“Fitness wasn’t only about my body, it was my mind and emotions — I always felt that exercise cleared my mind and made me more alert, it made me function better,” Evert, now 63, told Everyday Health in a phone interview earlier this summer. “Just because I retired as a professional tennis player, doesn’t mean I left exercise or tennis behind.” RELATED: Why Exercise Boosts the Mood and Energy Now as a mom to three sons between 22 and 27, Evert says she likes to work out with family. She is also an active coach and mentor to the kids and teens who study at the Evert Tennis Academy in Boca Raton, Florida — a tennis training facility that she cofounded with her brother John Evert. There certainly is plenty of research on the overall benefits of incorporating fitness into your daily routine throughout your life. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the benefits of exercise for older adults include:
Reducing risk of falls and bone fracturesReducing risk of dying from heart diseaseReducing risk of high blood pressure, colon cancer, and diabetesImproving strength and stamina in people with chronic conditionsReducing symptoms of anxiety and depression, and improving moodHelping to maintain healthy bones, muscles, and joins, and in controlling arthritis
A study published in April 2018 in the journal Aging Cell even suggested that exercising throughout your life might actually slow down the aging process. A group of 125 amateur cyclists between 55 and 79 did not show the usual signs of aging (when factors like muscle fiber type and composition, which usual change later in life, were measured) compared with another group of otherwise healthy individuals of similar ages who did not exercise regularly. And the older adults who exercised regularly had immune health that was similar to a group of young adults (ages 20 to 36). RELATED: 10 Amazing Benefits of Exercise But despite the many benefits exercise can bring, neither you nor Chris Evert should be doing the same fitness routine today as you or she did in 1989, says Dan Gaz, a physical trainer and Mayo Clinic’s Healthy Living Program manager in Rochester, Minnesota. It’s important for people to adjust their expectations about exercise to take into account their age, their health, and how they feel. Here are a few tips Evert says have helped her find the exercise routine that makes her feel her best. And remember, if you’re new to exercise or changing up your exercise routine, it’s always a good idea to discuss any questions or concerns you have with your doctor.
1. Be Smart About Exercising Safely to Avoid Injuries
Evert is well familiar with the wear and tear a sport like tennis can have on one’s body. Plus, there’s the completely normal effect of bone density loss, joint stiffening, cartilage degeneration, and lean muscle loss that comes with aging, according to the National Institutes of Health. Evert says that every now and then she experiences aches and pains and has concern about her joints. But she says she has been very fortunate not to sustain any serious injuries or need the kinds of surgeries on her knees or shoulders that many tennis players undergo. “You have to be smart. If your knee hurts, don’t go out and run,” she says. Instead, opt for exercises your body will feel good doing, she says. RELATED: Rest, Recovery, and How to Let Your Muscles Heal And check in with your body before and after exercise. Make conscious decisions about when you need to take it easy and when you can put a little more effort into your workout, she says. “You have to take ownership of your body.” Evert recently partnered with makers of the joint and bone health supplement Osteo Bi-Flex (chondroitin glucosamine) to raise awareness about smart and safe exercise for older adults. RELATED: Is Stair Climbing the Exercise All Postmenopausal Women Should Be Doing?
2. Adjust Your Fitness Expectations
About 77 percent — 65.8 million — of all injury-related healthcare visits are for musculoskeletal injuries, according to the United States Bone and Joint Initiative. “It’s important that, especially for people who have been active all their lives, you might not be able to do things you did in your twenties once you turn 50, 60, or 70,” Gaz says. “Those would be unrealistic fitness goals to attain.” If you’ve always been a runner, that doesn’t mean you need to give it up though, Gaz says. But you may need to adjust the pace, frequency, and intensity of your runs to match the physiological changes happening to your body, he says. RELATED: How Much Exercise You Actually Need
3. Make Time for Strength or Resistance Training
Strength training is a big part of Evert’s fitness routine. She says that even if people just lift light 5-pound weights, it can make a world of difference. “You start losing strength in your upper body as you get older, especially women,” Evert adds. She likes adding CrossFit classes to her exercise routine, which she says she does at her own pace. Gaz adds that resistance training helps protect the structure of your joints, particularly how they function when you move. It is necessary to strengthen the ligaments and muscles that sit around your joints to help fight off joint pain or arthritis, he says. He adds that exercises that keep your joints engaged can keep your bones healthy, too.
4. Add a Variety of Cardio, Strength-Training, and Flexibility Exercise to Your Routine
Evert knows that a healthy fitness routine is one that includes a variety of activities and types of exercise. She says she makes sure to take on cardiovascular exercise, like biking, to keep her heart strong, along with making time for strength and flexibility training. Evert does hot yoga about twice a week, but says that simple yoga poses are great for anyone at any fitness level to stay limber.
5. Remember Every Little Bit of Activity Helps
Gaz adds that, while beneficial, adopting exercise into your day-to-day life could feel intimidating if you haven’t made fitness a part of your life before. He says it is never too late to start, as long as you’re choosing exercises that are safe and appropriate for your body and your health. Evert says if hitting the gym or a hot yoga class isn’t for you, that’s fine. But that doesn’t mean you get to sit on the couch and not move during your day. RELATED: How to Find the Best Exercise Routine for You If you’re at home watching TV, there is nothing stopping you from getting on the floor and doing some simple pushups or situps while you’re catching up on your favorite shows. Or fit in a short 15-minute walk whenever you have time, she says. “You don’t have to be overwhelmed by exercise,” she adds. “If you exercise in little bits, you can stay healthy in a stress-free way.”
