Staying strong for the activities you love

I talked with a 4o-something guy today in the gym. He told me he plays squash 3 times per week and stays active with skiing. He used to be a runner, but now it takes too much time away from his family. Today he was in the gym because over the summer he had knee injuries, and now his shoulder hurts. Starting to feel like he's getting older and falling apart, he decided it's time to add in strength training and stretching to his weekly routine.

He's absolutely right.

It's not enough to shoot hoops, play tennis, practice clogging or line dancing, or even do your usual 3-mile daily walk. We need to participate in strength training 2-3 times per week, plus daily stretching, in order to stay strong and injury-free. The biggest complaint is that we don't have time to go to the gym. My response: you'll have lots of time when you're injured and can't play your sport for a few months.

You don't even have to join a gym. Schedule a few sessions with a personal trainer and learn how to use bands and stability balls at home. Strength training can take as little as 30 minutes, 2-3 times per week. Get up 10 minutes early and stretch in the morning, or stretch while you're watching TV at night.

Bottom line: there are no excuses when it comes to incorporating strength training and stretching into your routine. Not if you want to keep skiing, playing raquetball, or biking.