on this page and one on another page.

On this page:

- FITNESS FORWARDS - practical/tactical activities that deal with energy, stamina, strenght and mind and body well-being

- FIT PEOPLE - the experiences and profiles of inspirational people who plan to be fit as they get older or people who can help you stay fit

On the next page:

- THINK FIT - ideas, books, reviews and more links to useful websites - you get to this material by hitting the link to Think Fit on the right of this page

Each post is labelled with one of these three categories so you can reach the subject areas easily by clicking in the column on the right. Then just follow your interests.

SITE MAP - Click on the link on the right side of the page to see this map

We also want to hear from you. Comment on the posts or contact us at bbgeneration@quartermaines-world.com

Acknowledgement: the BBGeneration logo of the two runners was kindly provided free by PaulPePro at www.flickr.com/photos/paul-suew/ who has lots of cool photos about jogging. We have no idea who the two people are, but they capture the spirit of what this blog is about, so thanks to them and to Paul.