71 years of age - 1000 Consecutive Days!! « ira's abs

1000 Consecutive Days!! « ira's abs:

71 years of age

1000 Consecutive Days!!

Last night at midnight, after playing tennis for two hours until 8:15 pm, eating, driving home and digesting my meal, I did 12 1/2 minutes of abs crunches. It was the 1000th day in a row that I have done some muscle-building exercise for 5-20 minutes. Tennis and squash don’t qualify. I have proven to myself and others that I CAN be disciplined enough to make myself do this. No matter if I was in a tent in Mongolia or on vacation in Europe or Japan.

I am extremely proud of the self-confidence I have acquired in the process. Yes some friends, like one who was a dancer and stretches or moves an hour a day quite often, are not impressed. But this was a supreme challenge to me for decades, because months would go by in the old days in which I did absolutely nothing.

No more. It is a regular and essential part of my life. I fantasized about stopping now that I have reached this incredible marker. But I decided that would be dumb, having made it this far. Now to think about what may be next. A tougher challenge?

Whatever takes discipline, I now know that I have quite a bit…

Tags: 1000 days of consecutive exercising, discipline, exercise

Today I am 71 years old and have been writing on this web site for exactly three years. Although the age number sounds ancient—and I am definitely a little scared to be this old—I am thrilled beyond anything you can imagine that I have survived at all for one more year. And I am still enjoying good health. I remain grateful for so many parts of my life, and I am constantly reminded by less fortunate friends—and strangers read about and seen in media—how really crappy life CAN be and actually IS for vast numbers of humans. Of course I have setbacks and disappointments, struggles, anxieties and fears. But they are in the past, and as much as possible, I keep on looking forward. But I credit much of the progress to chance, luck and good genes. All around me are contemporaries who have had serious illnesses, injured their limbs or were born with organs that let them down. Some of these incidents might have been prevented if they’d eaten less or exercised more or paid a bit more attention. But a few are sick, because their military service resulted in exposure to toxic chemicals. Maybe, like my father, they looked left instead of right and were hit by a car…or like a friend who looked straight ahead and broke legs, when he fell through a hole in a roof. Others went on vacations to remote places and came back with lifelong diseases. Life can be so cruel.  When I was working full-time, I almost never exercised. I just couldn’t make time for it. It’s only now that I am semi-retired, and not forced to work eight-plus hours every day, that I finally have the psychological strength and time to exercise and play sports. Many friends have been enjoying the gym and sports their whole lives. They had to do this. It was not a choice. It is who they are. And when you exert yourself like that, you will have injuries, soreness, and wear out your body. So by age 71 or younger, they are no longer able to participate.

Fortunately, my genes, my attitude, my diet and now my physical activities have brought me to this wonderful, but totally ridiculous, place, where I care about six-packs, tennis swings and low cholesterol. I want to be fully alive, and good health is the highest priority. I have been sick and confined to hospitals. Without health, you just can’t partake in many of life’s activities. If these words help guide you to a fuller, lengthier and satisfied life, I would love to hear about it. I don’t know how I became who I am. But here I am, making the most of a blessed journey.

Now you can upload your story and photos. Be an inspiration to those interested in fitness and a physical life. People want to hear about your athletic success or progress toning muscles. Go to the blue “WRITE YOUR STORY” page button to learn how your sports achievements can be up on the site.

My name is Ira, and on my 68th birthday (4/09) I decided to make a six-pack. I have always been a strong believer in good health. But I disliked exercise. In June 2007, I started playing tennis and joined a gym for the first time. A shoulder injury (too many pull ups and chin ups) ended the gym sessions after two years, but I also began playing squash in the summer of 2009. I get plenty of cardio on the courts.

All the years I’d been busy making a living, I didn’t realize that millions of people were working out regularly and challenging themselves athletically after work and on weekends. I was awed with some of the accomplishments I heard about. So I started this site: to share tales by ordinary people who love recreational sports; to describe their activities, so that you can learn how to do them yourself; and to talk about health, fitness, diet and acquiring skills and attitudes that will enhance your performance and many other parts of your life.