I hit the big 7-0 today.
When I was a kid, say 40 or 50 years ago, I saw 70 year old men as slow-moving, weak, stooped-over arthritic cripples, just suffering through the days and waiting to die.
Maybe that was true then. Not any more.

Now, thanks to modern medicine, a good diet, regular heavy exercise and the deep breathing that goes with playing the tenor and bass trombone, I feel pretty much the same as I did 30 or 35 years ago. On vacation, my wife and I can walk all day around whatever city we’re touring, get a good night’s sleep and be ready to go the next day.

I cycle through 4 different workout routines at the gym, 2 “push” and 2 “pull”. Last Friday, “push” #1 was on the schedule which always starts with one no-warmup max-speed set of pushups. Since I turned 40, I’ve had the goal of doing my age in pushups in one minute. So, on Friday, I did my annual birthday maximum-pushups-in-60-seconds set in front of friends and gym staff at the Patrick AFB fitness center. One of the guys on staff called BS when he was told that I do my age in pushups every year on (or near) my birthday and insisted on placing his fist under my chest to make sure I went down all the way. My total was 89 in a minute, so it looks like I’ve lost a step or three since last year. The last few months I’ve been stuck at 86 to 90; haven’t broken 90 since September. Still, that’s not too bad. Barring some catastrophe, I expect to do at least 75 on my 75th birthday.

People have told me that their 70th birthday hit them hard. I don’t feel that way at all. Instead, I feel encouraged. Being in great shape at 70 tells me that, if I maintain my exercise routine and stay ahead of any health issues, I should be able to enjoy the next 20-50 years. By then, maybe they’ll have found a way to beat and maybe reverse aging.
I plan to live forever and so far I’m right on schedule!

Congrats!

Happy Birthday to you.

Congrats and happy birthday!

Happy birthday! Hope I'm in the shape you're in when or if I make it to 70

Awesome. Happy birthday.

That's awesome.  I've got a friend that I've worked with that is about 74 now (not sure exactly) and he's a skinny, strong dude that out hikes me by a wide margin.  He stays pretty fit using a rower, but he also eats well and is really active as a surveyor.  It's good inspiration for some of us that don't really want to grow old but can't find a good option.

First I want to congratulate you on keeping yourself strong and healthy over the years, that's awesome. And I think the staff guy calling BS and trying to call you out was pretty much just him being jealous

ETA: I have an older friend who does something similar that id like to keep going as I get older too. Every year he goes on a bike ride for the number of years of his birthday. I could easily do that currently without even training for it, and without riding as much the past 2-3 years. But the older I get the more interesting its bound to be.

That's outstanding!

Gives me hope

Awesome!

Kick ass.

Awesome.  You live in my hometown apparently.  Enjoy the sunshine.  It's a foggy 45 degrees here.  

That is fantastic. Two, Big, Thumbs. Up,

My wife's taking me to one of those indoor rock-climbing places this Friday.  
Anyone want to take bets on me getting to the top and ringing the bell?

89 in a minute!!!  I'm freaking jealous....I usually only get about 50 in a minute controlled up and down.  I just can't figure out how to move faster short of doing the drop-explode-drop-explode thing, and if I do that it puts my breathing all out of whack and screws me up.

Going super fast, it's possible to pull your hands off the mat on the way down.  You can fall only so fast, after all.

I exhale on the "up".  There isn't time to get a full breath, but it helps my timing and keeps me oxygenated.  

Funny thing, when I was in the Army, I ripped out the tendon connecting my right front deltoid to my upper arm bone.  By the time I got to medical help, it was too late to fix it.  Now, I have a big slot where the front deltoid should be.
The doctors put a notice in my file saying that I couldn't be required to do more than 15 pushups.

        HA!!!  

Apparently, my body adjusted and other muscles stepped up to take the load.  

Well done and Happy Birthday, and many, many more.

Grabbing a couple of 30 pound dumbbells allow one to go deeper and to push the speed by giving yourself something to pull against on the way down.

As far the breathing regulation, I usually settle in at somewhere around 4 pushups for every breath during speed sets.

Are you the "go time!" Guy from seinfeld?

Congrats and happy birthday! I hope I'm in half as good of shape when I'm 70

Where I am, it still is true.

Belated congratulations and happy birthday. Here's wishing you many more!

Well, I made it to the top of the wall.  I was surprised at how easy it really was.  I made 12 or 13 trips to the top, using several routes.  Difficulty ratings on the routes ranged from 5.5 (the bunny slope) to 5.9.  I managed a couple of 5.8s, but the hand/foot holds on the 5.9s were too far apart for me.  
By the time I was through, my forearms were like cement.  Really pumped!
I want to go back!!

I envy you. It must be nice to have good genes. Mine suck.

Congrats.  I just hope to make it to 70.  To say I'm impressed would be an understatement.

That's exactly who I want to be, the guy who is way to old to be dong what I want to do.

That you on the wall?
Triceps looking damn good on 70 year 'old man'

thanks for the inspiration.

Yeah, that’s me on the wall.  
Due to the fact that I don’t have a functioning right front deltoid, my right triceps have taken over the load and they’re significantly bigger than my left triceps.
Since I play bass trombone – the heaviest instrument that you can’t sit in your lap or hang from a strap – and have to hold the damn thing up all the time, my left bicep is at least an inch bigger than my right.  It evens out and both arms are the same size overall.

As far as genes go, I’m not too sure that’s a big factor.  Both my parents were fat.  They never exercised and ate whatever they wanted.  Result: high blood pressure, heart disease and kidney failure.  With all that going on, they both lived into their 80s and never had cognitive problems. Anyway, I work hard to stay on top of any health issues.  

Happy belated birthday. And nice job keeping fit.