As is often the case, before I get to the vegetarian meat substitute of this post, I need to talk about Peloton fitness. If you're not a Peloton subscriber and want to try it out for a while, I can send you the link for a free, sixty-day trial. To be clear, you don't need to own a bike, treadmill, or rower to use the Peloton app. And if you don't have one of those machines and don't care about taking live classes, using the app costs less than $15/month. I'm a regular app user for classes in strength, yoga, outdoor running, meditation, and stretching. I don't get any kickbacks if you try it, so that's not what this is about.
Okay, now on to my topic. One of my favorite yoga instructors is Denis Morton, pictured above. He's strong and flexible, but also gentle, reminding me kindly that what my body can do today might not be the same as what it could yesterday or will tomorrow. He says, "I make suggestions; you make decisions. Make the decisions that honor your body." That sentiment seems good to keep in mind any time people are telling me what to do.
In a recent class I took with him, he talked about the extremes of flexibility and stability.
- On one end of the spectrum, everything moves easily. Flexibility allows parts to shift without strain or pain, but can leave one swaying around without structure.
- On the other end lies strength. The body is stable, solid, and firm, but also rigid and unyielding.
What people need in exercise is mobility, which falls between the two extremes. We have to use the range of motion that comes from flexibility with the toughness that comes from stability. We must be able to push against gravity far enough to make a difference.
Of course, when we apply the same logic to everything else in life, it holds. We won't have good lives if we blindly, rigidly adhere to what's comfortable and easy. Nor will our lives have meaning if we follow every whim and suggestion. We need to be able to veer off the given path and have the toughness to lift ourselves back up when we fall. In all things, balance.
What are your thoughts on flexibility, strength, and mobility? Please share them in the comments.
I’ve been reading Longevity: The Science & Art of Longevity, by Peter Attia.
I’m half way through.
VO2 max, declines roughly 10% per decade and up to 15% per decade after age of 50 (p 247/482). Mitochondrial health becomes especially important as we grow older, because one of the most significant hallmarks of aging is a decline in the number and quality of our mitochondria (p 242/482) …importance of exercising zone 2
Build up strength and flexibility in 30s+, so the aging decline still lets you do at 70-90+ the activities you enjoy as a younger person.
This is super interesting. Thanks for sharing. And it seems helpful to think that even if we’re past our 30’s, we can still get busy exercising so that we maintain as much as possible. I’ve been asking my mitochondria to do pushups all day! (So far, no answer. Alas.)