“I Can’t Do That Anymore!”

Ever watched someone doing something and thought, “I can’t do that” or “I can’t do that anymore.” Unfortunately, age seems to make “I can’t anymore” a readily available excuse for not trying. And, before you jump on me about trying to do something that can get you hurt (i.e., backflips off a 50m ledge into a river), I am not talking about doing the insane. I am talking about doing squats, running, playing sports, and getting stronger, in other words, getting fit.

 I’m not sure how often I have said, “when I was younger, I could…, but I can’t anymore,” or “ I am too old to…now.” But, of course, I have justification for my apprehension. I tore an Achilles tendon when I was 28 playing softball, and I have strained about every leg muscle possible trying to run. Sound familiar? I am sure I’m not the only one who has slowed down because hurting is no fun! However, I have learned that I don’t have to give up living because I am getting old. 

Here’s the deal, friends, my injuries were not a direct result of aging. Instead, they were the outcomes of being deconditioned, and I did not know it until recently. 

About four years ago, I started functional fitness, i.e., CrossFitting, and it has opened my eyes to the possibilities of my newfound physical capabilities. 

Over the last few years, I am amazed at how many times I discovered I could do something I thought I was too old to do. For example, I have run a 5k and a 10k. I know; running these distances may not seem like a remarkable feat, but they are meaningful to me. You see, I could barely run over a mile without my knees screaming at me. I believed I couldn’t complete a 5k because of old arthritic knees, but then one day, I did. It wasn’t my knees holding me back. It was the belief I was too old to improve.

Another example is playing basketball. I thought my days on the court were long past me. There was no way my legs could hold up to cutting, running, and jumping, and I was envious of all the old guys that could. Then one day, I picked up the basketball and started to play in a pick-up game. Amazingly, I could cut, run, jump, and play without fear of going to an early grave.

Why am I telling you this? It’s not because I want to shout my exploits from the top of the roof with a “hey, look at me now” attitude. I simply want to point out the fact that if I can do it, so can you. No excuses! No more “I am too old.” Get out and live life. Prepare yourself physically and do what you want to do.