Issue 123

December 2014

Age eventually catches up with all of us. Find out how to maintain your edge as the years tick by  

Kevin Kearns

S&C coach to 15 UFC, WEC, Bellator and Strikeforce fighters, each issue he presents his best training tips

Let’s face facts here, we’re all getting older. I like to say more seasoned, like a good stew or a fine wine, but Mother Nature wants you to kick the bucket to make way for the next generation. 

However, we can manipulate many variables so we can slow down the ageing process. There are ways to train smarter, not harder, and stay healthy.  

How do I know? Because I live it every day. I turned 48 in the summer. To put that into perspective my father passed when he was 48. Times have changed. People in general are more health conscious. I’ve been working out faithfully for 35 years and been training people since 1987, so you could say I have some knowledge and flight time. 

Seven years ago one of my top clients passed away due to cancer. He was a great mentor and friend. I started training him when he was 70 and he only stopped when he was 77 due to his disease. 

In a single week, at 70 years old, he would train three times with me, play singles tennis twice and walk twice for an hour. He could hit pads for five three-minute rounds after a Burn With Kearns workout. 

He used to say it was all about moderation, but what counts for moderation at 30 is different than at 40, and so on. He made it to 80 years old and I believe he would have made it to 100.

You can still build muscle mass at any age and keep Mother Nature at bay. The following eight tips will help you keep going until you’re old and gray.

1 EVERYTHING IN MODERATION 

My client’s mantra. The principle is simple. You need to treat your body like a temple. What you put in is what you get out. But don’t be afraid to treat yourself either.

2 LESS IS MORE

High-intensity training has been around for a long time. Training harder for a shorter time is a good way to keep up your physical fitness while you go through the daily grind of life. Plus, it means your days of putting hours into the gym will come to an end. 

3 CHANGE IS GOOD

Mix it up. The words I absolutely loathe in fitness are “I usually” and “I always”. Mix it up. I got plantar fasciitis (joggers heel) from running concrete stairs three to four times a week for an hour. Yoga fixed it and I could run trails within a year. It was the best decision I ever made for longevity. 

4 DON’T KILL IT EVERY DAY 

We all think we need to crush ourselves during workouts, but the fact that you’re working out should be enough. If you don’t have an hour, train for 30 minutes. It’s better than nothing. 

5 TRY SOMETHING NEW

Joseph Pilates (the inventor and driving force behind the Pilates system) was ahead of his time and could have competed in multiple athletic endeavors. In the ‘70s, football players took ballet to help with their balance, agility and flexibility. Think outside the box.

6 MIX HARD WITH SOFT

I like using steel and iron, but I 

also get a great workout from resistance bands. Try using a band workout the day after a heavy weights session. There’s a reason why so many people practise Tai Chi in China.

7 LISTEN TO YOUR BODY

If running on a hard surface hurts, try trail running, or hiking. If you’re having problems with box jumps, swap the box for a high-quality fitness trampoline like those from JumpSport, or try them on sand at the beach. 

8 DIET 

As you age, you either have to maintain activity and decrease calories, or increase activity and maintain calories. We lose muscle mass as we age. Mix up your foods and eat differently each day because you need to keep your metabolism on its toes too.