Hey Everyone,
I wanted to keep posting to share some insights into why I work out and what motivates me. First and foremost, I train to keep my body healthy. I see many of my peers in my age group starting to wither away. I know I’m an anomaly in my cohort, but there are others like me.
I’m the old guy who grinds out a workout almost every day, sometimes even twice a day. Why? To keep my joints, tendons, and muscles supple. To keep my body functioning properly and ready for whatever gets thrown at it. I hold this philosophy because, frankly, it’s the more inexpensive option. The cost of an average hospital visit in 2025 has been cited at around $3,000 for a one night stay. I actively look to save money, and working out is a cheap way for me to stay away from doctors and hospitals.
As I age, I see common issues everywhere: falls that result in broken bones (often a death sentence), dementia and cognitive decline, obesity from poor nutrition, heart conditions, depression, and cancer. Selfishly, I want to avoid these problems as much as possible. That’s why I put myself on the floor every week, to practice getting up. If I fall, I want to be ready, because I’ve practiced it and built the muscle memory. I want the muscles surrounding my bones to be my armor. They protect me.
I need the movement patterns of life squatting, lifting, rotating, walking, to serve me as I exist in the world. I’m a man who puts himself in danger from time to time, uses tools, and enjoys adrenaline coursing through his veins. I need to be available and ready at any moment.
Being the old guy who trains with men a generation or two younger, I like to measure myself against them. I can usually hold my own,Respectfully, but realistically, I know I can’t compete at 100%. Still, I’m right there. It reminds me of being a young teen, when the older boys were just a little stronger, a little faster, and had a bit more in the tank. There’s a real sense of community in that, and I firmly believe collective suffering brings people together.
That said, I do pretty well for my age, especially in a time when roughly 40% of baby boomers are classified as obese. I have to keep my cardio and strength up to keep these younger guys on their toes. And I have a wife at home, I can’t fall apart on her or the dogs.
I’m also a dad, which means the potential for grandchildren someday. I know how great my grandparents were and how much the older generation gave me. I’m entering my mid-60s now, and there are none yet. If I want to see them, God willing, I have to stay healthy and fit so I can be present and pass on what I’ve learned.
My grandpa had me steering his car at six years old, and I was practically attached to him. Both of my grandmothers were always there for me as well. I know I must stay coherent and sharp long enough to ease the burden of aging on my family. I don't want them to have to take care of me if they don’t have to. I believe working out and maintaining my fitness allows me to remain independent throughout my life.
As far as the hospital system goes, I want to stay as far away from emergency rooms and illness as possible. Accidents happen, and that’s another reason I train hard. The great “what if” do I want to be physically unprepared? Never. I want to be strong enough to survive a car accident with an airbag deployment, a slide on a gravel trail while hiking, or even a fall off a bicycle with minimal injury.
I’ve held this philosophy since I was a younger man, and the proof is in the outcome. I’m 62 years old and take 0 prescription medications. I’ve tried to eat fairly healthy, quit social smoking at 48 (less than half a pack a day), and always made fitness a priority.
Do the work. Work hard.
Thanks for stopping by the blog. If you enjoy the ramblings of a fairly sensible boomer who likes working out with maces and clubs, and manufactures them, check out the YouTube channel.
Don Giafardino