Regular exercise is essential for better living, at any age, and can adapt to different stages of life.<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/li>\n The passing of time should not be fought, but accompanied with awareness, movement and care of one’s body.<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/li>\n Inspirational models, such as Dick Van Dyke, show that training can be an act of autonomy, vitality and personal challenge.<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n <\/p>\n E<\/span>veryone has their own role models\u2014someone they\u2019d like to become, the kind of person they aspire to be, the book they dream of writing. These are powerful personal references. They act like beacons, helping guide us through life.<\/p>\n I\u2019ve decided that my beacon\u2014at least as far as the IRS is concerned\u2014is Dick Van Dyke. Maybe the name doesn\u2019t ring a bell, but unless you\u2019ve been living in a cave for the past\u2026 70 years, you\u2019ve seen him. He danced across London rooftops with Mary Poppins and sang with animated penguins.<\/p>\n He was born in 1925. And now, in 2025, he\u2019s about to turn 100. One hundred. And get this\u2014he still trains every day. Not to become a bodybuilder or crush a 10K. He trains to live better. Or in his case, to keep living well. Which, let\u2019s be honest, is a pretty rare goal to be chasing at that age.<\/p>\n As he puts it:<\/p>\n AT 30, I WAS TRAINING TO LOOK MY BEST. AT 50, TO BE FIT. AT 70, TO AVOID BEING BEDRIDDEN. AT 80, TO LIVE WITHOUT ASSISTANCE. NOW, AT 99, I DO IT OUT OF SHEER CHALLENGE.<\/b><\/b><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n Just to see if he can still do it. To be able to say, \u201cI\u2019m still here, and I\u2019m training.\u201d That\u2019s why I want to be like Van Dyke. Because he gets something a lot of people miss: movement is fuel. It\u2019s gas in the car of life. Don\u2019t move, and you stall. Keep moving, and you keep going.<\/p>\n And let\u2019s be clear\u2014this isn\u2019t superhero stuff. This is regular person stuff. Stuff for people like you and me.<\/p>\n Your body changes. Of course it does. It\u2019d be weird if it didn\u2019t. By your 30s, you start losing muscle mass. Recovery after a run gets slower. Your joints start talking back when you tie your shoes or take the stairs. And one day, you get up from the couch and hear yourself say, \u201cOpl\u00e0.\u201d<\/p>\n You\u2019ll remember that moment forever. And it can teach you one of two things\u2014totally opposite lessons:<\/p>\n \u201cWelp, I\u2019m getting old.\u201d <\/i><\/i>or \u201cOkay, time to take action.\u201d<\/i><\/i><\/p>\n Because there\u2019s always<\/i> something you can do. It\u2019s not inevitable decline. It\u2019s a transition. And like any transition, you can go with it\u2014or get dragged by it.<\/p>\n So what\u2019s the difference-maker? Training. But the smart kind.<\/p>\n In your 20s, four hours of sleep, pizza for dinner, and a quick sprint can make you feel like a Greek god.<\/p>\n In your 30s, you start to realize warming up isn\u2019t just for wimps.<\/p>\n By 40, your body starts making noises. Little ones at first. Then more. Then it sounds like a haunted house every time you stand up.<\/p>\n But here\u2019s the good news: you can adapt. Training doesn\u2019t have to be hardcore. It just has to be smart.<\/p>\n In your 50s, it\u2019s less about chasing a personal best (though, let\u2019s be honest, you\u2019ll still try sometimes). It\u2019s more about steady, intentional movement\u2014staying strong and staying mobile.<\/p>\n In your 60s, the focus shifts again. It\u2019s about balance, avoiding aches, and just feeling<\/i> alive. Like oiling the hinges of a door\u2014you help it last longer, and it opens better. That \u201coil\u201d is using your body. Smartly, but consistently.<\/p>\n Some people train for races. Some for weight loss. Some just want to climb stairs without wheezing like they\u2019re scaling Everest. And some train to stay in control. To pick up a grandkid. Carry groceries. Get off the couch without fearing they\u2019ll sink into it like a beanbag that\u2019s given up.<\/p>\n The muscle you build today? That\u2019s tomorrow\u2019s safety net. The heart you challenge now? That\u2019s what\u2019ll carry you forward.<\/p>\n Training, once you\u2019re past your twenties, is like putting money in a savings account. You\u2019re investing in future you.<\/p>\n At 35, it all still feels easy. But that\u2019s when the real choice starts: do you want to keep<\/i> feeling good in 10 years? Then mix it up.<\/p>\n At 45, you start to value flexibility. Not just physical\u2014mental, too. You can\u2019t do everything like before. But you can do it better. With more focus. More awareness. You realize your energy isn\u2019t limitless, so you spend it wisely.<\/p>\n By 55, your 5K time doesn\u2019t matter as much. What matters is whether your back hurts.<\/p>\n And at 60, you realize Pilates isn\u2019t just for influencers with cute mats\u2014it\u2019s your spine\u2019s new best friend.<\/p>\n It all comes down to balance. Find something you enjoy. That feels good. That doesn\u2019t drain you but refuels you. Something you want to keep doing. Not something you dread like a dentist visit with no anesthesia.<\/p>\n Forget \u201cI have to\u201d\u2014go for \u201cI need this because it feels right.\u201d<\/p>\n It\u2019s never too late. Some folks start running at 50 and fall in love with the grind. Others discover power walking at 60 and get more toned than they were at 30. And yeah, some train every morning at 99\u2014just like Dick Van Dyke.<\/p>\n So no\u2014age isn\u2019t an excuse. It\u2019s just a variable. A clue that helps you figure out how<\/i> to move. Not if<\/i> you should move. And let\u2019s be real: working out makes you feel alive. Like that moment Van Dyke sang with Chris Martin, in a Spike Jonze video.<\/p>\n (Go watch it. You\u2019ll cry. Fair warning.)<\/p>\n
\n\n
Time isn\u2019t the enemy\u2014it\u2019s a reminder<\/b><\/h3>\n
Every age needs its own kind of training<\/b><\/h3>\n
Training doesn\u2019t just extend life\u2014it improves it<\/b><\/h3>\n
How to move between 35 and 60 (without breaking yourself)<\/b><\/h3>\n
\n
Time passes. But you decide how to spend it<\/b><\/h3>\n