Think of developing a solid base of fitness like a really good warmup:

One to two hours of work every day—over anything else at first. It’s a lot easier to get strong when you’re able to tolerate more work, more time lifting weights, and you’re able to recover faster

 

 

Think of developing a solid base of fitness like a really good warmup: It’ll keep you safe throughout your training as you work toward more intensive, higher-impact goals. 

Address Problem Areas Right Away

Injuries need to be treated on a case-by-case basis, with guidance from a doctor and/or physical therapist, but Owen shared some general training tips for addressing three of the most common injuries in aging athletes: knee, lower back, and shoulder injuries.

Generally, knee and lower-back issues come from a weakened posterior chain—glutes, hamstrings, and calves. To address back pain specifically, Owen recommends movements like Romanian deadlifts and reverse hypers. For knee pain, it’s all about balance: strengthening your hamstrings to take the strain off overcompensating, disproportionately strong quads. Balance is also key for shoulder issues. Owen will assess the upper-back muscles to gauge which ones might be overcompensating and which need to be strengthened using the Crossover Symmetry system. 

 

 

“We need to keep people training hard and consistently. We just need to do so showing greater care and being more conservative with loading patterns and intensity.  

 compound exercises—multijoint movements that work several muscles or muscle groups at one time—and functional movement patterns that use a full range of motion.

 

three to four sessions of weight training a week

 

“Don’t stop training, ever. It is genuinely a case of use it or lose it,”  

“Have a good sleep ritual, consistently eat a nutritious diet of real food, and undertake a frequent mobility program.” 

 

 eight to ten hours of proper sleep is the most important part of recovery and training. It recharges the nervous system and rebalances hormones

but an athlete’s most valuable tool is confidence in their body’s ability to adapt. “The mind is primary, and we hold that above everything else. If you can train your mind and condition yourself to expect higher performance and hold yourself to a higher standard, the body will follow,”