In this episode the Crew dials the voicemail to answer a question from a loyal Power Athlete Radio listener:
Power Athlete, this is Darren calling from Australia. How would you keep fueling the fires still burn deep in terms of keeping up training numbers well into the Masters years. I’m talking like 45 Plus. While I never played professional sports, I did play semi-professionally in rugby and had many experiences traveling the world at all levels from top to International. I played rugby from age six to thirty nine and then retired and took up CrossFit down the road now and I am 47. I’m coming to terms with the fact that I may never PR lifts or efforts I’ve done previously. So after many years of putting out there and rugby and then CrossFit or functional fitness, what advice would you give to an aging athlete who still loves to give it their all? Thanks guys, bye.
Gotta know when to hold ’em and when to fold ’em
It is not often we take health and training advice from musicians, but that doesn’t we cannot glean guidance from lyrics like Kenny Rogers’ knowing when to fold ’em or Aerosmith pushing us to Dream. On. In 1978 Neil Young wrote the song ‘Hey Hey, My My’ singing the infamous line every former athlete and garage gymer asks when they look down over the hill for the first time – ‘it’s better to burn out than to fade away’.
John and Tex welcome a question from former semi-pro rugger now turned old man coming to grips that he’ll never set another PR in one of his lifts. What adjustments can you make to your training and mindset to continue to challenge yourself as an athlete? How can focus be shifted in training to target capabilities that do remain? And, why continuing to fight for PR’s (while falling short) will push fading away as far down the road as possible.
Read Now: It Is Better To Burn Out Than to Fade Away by John Welbourn
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SOURCES
Tagged: aging / athletes / CrossFit / Grindstone / Masters Athletes / Rugby
AUTHOR
John
John Welbourn is CEO of Power Athlete and host of Power Athlete Radio. He is a 9 year starter and veteran of the NFL. John was drafted with the 97th pick in 1999 NFL Draft and went on to be a starter for the Philadelphia Eagles from 1999-2003, appearing in 3 NFC Championship games, and for starter for the Kansas City Chiefs from 2004-2007. In 2008, he played with the New England Patriots until an injury ended his season early with him retiring in 2009. Over the course of his career, John has started over 100 games and has 10 play-off appearances. He was a four year lettermen while playing football at the University of California at Berkeley. He graduated with a bachelor's degree in Rhetoric in 1998. John has worked with the MLB, NFL, NHL, Olympic athletes and Military. He travels the world lecturing on performance and nutrition and records his podcast, Power Athlete Radio, every week with over 800 episodes spanning 13 years. You can catch up with John as his personal blog, Talk To Me Johnnie, on social media @johnwelbourn or at Power Athlete Radio.
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