The Centenarian Olympics
09/18/2024 12:41PM ● By Suzi Mitchell
Photo by Trey Mullen.
Trudy Lampert is fit as a fiddle and wants to stay that way. The 100-year-old Steamboat Springs resident moved from Manhattan in June 2023 and became the oldest client of Jordan Bloom, a fitness and movement trainer who specializes in biomechanics, functionality, injury prevention and recovery. Among the many principles of his methodology is the Centenarian Olympics, a concept devised by author and physician Dr. Peter Attia.
On his podcast, “The Drive,” Dr.Attia told the story of his epiphany at the funeral of a friend’s parent and questioned if it’s possible to prevent the failure of our body in old age. Potential Olympians and weekend warriors train with specificity, “so why aren’t we training to be kick-ass 90-year-olds?” His solution formed a benchmark he coined The Centenarian Olympics.
Dr. Attia’s concept is tailored to individual interests and wants in old age but it is based on training today for the things we want to be able to do well into our 80s and 90s. His findings showed that in most people, bodies fail before other systems, and death typically comes as the result of a cognitive and oftentimes, preventable physical condition.
The Centenarian Olympics is a multi-faceted approach to training our bodies so we can remain functional and enjoy a good quality of life into old age. Goals include getting off the floor with a single point of support, carrying four bags of groceries up four flights of stairs and putting a 30 pound bag in an airplane overhead bin.
“Longevity is not just about living along life, it’s about living a functional, capable and dignified existence,” Jordan says. “People talk about mobility in the fitness world, but the key is stability and strength going into our later years. We can’t expect to move like a 40-year-old when we are in our eighties, but we can maintain healthy knee function and avoid bone breaks from falls due to lost ability to navigate stairs, for example. Think: Use it or lose it.”
Over the last two decades, Jordan traveled the world running yoga and movement workshops, where he was exposed to a plethora of cultural norms surrounding diet and aging. “I found Japan especially fascinating in the level of mobility, dexterity and overall good health in the elders I encountered,” he says. “It reinforces the fact that the way we use our bodies now affects our ability to function in later life.” He cited examples, including sitting on the floor to eat, using squat toilets, preparing good, nutritious, unprocessed foods, and engaging socially across generations. “The combination has massive advantages to longevity, and I saw very old people move gracefully and with ease, which I found inspiring.”
Jordan trains clients today so they can train tomorrow. He emphasizes the need to prepare for exercise and spend the time afterwards on active recovery and restoration. “You can’t just hike all summer and then expect your body mechanics to instantly adapt to skiing or snowboarding the minute the snow falls,” he says. “Bones, muscles, tendons, ligaments and fascia need to be ready to withstand the loads required for certain movement disciplines, and that takes time and consistency of movement and training.”
“In a town like Steamboat, a lot of people take their fitness for granted and train only with today in mind. They ski, bike, run or hike hard with the no pain no gain ideology,” Jordan continues. “They’ve been told to listen to their body as an indicator of how far to push it, but it’s an unreliable gauge as adrenaline and endorphins can mask potential damage. Instead, we should ask ourselves, ‘are these movements contributory or detrimental to the future of my physiological well-being?’”
Trudy is adamant she will not give in to a sedentary lifestyle, so often associated with the elderly. “Growing up I didn’t know anyone who was 100, but I believe we can control our life through the choices we make, with the exception of unforeseen physical ailments that affect our capabilities,” she says. The centenarian attributes her own longevity to a low-carb diet opting for fish over red meats, exercise, adventure, social interaction and a variety of interests – opera and weekly workouts.
Another person who hasn’t let age limit his lifestyle is fourth generation Routt County resident and local legend, rancher Ray Heid. Born in 1937, he grew up switching between ski boots and the saddle, both of which he still does today. “In the summer, I ride six days a week for work and one day for pleasure. In the winter, I’m a religious man and take Sundays off to ski,” Ray says. “If I don’t ski every Sunday, I’ll think my life’s going to hell.”
Ray admits he enjoys aging and attributes his longevity in part to his upbringing and the hard work ethic his parents imparted. He remains active at his family run Del’s Triangle 3 Ranch, and relishes working alongside the next two generations. “The harder I work, the more I enjoy getting older. It’s a mental attitude and I love being old."
The ideology behind the Centenarian Olympics is geared towards overall quality of life. “I want my clients to be able to get in and out of a car unaided in their old age, get down on the floor to play with grandkids, climb stairs and avoid the pitfalls of frailty caused by an inactive existence,” Jordan says. “It’s about training our bodies now with the long-term goal in mind."
Steamboat resident Michael Carini is in his thirties and is about to become a first-time father. He engaged Jordan with health at the forefront of his mind. “My father passed away at age 52 unexpectedly from heart disease,” he says. “I wanted to establish a healthy routine going into parenthood and build a skill set beyond what I get from the usual Steamboat activities.” Like Trudy, Michael was a New Yorker, and he has a stressful job. “Access to the outdoors was a motivator to move here, but I realized I don’t want to struggle with mobility and hurt myself, and I needed direction beyond the cardio I was limited to.”
The age range of Jordan’s client base spans decades and their athletic output correlates to the individual, but they all have one thing in common: his commitment to their success in the Centenarian Olympics.
For more information: www.jordanbloom.com / www.peterattiamd.com
Trudy Lampert is fit as a fiddle and wants to stay that way. The 100-year-old Steamboat Springs resident moved from Manhattan in June 2023 and became the oldest client of Jordan Bloom, a fitness and movement trainer who specializes in biomechanics, functionality, injury prevention and recovery. Among the many principles of his methodology is the Centenarian Olympics, a concept devised by author and physician Dr. Peter Attia.
On his podcast, “The Drive,” Dr.Attia told the story of his epiphany at the funeral of a friend’s parent and questioned if it’s possible to prevent the failure of our body in old age. Potential Olympians and weekend warriors train with specificity, “so why aren’t we training to be kick-ass 90-year-olds?” His solution formed a benchmark he coined The Centenarian Olympics.
Dr. Attia’s concept is tailored to individual interests and wants in old age but it is based on training today for the things we want to be able to do well into our 80s and 90s. His findings showed that in most people, bodies fail before other systems, and death typically comes as the result of a cognitive and oftentimes, preventable physical condition.
The Centenarian Olympics is a multi-faceted approach to training our bodies so we can remain functional and enjoy a good quality of life into old age. Goals include getting off the floor with a single point of support, carrying four bags of groceries up four flights of stairs and putting a 30 pound bag in an airplane overhead bin.
“Longevity is not just about living along life, it’s about living a functional, capable and dignified existence,” Jordan says. “People talk about mobility in the fitness world, but the key is stability and strength going into our later years. We can’t expect to move like a 40-year-old when we are in our eighties, but we can maintain healthy knee function and avoid bone breaks from falls due to lost ability to navigate stairs, for example. Think: Use it or lose it.”
Over the last two decades, Jordan traveled the world running yoga and movement workshops, where he was exposed to a plethora of cultural norms surrounding diet and aging. “I found Japan especially fascinating in the level of mobility, dexterity and overall good health in the elders I encountered,” he says. “It reinforces the fact that the way we use our bodies now affects our ability to function in later life.” He cited examples, including sitting on the floor to eat, using squat toilets, preparing good, nutritious, unprocessed foods, and engaging socially across generations. “The combination has massive advantages to longevity, and I saw very old people move gracefully and with ease, which I found inspiring.”
Jordan trains clients today so they can train tomorrow. He emphasizes the need to prepare for exercise and spend the time afterwards on active recovery and restoration. “You can’t just hike all summer and then expect your body mechanics to instantly adapt to skiing or snowboarding the minute the snow falls,” he says. “Bones, muscles, tendons, ligaments and fascia need to be ready to withstand the loads required for certain movement disciplines, and that takes time and consistency of movement and training.”
“In a town like Steamboat, a lot of people take their fitness for granted and train only with today in mind. They ski, bike, run or hike hard with the no pain no gain ideology,” Jordan continues. “They’ve been told to listen to their body as an indicator of how far to push it, but it’s an unreliable gauge as adrenaline and endorphins can mask potential damage. Instead, we should ask ourselves, ‘are these movements contributory or detrimental to the future of my physiological well-being?’”
Trudy is adamant she will not give in to a sedentary lifestyle, so often associated with the elderly. “Growing up I didn’t know anyone who was 100, but I believe we can control our life through the choices we make, with the exception of unforeseen physical ailments that affect our capabilities,” she says. The centenarian attributes her own longevity to a low-carb diet opting for fish over red meats, exercise, adventure, social interaction and a variety of interests – opera and weekly workouts.
Another person who hasn’t let age limit his lifestyle is fourth generation Routt County resident and local legend, rancher Ray Heid. Born in 1937, he grew up switching between ski boots and the saddle, both of which he still does today. “In the summer, I ride six days a week for work and one day for pleasure. In the winter, I’m a religious man and take Sundays off to ski,” Ray says. “If I don’t ski every Sunday, I’ll think my life’s going to hell.”
Ray admits he enjoys aging and attributes his longevity in part to his upbringing and the hard work ethic his parents imparted. He remains active at his family run Del’s Triangle 3 Ranch, and relishes working alongside the next two generations. “The harder I work, the more I enjoy getting older. It’s a mental attitude and I love being old."
The ideology behind the Centenarian Olympics is geared towards overall quality of life. “I want my clients to be able to get in and out of a car unaided in their old age, get down on the floor to play with grandkids, climb stairs and avoid the pitfalls of frailty caused by an inactive existence,” Jordan says. “It’s about training our bodies now with the long-term goal in mind."
Steamboat resident Michael Carini is in his thirties and is about to become a first-time father. He engaged Jordan with health at the forefront of his mind. “My father passed away at age 52 unexpectedly from heart disease,” he says. “I wanted to establish a healthy routine going into parenthood and build a skill set beyond what I get from the usual Steamboat activities.” Like Trudy, Michael was a New Yorker, and he has a stressful job. “Access to the outdoors was a motivator to move here, but I realized I don’t want to struggle with mobility and hurt myself, and I needed direction beyond the cardio I was limited to.”
The age range of Jordan’s client base spans decades and their athletic output correlates to the individual, but they all have one thing in common: his commitment to their success in the Centenarian Olympics.
For more information: www.jordanbloom.com / www.peterattiamd.com