Highland Games for the Older Athlete

[Alan H]

I've written a small treatise, about 20 pages on getting into the Games when you're 45+ and don't have a long background weight training or in strength sports. This is NOT a Training Guide, as I am hugely UN-qualified to write such a thing. It's more of a discussion of priorities, goals, and principles from my own perspective. It's a free download, here's the URL if you're interested.

http://cmgm.stanford.edu/~ahebert/ca...er_Athlete.pdf

[Hawk]

Miigwich (thank you) Alan......I will enjoy the reading......

Hawk

[Geoff Withnell]

Alan,
Awesome advice. Thank you.

I am going to toss in a few thoughts of my own here. They are free, and worth every penny you will pay for them .

For truth in advertising, a bit of my background. I was, in my youth, a Marine, and did some very serious lifting (e.g. a PR bench press north of 400 lbs). In training, I was 6'1" tall and weighed right at 250 pounds. When I left active duty, I was married, shortly had children, and career and family gradually pushed fitness out of the picture. I ballooned up to over 400 pounds, and stopped lifting. I never became inactive, continuing to do things like square dancing and mountain hiking. A few years ago, I had a wake up call (not a heart attack, but an electrical heart issue) and was told "Lose the weight and excercise, or die!" I chose to lose the weight and excercise. Around the same time, I started wearing the kilt full time. A couple of years ago, getting a little bored with the gym without a training goal beyond death avoidance, I decided to try working toward HG competition. I figured to be ready for the local spring schedule games in 2013, such as Southern Maryland Celtic Festicval and Frederick MD Highland Games. Alas, in December 2012, not even in the gym, I seriously broke my wrist. Imagine my surprise to find out at 63 I was out of warranty! NO work outs for more than a quarter of a year. When the cast finally came off, I could not grasp or lift a 5 pound weight in my right hand - total deconditioning. Ok, let's reset for the 2014 Games!

So here are the thoughts:

Alan is just about completly correct in what he is saying. Especially when he talks about making it fun, and being part of the throwing community.

At least occasionnally, have a good trainer evaluate you. Not a Games trainer, a strength and fitness trainer. Have them look at your core strength, balance and agility. These are some of the things that are going to help keep you from injury, or reduce the severity of any injury you do have. A good certified trainer can spot deficiencies that you might miss.

Learn the difference between pain and discomfort. Being uncomfortable when training is normal. Being in continuing pain is a signal from you body that something is wrong.

And again, since it is unlikely you are going to set the throwing world on fire, have fun.

If you came to a Mid Atlantic High Games next year, look for the old fart in the USAKilt Leatherneck out on the field throwing. that will be me.

[o1d_dude]

I, too, have an "electrical heart issue", Geoff.

Exercise is good stuff but in my case extreme work like big caber tosses or heavy deadlifts in hot weather can trigger an episode. I'm mostly retired from competitions these days as a result. Hard for me to "take it easy" at the games.

Be careful out there.

[Martin Roy]

I'm also in the "electrical heart issue" club; docs discovered it about a dozen years ago. In contrast, though, I've found that I'm most susceptible to the electrical problems when I'm at rest, generally sitting on the couch or at my desk. I don't recall ever experiencing a disruption while exercising. However, the fact that it potentially could happen while squatting, pulling heavy weight, or throwing is always in the back of my mind.

[o1d_dude]

Perhaps you're like me in a way, Marty. Some folks are just lucky and can feel every little tiny out of rhythm beat which as it happens are most noticeable when at rest. Those just annoy me. It's those big episodes that are scary.

The cardiologist has told me several times that atrial fibrillation of the sort I get are not life threatening and "I'm a doctor. I'd tell you if you were likely to die. What you have is not life threatening." My response is typically that's it's hard to remember that when it's happening which always gets a chuckle out of him.

All you can do IS all you can do.

[Martin Roy]

All you can do IS all you can do.

That's for sure.

With the afib thing, though, if the doc ever wants to stick in a pacemaker, let me know and I'll fill you in on what it's like to live with one.

[Geoff Withnell]

Mine was/is life threatening, as my heart rate without meds tries to run away. My pulse/blood pressure was 200 and 40 over nothing when I went into the hospital when it first happened. My heart rhythm is never normal, but medication keeps me symptom free. My cardiologist thinks throwing is a great sport for an afib person of my type. Since the meds won't let my heart rate stay high, I can't do long term effort like distance running. But 10 seconds of maximum effort followed by several minutes waiting for your next throw? Perfect.

Perhaps you're like me in a way, Marty. Some folks are just lucky and can feel every little tiny out of rhythm beat which as it happens are most noticeable when at rest. Those just annoy me. It's those big episodes that are scary.

The cardiologist has told me several times that atrial fibrillation of the sort I get are not life threatening and "I'm a doctor. I'd tell you if you were likely to die. What you have is not life threatening." My response is typically that's it's hard to remember that when it's happening which always gets a chuckle out of him.

All you can do IS all you can do.