Patriot Health Digest
From his early time as the Austrian Oak to his time as one of Hollywood’s top leading men to his stint as Governor, Arnold Schwarzenegger has learned a lot during his fifty years in the public spotlight. In his most recent newsletter, he replied to a fan question about how aging has changed him, both mentally and physically.
“Physically, you must accept reality and do your best,” he said. “It is always hard to accept that you are not where you once were… Over 2,000,000 people in America over 65 have depression. I believe a lot of that comes from the hormonal changes that leads to us losing muscles over time. The anti-aging market worldwide is worth over 58 billion dollars. That’s a huge amount of folks trying to keep their youth.”
He also gave some practical advice for making changes to your exercise routine that will aid you in training more safely and avoiding injuries as you age.
“I have chosen to adapt to my age, making my workouts different and focus on keeping myself lean, and avoiding injury,” he says. “This is why I have moved from my free weights and now stick to workout machines.” Schwarzenegger said he made this change in 2012, and he is not the only one: during a recent discussion with Mr. Olympia Frank Zane, he revealed he also switched to weight machines as compared to free weights after reaching 70.
Schwarzenegger adds that he still works out each day since it is what makes him feel joy, even if his sessions look much different than what they used to. “I am addicted to the gym, and I must start my day training,” he states. “So even if my body won’t react like it did when I was young, I can still keep as much muscle as I can and it gives me joy.”
“I feel a lot smarter than I was years ago, because I have read more, I have met more people, I’ve become wiser, I have learned from my success, and I have learned from my mistakes,” he states. “Today, at 74, I am fighting for a clean environment. And I have learned that life is about giving back, since in the end, we don’t get judged for our wealth, but by how much we have given back. It’s not only about me, it’s about all of us. In these ways, my life has only gotten much more fulfilling.”
Author: Scott Dowdy
