The 50 Plus Male

I thought it appropriate to begin The 50 Plus Male focusing on the topic of health, specifically what it really means for a man to be deemed physically fit. After all, it’s said that if you don’t have your health, nothing else matters.

My inspiration for this post comes from an article in the April 2009 edition of Men’s Health magazine written by Christopher McDougall. I was so enthralled with the subject matter and how deftly Mr. McDougall put the reader squarely in the middle of the action, that I knew within the first four paragraphs I was going to save this article for future reference. The article centers on Erwan Le Corre and his discipline of MovNat or “Natural Movement,” which he teaches in a tiny village in the Brazilian rain forest. Le Corre is acknowledged as one of the world’s most physically fit men (this affirmation, if possible, seems modest by the time you’re done reading the article), and teaches how men who may be in amazing shape as judged by normal standards actually do not have what he calls a “smart body.” Because of this, Le Corre’s disciples (and any of us mere mortals) initially cannot come close to performing everyday movements such as running, jumping, and lifting at the incredible level demonstrated by Le Corre. The importance of this is that such movements are practical ones that we need to master in order to swiftly and confidently call on the basic physical skills needed not just in everyday life, but in dangerous situations that may call for high-risk, heroic action. The basic idea isn’t to work out for building size, but rather, as Le Corre states, to become lean, quick and incredibly mobile…what is referred to in the article as “functional fitness.” This is not what is always preached at your local gym nor does it jibe with the reason so many of us exercise, which is to just look fit, as opposed to truly being fit.

My overall health and fitness level became a key concern of mine when I turned fifty a few years ago. This wasn’t because I was in bad shape (most of my family and friends would agree I’ve kept myself in pretty decent shape), but rather because I was afraid that turning fifty was the precursor of the inevitable downfall of my general fitness level. This concern was abetted by some recent physical setbacks such as rotator cuff surgery which now prevented me from performing certain exercises (for example, overhead presses with free weights). The simple truth of the matter is that physical fitness is a primary component of maintaining the “warrior mentality” I alluded to in my previous post, and I was afraid of losing this edge. Have any of you succumbed to this apprehension? Please send your comments. In future posts, I’ll let you know how I’m trying to physically and emotionally conquer this roadblock.

-Neal