Retiree keen to keep fit

[rainbowgirl28]

http://albert-and-logan.whereilive.com. ... -keep-fit/

Retiree keen to keep fit

27 Oct 08 @ 08:52am by Rhys O'Neill
Retiree keen to keep fit

Powering along . . . Peter Moore with his medals and weights. Picture: Derrick Tonkin

AT 79, Eagleby’s Peter Moore says he is as fit as he has ever been.
With a daily exercise routine and boasting several weightlifting titles, not many dare bet against him.
Originally from Plymouth in England’s south, the ex-RAF and civil service employee has spent the past 34 years in South-East Queensland.
In that time, he has continued a strict training routine adopted as a 17-year-old.
In 1956, he was crowned civil service weightlifting champion of Great Britain, a title he claims was the result of his hard-working childhood.
``I get it from my mother,’’ he said. ``I learned a lot when I was young, and I haven’t been silly in my life I don’t drink and I don’t smoke.
``When I joined the air force, they asked me to train.
``Now I do five exercises a day. I’m as fit as a fiddle, and I will weight train until I die.’’
Moore’s love of slogging it out in the gym soon turned from a hobby into passion.
In 1994, aged 65, he claimed a silver in Brisbane’s Masters Games for weightlifting, and was good enough for a fifth place across all ages.
Moore’s remarkable achievements saw him chosen to carry the 2000 Olympic Games torch through Logan. Two years later at the Asia Pacific Masters Games, he stumbled on to pole vaulting.
Never one to shy away from a challenge, he admits he ``didn’t do too well in the first jump’’.
``I was watching the old fellas pole vault and I thought `I can do that’,’’ Moore said.
He went on to claim gold in the 72-75 age group, vaulting 2.60m just six months later.
``Now I want to break the world record (1.30m) when I’m 90 and I always achieve what I want,’’ he said.
Moore, who has been married to wife Maureen for 47 years, hopes his efforts will inspire other retirees.
``You get to 45 or 50 and you end up with a pot belly,’’ he said.
``I want to see everybody, not just old people, getting out there and getting fit.
``You can never retire from keeping your body healthy.’’
The great-grandfather will miss next month’s Gold Coast Masters due to a prior engagement.
However, he insists his best is yet to come.

[Livininthepast]

I don't know how you do it!
My achilles tendons have been sore, I pull my hammys all the time. I tore my biceps tendon flex vaulting. I am only 49. I have givenup.
It must be good genetics, or perhpas not taking time off to allow the old age stuff to set in.

Perhaps I will try ot work out more. I have given up vaulting for fear of further old man injuries.

I only coach now

[souleman]

Livinthepast, you may have been approaching vaulting the same way you did "in the past". That's where most of us geezers get hurt. We forget that we have an 18 year old brain sitting on top of these "experienced" bodies. When we were 18 we could jump all day every day. The "one more jump" or "can't end on a miss" mentality is what gets us in trouble every time. I've often said that we have 3 areas of consideration in pole vaulting at this age. First, is the guys that we are competing against, second, is ourselves and our striving for "comeback" PR's and third (and the most important at our age) is figuring out how far we can take our bodies on a particular day. Keep in mind that every day will be different and you actually have to "plan" ahead and during the vault sessions or competitions for the third consideration. There have been some days that I have been able to take 20 runs down the runway and others that I've only been able to take 5. Some weeks that I have been able to jump 3 times in the week and others just once or not at all. The key is knowing when to stop and for that matter when to start. The mental game really needs to kick in at our age from a standpoint of remembering what I'll call the 65-100 principle. Simply put, a 65% effort up in the ol' mellon applies a 100% effort and strain on the body. You are right about genetics. Some guys and gals have aged better than some of us. The arthritis hasn't kicked in yet and so forth. On the other hand, If vaulting is a passion, we that have it find a way to jump even if it's just a little and are OK with our lower than lifetime bests. We'd love to have you back but you are the keeper of your body and you know what you can and cannot do. Good luck..............Later...............Mike

[Bubba PV]

Very well put Mike!! Happy Thanksgiving to all. Bubba

PS - just got a cortisone shot Tuesday in my elbow where my tricep attaches. Just another ding from not listening to my body.