Fitness and Guidance

I have to admit that when I was younger I didn’t think much of all the things that have happened to me that made me so grateful.

No, it’s not about aging or anything about that, although the longer you go the more they become more apparent.

They’ve really added up and the more recent ones loom large.

There are many things that have kept me going strong and that’s where my thoughts land today.

I never worked out in my youth. I mean never, into my 40’s, 50s and 60’s.

That’s a lot of years where only time on a treadmill, occasional running, and that kind of stuff, valuable as it is, was all I did.

Jamie introduced me to supervised workouts by a trainer to improve my muscle tone in my shoulder, back, arms, legs, and core, agility etc, and  it’s become my most important to-do item on my schedule.

Before I go on, I am aware that there are many people who don’t have the budget to pay trainers every time they want to go to the gym.

But a one or two time visit to an instructor can give you a path to working out that can accomplish what you require.

When I am in Alexandria Bay, NY in the summer, my go-to guy is Gary Bass, who runs Thousand Islands Fitness.

He knows what I can do and not do, and in my hour-plus time with him several times a week, he knows the apparatus, weight for each, and number of reps I should tackle.

He has kept me strong and fit and there is nothing else I can do that matches my sessions under his tutelage.

When my time is up, I leave feeling better, stronger, and yes, tired, but in a good way.

Gary has taught me what activities to follow when I am on a trip and don’t have someone to watch over me.

The key is never to overdo anything. Don’t do too many weights. Don’t do too many repetitions. Sometimes less is more. Use common sense.

You’ll know how much and how long you should go.

This isn’t groundbreaking news but the name of the game is to keep moving.

If all you desire is to take a nice long walk, do it.

Whatever it is to have you keep moving, do it.

Golf and tennis are enjoyable pastimes and, they too, keep you moving, but in different ways.

Like mostly all golfers, I seek ways of getting better. But I no longer go crazy searching the internet for the latest swing thought, or secret move that will transform your game dramatically.

I found it years ago with the Easiest Swing, devised by the late Englishman Brian Sparks, who handed the baton to his brother Philip.

One of Brian’s “coaches”, was a man named Julian Mellor, who has advanced the original theory with his Proper Golfing school in Great Britain.

What’s caught my eye was the emphasis on the ease of a natural swing with no tension.  It results in a smooth, moving, execution to the finish, without the technical and mechanical advice that immediately induce the increased  tension you want to avoid.

Has it made me a better golfer? In many ways yes. But I will always have my limitations.

However, I enjoy the game now, more than ever. I may get frustrated, but never angry.

Tennis was the only sport I really played into my late teens and in my 20’s and 30’s. I gave it up to concentrate on golf, which I started late.

I returned to playing tennis in the last decade or so and I am working on improving my game. There again, it’s the instruction. For the last several years, Ryan Jeckel, a 40-year old pro from Lancaster, PA, has been my partner for the annual John Russell day of doubles in Alexandria Bay.

We haven’t won the thing. But not because of Ryan.

I have learned plenty from him, and from all my instructors, teachers and coaches from Boca to Carefree to A-Bay.

The workout from golf is about the swing and the 18-hole walk with your clubs if you don’t use a cart.

Obviously, tennis has more movement with running for deep shots and coming to the net. Yes, even in doubles, agility and quickness counts big-time.

Pickleball is the current rage. I don’t play, but it requires quick, sudden moves. It’s not easy, even though there isn’t much space to move. But if there’s no stretching beforehand, beware of injuries.

Getting older successfully, in my view, is about keeping fit as best you can, movement, and attitude.

Did I mention Faith?

Doing it in a good way means having the teachers who guide you.

I think we often take the teachers for granted.

How valuable are they?

Here’s a tip of the hat to those who take the time to make you better in any way.

On the topic of teachers, how would we all like to have instruction from Scottie Scheffler in golf, and Novak Djokovic for tennis?

The Olympics in Paris are finishing its run this week.

Athletes who have worked so hard for so many years have competed for their countries to earn a medal.

Most are not world headliners, but I was especially impacted by the gold medals won by Scheffler and Djokovic.

Both have all the money in the world and have captured countless professional championships.

But none of them , it seems, approached their respective triumphs in Paris.

Scheffler, came from an incredible six-shots down on the back nine of the final day to win the gold for the USA.

Djokovic, won a brilliantly-played two-and-a-half hour gem over Spain’s Carlos Alcaraz, to grab the gold medal for Serbia.

Alcaraz had trounced Djokovic recently for the Wimbledon final.

But on this day, Novak turned the tables.

Scheffler was in tears as the National Anthem was played as he stood on the winner’s pedestal. Djokovic emotionally wrapped himself in his nation’s flag.

When it’s all over for both, I bet they’ll claim that this was their finest moment.