I don’t love working out. There, I said it. Weird right? I mean, I love being a trainer. But I don’t think “yay, leg day” when I get to the start of my workout. What I do think is “this is going to give me a shot at being like this guy“:

96 and still skiing. So awesome! I want to do that. And for those who think you’re too old to start something, did you notice that George Jedenoff said he didn’t start skiing until he was 43?

Then there’s the centenarian skier:

It’s a fact: I would like to still be skiing at 100. And I’m pretty sure that getting there will require some body maintenance. That’s why I work out. The fringe benefit is that working out also let’s me have the stamina to perform the sports I love without having to stop early and without that pesky next day soreness. As awesome as playing is, sport can take a toll on your body. Or at least they can if left unchecked. Each sport has its repetitive movements, and depending on how your body adapts to those movements, can start wearing down your joints. Yes working out helps with performance, but in my mind, this is the true gift of working out. Playing a sport often results in specific muscles getting stronger and in some cases also getting tighter. Over time, this can lead to joints getting out of their natural alignment. I can’t think of any sport that is truly balanced in terms of the movements you do during the sport. Working out can help with this. A good sport-specific training plan will not only address the movements and energy systems needed for your sport, but also the movements your body needs so that it can balance out the impact of your sport. If being able to play for another 50 years is one of your goals, then this has to be a consideration.

For those not into skiing, the next inspirational interlude features Ruth Frith, who continued to set world record at 103 years old.

If you’re watching the videos, you’ll notice a theme: These people all work at it. And they don’t mind working at it, because the joy they get from their sport is more than worth it. Everyone reading this who has a sport they love knows that feeling. Or at least those of you who do are probably smiling right now. How cool would it be to extend that feeling into your 90s and 100s? So what are you doing about it? Working out is what I’m doing about it. Here’s another example, this time the world’s fastest centenarian:

Further to the note above about training the movements that you don’t use in your sport to ensure your body stays healthy, it is also important to listen to your body. It gives clues when there is a problem. I used to be that person who kept playing my sport even though it hurt so much that I followed each game with “vitamin I” and then hobbled around for a few days until the next opportunity to play. Then one day I thought “how will this impact my dream of skiing at 100?” I think it’s fair to say that “Negatively” is the answer. For this reason, I no longer play ultimate in the winter. It turns out that my hips don’t like the pounding that results from playing ultimate on turf. I could still do it, and as an athlete, having a sore joint after playing is not that hard to just suck up. But when I think about that sucking it up now could mean not skiing when I’m a senior, I quickly change my mind. In fact I would argue that playing your sport year round, especially if you have a nagging injury, will not only lessen your chances at awesomeness in your senior years, but it will likely reduce your performance in the short term. If your joint hurts with every step or every pivot, or every throw, are you really able to put your all into that play? If so, for how long? How many games did you miss last season because your body finally couldn’t hack it? Maybe it’s time to look at the off-season the way professional athletes do: As a time for recovery and a time for preparation.

Speaking of performance, here’s gymnast Johanna Quaas with a brief gymnastics display shortly before her 89th birthday:

So that’s why I workout: So that I can have the best shot at doing the things I love for the rest of my life. And I love my job as a trainer because it allows me to help my clients workout so that they too can enjoy the sports they love for the rest of their lives.

Why do you workout? And before you answer, here’s one more inspirational video, this time it’s 82 year old Madonna Buder crossing the finish line at the Ironman in Penticton in 2012, making her the oldest person to ever finish an ironman:

Elsbeth Vaino is a personal trainer, skier and ultimate player in Ottawa.