I’m Fighting Age Related Decline (and You Should Too)

[@StayInTheWord]

Always very well thought out and informative videos. I will be adding resistance training 2-3x per week to my weekly routine. Appreciate you and this channel, David. Going for a 65 mile ride to celebrate my 65th birthday this morning. Grace & Peace.

[@Forest_velo]

Thanks, Happy Birthday Barry! Enjoy your ride. Yes, I think as you get older resistance training is of growing importance.

[@stephenpatterson2653]

We just about share the same birthday, It is my 65th Birthday today (20th January). Happy birthday for yesterday.

[@StayInTheWord]

@@stephenpatterson2653 Happy 65th Birthday 🎂

[@jimmansi1187]

Fantastic video, great points here, for me at 62. This is the way do you have to function in life for longevity, riding bikes, has been life-changing for me, I’ll never stop!

[@janwillemkuilenburg7561]

Thanks for all good tips. At 66 it takes me gradually more training to stay at the same level of fitness, and I enjoy it because it gives so much satisfaction.

[@Forest_velo]

Yes that’s a good point . To stay the same you need to do more each year!

[@davebuchanan8763]

Clint Eastwood, when asked what he was gonna do on his 88th birthday, said he was gonna go shoot a movie. When asked what he did to keep himself going? He said, 'I try to get up and be productive, and Don't Let the Old Man in.’ He’s 94 now and still going strong having just directed the film Juror #2. A positive mental attitude is very important.

[@Forest_velo]

💯

[@JamesSocialCycling]

In my early 50’s and the last 2/3 years I’ve had a bit of a decline in health. Last year found it difficult riding. Hoping to turn this around this coming year for more reasons than one. Cheers for the vid😊👍

[@Forest_velo]

Thanks! Good luck 👍

[@fredflintstone3686]

Please consider an ebike. It is not cheating unless you are in a race. It has kept me cycling at 68 yrs.

[@1991SuperTrain]

I alternate between my gravel bike and MTB, on bad weather days, it’s the rotation between the exercise bike, elliptical and rowing machine. The last 2 years have been an incredible turn around on my quality of life. I hope I can keep this up as long as I can, I really don’t ever want to go back to all the health issues I was experiencing.

[@favoritefrontrangehomes7235]

Love it. Just shoveled out the gym. Required when you workout year around outside in Colorado.

[@Forest_velo]

Dedication!

[@Teamcrapsheep]

I found indoor climbing a great way to keep the old man at bay.

[@robothayes]

Intrigued about the action videos with shifting camera positions, very professional. Good content

[@Forest_velo]

Thanks!

[@blaze1148]

Was 56 last year when I started taking cycling more seriously - I am so much fitter than this time last year.....age is a mental not so much a physical issue. Can see myself getting fitter and healthier over the next 10 years [hopefully] as I learn about better diets and training techniques.

[@Forest_velo]

Yes, the mental side is huge!

[@rollandjoeseph]

Same here , my exact plan and age, good luck!

[@duane.w1660]

Thanks David, really clear balanced advice!

[@Forest_velo]

Glad it was helpful!

[@brucebrentz476]

Forest, another great video keep up the good work. Ride safe!!!

[@Forest_velo]

Thanks, will do!

[@clairefrances1461]

Great video, Dave. Lots of good advice! Thank you!

[@Forest_velo]

Glad it was helpful!

[@fabianmolyneux2308]

Great vid. You’re 100% spot on with everything you suggest. While following your recommendations may not guarantee living to a 100, it certainly will guarantee a better quality of life at any stage in older age. Look forward to following more of your vids. Thank you

[@Forest_velo]

Thanks! 👍

[@531c]

Another very informative video and timely for me at just 64. I'm fortunate in that I've been a builder for nearly four decades and am still almost as capable as I was thirty years ago. My fitness for cycling and running is still very good but my flexibility is dire. I'm blessed with a very nutritional savvy wife that ticks the boxes for both of us. For many watching your advice is bang on the nail. Please keep them coming. Thanks

[@Forest_velo]

Thanks! Yes keeping flexible and supple etc is and easy one to forget! But fairly easy to improve with work. 👍

[@anthonyhuber-permanentlyre7808]

Try yoga 3-4x a week. It will make you stronger and more flexible. In the spring reduce it to twice a week as you spend more time in the chain gang.

[@brittweir8844]

Ditto with me😊,nutrition and lifestyle,.Good for you 😊. A Body in motion stays in Motion ❤

[@dolittle6781]

A very useful video! Would only add that it's important to completely and properly warm up our muscles, ligaments, tendons, and so on, before doing any of the activities described in this reel. An injury caused by a failure to warm up could keep us on the sidelines for days, weeks, even months. Really liked your idea of developing our “health span.”

[@Forest_velo]

Thanks! Very true, warming up is so important!

[@SimonB6706]

Spot on. I’m 62, retired and train 6d/w most of the year. I follow a TrainerRoad high volume plan and depending on the time of year / weather do two to four of those on the road and the balance on the indoor trainer. One workout is typically at sweet spot / threshold and another at VO2max. On two of those days I do resistance training using TRX and some free weights. I do some stretching too, but as I get older have noticed I need to be doing more. I’ve been logging power indoors and outdoors for over 12 years and regardless in what training I do, I can see a gradual decline in the main critical powers at 1 min, 5 min and 20 min.

[@Forest_velo]

Yes it’s a bit disheartening. I was chatting to a friend today and was saying basically as you age you need to be doing more and more to stay where you are if you’re lucky!

[@grahambowes756]

Agreed on all point. If not included in your recovery point, I’d add sleep. Regular consistent sleep. I’ve stopped being a night owl now I’m older. And consistency is vital. I had minor surgery a month ago. And was told to stay of the bike and not do strenuous excercise. In that time my Vo2 Max has dropped (according to my Garmin) from 50 to 46. At 68, that’s still probably OK, but I can’t wait to get back on the bike again! I know Garmin isn’t entirely accurate, but I use it to monitor trends.

[@Forest_velo]

Yes, sleep is a key factor. One I still need to work on!

[@rollandjoeseph]

Doctors have to say "stay off the bike etc as a precaution but mindfully exercising in a safe way is probably not a bad idea either imo

[@grahambowes756]

@ yes. I agree. I’m doing lots of long walks again and light resistance. I think they thought the biggest risk was of a fall, where I could undo the repair, before it is fully recovered. Which makes sense.

[@lawsonthrower8598]

Great content as usual Dave. 53 this year and I'm determined to keep what I've got for a while yet. Avoiding illness and injury and keeping the missus on side is key but easier said than done 🚴‍♂️💪

[@Forest_velo]

Thanks Lawson 👍. Yes, avoiding illness is my weak point! 😳. You’ll be flying for a good few years yet 😃

[@fsquared64]

I’ve learned that I need to be a little more careful. I’ve taken a few very hard hits skiing and mountain biking the past couple years and the physical deterioration during recovery is much more rapid than when I was younger. It’s tough mentally to dial it back but the memories of healing from broken ribs and a broken pelvis make it easier. Like I tell my friends, I just can’t take a punch anymore.

[@Forest_velo]

It’s frustrating! Thanks for sharing.

[@jayobannon5359]

I think the biggest thing that everyone can do to fight age related decline is GET OFF THE DAMNED COUCH. I'm 71, have a lot of hobbies that require functional movements, spend time as much time as possible doing all the maintenance projects you might farm out and average about 200 miles a week on my bike.

[@derekness7900]

I am 70 and manage to get on my bike most days. My commute to work and back is 24Km and I have a similar length ride on a Saturday and Sunday . I don’t really do weights but I try to build strength work into my rides. We have quite a few hills where I am so when I hit one I try to not change gear but get out of the saddle to work my legs at a slower cadence. My hope is that gives my thighs and core a bit of a strength work out. Good video thanks.

[@Forest_velo]

Thanks for sharing 👍

[@kivriel2660]

62. Ride to work everyday year around. In the summer weekend rides. Winter indoor trainer. Dumbells and mobility training indoor at home.

[@Forest_velo]

Thanks for sharing!

[@haroldhollingsworthesq]

at 59, I appreciate your input and sharing here, love cycling but adding these other aspects is key!

[@Forest_velo]

Totally agree!👍

[@michaelgosling3628]

Forest really good advice but it is very cycling centred. Can I suggest an alternative activity - swimming for people who don't cycle. Swimming 2 to 3 times per week is an excellent all-around activity for endurance, flexibility & strength.

[@Forest_velo]

Yes it is.. but quite agree that swimming would be a great alternative!

[@paulilott2478]

Weights help with maintaining fast twitch fibres and motor units too. The loss of these is the reason why we slow down. This is another reason to keep up threshold/VO2max/sprint training as we age to hang on to those motor units. Just to add that ageing is not linear. We tend to go through sudden catabolic crises. The body goes off a cliff edge after 84 so we need a solid foundation in place if we are to maintain independence and mobility if we manage to live that long - and keep cycling!

[@PaulJones-k3f]

the body goes over a cliff edge well before 84, the wheels come off for most people in their mid 70s

[@adammillsindustries.]

@@PaulJones-k3f As long as I don't have to work I'll deal with it.

[@Forest_velo]

True! All we can do is maintain what we’ve got for as long as possible!

[@82vitt]

@@PaulJones-k3f Most people don't work out and eat junk most of the time. How many people do you know who work out with weights regularly? I mean, most average Joe types are literally afraid of building muscles. They think its something unhealthy and that going to gym 3x per week will make them look like Dorian in his peak form. They can't name the macro and micronutrients and what they do to the human body. I am not kidding, I have had conversations about this subject within my family, friends and colleagues and was absolutely gobsmacked at the number of stereotypes and myths around body building and nutrition for muscle gain. The most ridiculous one was when I found myself having to explain to my former boss that proteins aren't anabolic steroids lol.

[@PaulJones-k3f]

@@82vitt I agree, but I still reassert my point that cycling will extend healthspan not lifespan

[@KerryGarner-rp4lx]

3 sets of 10 pushups 3 sets of abdominal - various 3 sets of 4 pull-ups 3 sets of 6 tire flip machine Shoulders 3 sets of 6 front raise with 15lb 3 sets of 6 side raise with 15 TPX - stand at a slant and do shoulder pulls - work back and rear deltoids. 3 sets of 6 on squat with a 45 on the bar 3 sets of 6 on bench with 25 plate then change to 35 Power clean with 25 on each end 3 sets of 5 or 6. That’s my current workout. Age 57

[@Forest_velo]

Thanks for sharing!

[@grahames9228]

All good advice.

[@dannyzuehlsdorf3697]

I would just add: workout SMART and stay within smart and safe exercise parameters. For example, I used to play basketball a lot in my thirties, but haven't played for over a decade now. It would not be smart or safe for me to get out and run full court basketball for an hour at my current age, even though I'm still athletic. Thank you for the video.

[@Forest_velo]

Good point!

[@Fudders]

Great advice, but don't overdo anything either, as injuries can take so much longer to heal as we age (don't ask me how I know). So to enjoy the fruits of our physical endeavours, we need to stay injury free and also look after our mental 'elf. For the latter, things that provide mental stimulation and concentration such as learning new skills can help. Keeping happy by socialising with family/friends, helping others and having a purpose or setting goals can help too. Unfortunatley, saying that makes me realise I need to work on much of the above, which might explain why I'm a bit of a miserable old git! 😅

[@Forest_velo]

😂 Thanks for your comments!

[@adrandom2]

I fully agree with these recommendations. Nature is about efficiency, if you don't use your body, the energy and building blocks are used somewhere else, and you lose muscle, coordination, etcetera. Like they say, 'use it or lose it'. Which gets worse if you get older. Harder to get better, easier to lose it. But do not forget your brain. Your brain is an organ that needs training too. No point being strong and healthy while losing your marbles.

[@Forest_velo]

Very true!

[@ojbeez5260]

I've been fighting it since my 20's. I became a Martial Arts instructor , I used to cycle everywhere, now I use an e-bike to get less than 30 miles and I can only now do 50 sit-ups and press-ups, can no longer do boxer splits or backflips...geeze I'm getting old. I can really feel the difference between of 20s to my 40s. It starts to hit about 35, after that it starts to sneak upon you. Wish fit-bits were available when I were a lad. Given up smoking and don't drink. Still eat like sh*t though. Gotta fix that.

[@Forest_velo]

😅 There’s always something to work on!

[@ojbeez5260]

@@Forest_velo True, and all is more do-able than most people seem to think...keep going!

[@John-s2r1o]

I have exercised most of my life. Like a lot of men I ended up with arthritis in a knee. Starting cycling after I couldn’t run anymore. Got a replacement but didn’t bother trying to run anymore. I’m 68 and average 6 days a week. I’ve been reading a lot lately about how important it is to work out with weights. Including that it helps brain health?? So it was good to see that in this video. I do work out with them every other day. My resting heart rate is in low 50’s. Only medication is for acid reflux. Too much iced coffee.

[@Forest_velo]

Thanks for your comments 👍

[@VictorElGreco]

Agreed 💯% on all points. To be somewhat eccentric, perhaps, I still believe that decline (albeit real) is an awfully pessimistic perspective. Far more cheerful to see how we cyclists stand head and shoulders above our inactive, sedentary age-peers. Population-wide, the numbers are crushing. 😖 The average American suffers his/her first serious health crisis (heart attack, stroke, diagnosis of cancer or metabolic syndrome) by age 66 and 5-6 weeks. Cyclists do oh-so-much-better! 🚴💪🏻☺️

[@Forest_velo]

Thanks for your comments! Yes mindset is massive and as you say compared to the general pop cyclists are much healthier! 👍

[@cecilecorpuz5735]

65 here and I've been on a bicycle since I was twelve or thirteen at 16 I did my first 100 mile plus bike ride which also involved roughly 7500 ft of total climbing at the same time I was pumping some iron as well and I also was playing a lot of American football Current day I'm in the gym 6 to 7 days a week doing 2 hour sessions per visit doing a spattering of different weight training exercisers, combo exercises with dumb bells while on the exercise bicycle, then I'll hit the weight room, some will say my work outs are a bit excessive but so far so good, then there's my split session days, one round of cardio then into the weight room for 4 to 5 exercises then back to cardio then finish off with another go in the weight room when all said and done this will be a 3 hour gym session and I'm now getting back on the bike more seriously, end game I've knocked off roughly 17 kilos built up some muscle mass, legs are back, XO2 MAX is off the charts, and my cardiovascular is doing good as well, at seventeen I was a teachers aid training 25 to 30 students per class, funny thing happened one day one of my fitness classes said to our teacher, Mr Dominguez can you take the class over from Baron, he then asked them, why, their reply was, because Baron is to hard on us, he then asked them, do you feel a difference, they replied YES! He then looked at me and said Baron the class is all yours then I said it's bleacher time. BTW: Great Vid! Kudos to you.

[@Forest_velo]

😄 Thanks for your comments! Sounds like you’re a machine…kudos!

[@nelsonhibbert5267]

Where are those roads they look great!

[@Forest_velo]

Just around Christchurch in the south of England 👍

[@PaulJones-k3f]

cycling regularly will definitely give you healthspan, but not necessarily agespan. Let's celebrate that. one example is my mate who cycled all is life to club standard, had virtually no health issues until he got got cancer at 82 and died quite quickly.

[@StayInTheWord]

@@PaulJones-k3f 😢

[@Forest_velo]

Yes, being fit doesn’t always mean healthy unfortunately! 😕

[@alex-s8j9r]

Cancer thrives on sugar and starch. Eat very low carb, no sugar.

[@robothayes]

Quite apart the risk of being smashed off the bike by the careless car driver.

[@PaulJones-k3f]

@@robothayes statistically rare thank God

[@jeffreysaffir1375]

Nobody is saying there isn't an aging process. Most people though experience abnormal aging and think that's normal. The way most people eat, how they treat their symptoms, the lack of movement/exercise, etc. sets them up to fail. The body is designed to live 120 years. Sadly, people think making it into your 80's is good. Also, it isn't just being alive. Too many people just exist while you are supposed to actually have quality. People have bought into a bag of goods, lowered the bar. That's why the average senior is on 7 prescription medications. I am a DC that has been helping people to realize this since 1999. Structural correction, functional medicine, exercise, rest, positive mental attitude, etc. have led to me at 61 running circles around many younger than me. I rode 8060 miles with 405,000 feet of elevation last year. I resistance train 5 days a week (been training since middle school). I haven't taken a drug in over 25 years (was raised in a medical family). There are ways to experience normal aging. Sadly, many people will never find out anything about those ways. Remember, the profit to some is in the treatment, not the cure or being healthy.

[@Forest_velo]

Good points! Yes, generally speaking we don’t use our bodies as they’re designed to be used.

[@annforrester4734]

Great editing 😜

[@Forest_velo]

Thanks 😅

[@47Seagull]

The trouble is; the brain will, but the body won't. The weights are getting lighter and the FTP is dropping. I'm 77, train regularly but taking longer and longer to recover. Very frustrating. I add to your video.....never give in to the age number!

[@Forest_velo]

Thanks for the comments! Yes it is a little disheartening but at least you’re better off than if you didn’t do it?!

[@charlessinclair8111]

Currently 78 yrs. old. I have an L5 S1 nerve issue. I do a series of strength training 3 days a week, specifically for the core. I have rubber bands 9-27 Kg and some lighter ones. Any suggestions for lifts to do for over all strength which will help with bone density but replace the need for heavy metal machines. I can't run anymore, walking is slow but I still ride 5000 km a year,. Riding, luckily, causes no pain and my sprint is still OK. In winter I get in 4-5 hrs on the trainer, 6-8 hrs. on the road in the other 3 seasons (according to Strava). I just don't want to damage the lower spine.

[@Forest_velo]

It sounds like you’re doing well! I like to do squats and deadlifts for overall strength but both can affect the spine, especially without great form. An open deadlift bar might help.

[@robertmcfadyen9156]

The constant bad weather puts me off cycling .

[@Forest_velo]

Have you tried indoors?

[@robertmcfadyen9156]

@Forest_velo Air quality and it is summer / very humid .

[@opencurtin]

I feel very tired for days after a game of tennis or any form of exercise, very bad aches and pains all over my body as well !

[@Forest_velo]

That sounds difficult. Is there an underlying reason? Or perhaps visit to your doctor may be needed?

[@opencurtin]

@ I’ve had blood tests and everything is fine he says , it may be I’m not doing enough in my everyday life as I don’t have a job I live off passive incomes and I need to do more !

[@Forest_velo]

@opencurtin Nice! Yes maybe it’s a case of doing more and getting your body used to the new demands! I went for a 9 mile walk the other day which I rarely do… my legs ached for 3 days afterwards!

[@opencurtin]

@ I need to do more of that I play tennis and do some hiit but I feel very low energy wise a few days after I’m afraid to work through it , I feel since Covid it all started !! I need definitely to do walks a couple of kms first !

[@davewright8206]

i am , thats why i bought a cannondale alu 😅 im excersising , i still work 3 days (lucky me ) 20k steps a day and lifting 5 ton + by hand all your advice is good .... im not giving up beer (not lager ) beer proper beer

[@Forest_velo]

Nice work!

[@cathalkenneally1614]

I have a gym membership and it’s going to waste. It’s a stones throw away and I could go there and do something but it’s a motivational thing with me. I’d rather just jump on the bike. I hadn’t been out in two weeks so this morning I decided to go out in the cold and rode for two hours. Despite the weather I enjoyed it. Why I can’t just go to the gym and do a regular workout to compliment the cycling is beyond me. It’s that M word. 😳

[@Forest_velo]

True, motivation is the key! I’m lucky enough to have some gear at home so don’t have to go anywhere. It’s all about creating habits and it can be hard!

[@cecilecorpuz5735]

The hardest part is walking through that door of your gym, I deal with other gym members like this all the time, they are already not wanting to be there, I'll just look at them and say well you made it through that door so your 50% there, then I'll look at them again and say, PUT ON THAT KOOL AID SMILE AND GO AND DO IT! It's a matter of mind over matter. +Try visiting the gym after a bike ride, slip into the gym and just do about 15 to 20 minutes then leave, then go from there, never know what you can do until you try. Good luck.

[@CycleXplorer]

Lifting heavy for project 60

[@robertmcfadyen9156]

Lifting weights , I dropped them as I re - tore a damaged scaffoid bone in my left hand .

[@chrism5433]

Great videos . I thought about your cold you had . Then I got something nasty .lol 😂😂 1 week no riding 😮

[@Forest_velo]

Sorry to hear that!

[@patrickliew2222]

Please note that talking and biking together is not very good.I won’t do it.

[@michaelchin3550]

Quality sleep and remaining positive.

[@Mansell5Senna8]

If I did weight training twice a week I wouldn't be able to ride as my legs would be dead/aching too much for 2-3 days after. Once a week that I do now is a struggle, I leave reps in reserve and volume very low, but t allows me to ride 3 days a week. I also do basic stretches twice a day. Im 45. Diet is good, plenty of protein and calories.

[@Forest_velo]

Thanks for sharing! I tend to do weights when I know I’ve got a rest or easier day the following day which helps and if I ride and do weights on the same day, I do the weights after the riding (3-4 hr between).

[@johnmuttitt]

I'm 65. I go to the gym 4 - 5 times a week, and since I've been doing this, I have become a lot stronger in the legs, and this has improved my cycling performance. Yes, I do agree that if you've worked your legs hard in the gym that you'll feel it the next day, but you don't train legs on every gym training day. I have legs, upper body, and back days. I generally work this around my cycling. My overall body strength has increased a lot! I feel so much stronger! Well done for the diet (protein, etc). You're 20 years younger than me, don't let muscle waste catch up on you. John

[@simonturner1018]

What's the top you're wearing please?

[@Forest_velo]

It’s a Rapha Core Jersey with a Castelli Gabba or Perfetto Gilet!

[@annforrester4734]

Hope someone’s there with you for those bench presses😬

[@Forest_velo]

I have a cage so no worries!

[@whizler]

All very good tips, but I do suggest you shouldn't fight your hardest. Beating the younger generations up a climb, or outlasting them on a long ride, is apt to instill a severe case of depression! 😁 Kidding aside, do you regard vitamin and mineral supplements as helpful? Or would diet alone be enough (recognizing that achieving an optimal diet and nutrition may require a bit of effort).

[@Forest_velo]

😃. I think generally if you have a good diet you should get all the vitamins etc you need apart from maybe vitamin D if you have proper winters without a lot of sunshine! Having said that there are situations where you may need a supplement if you are particularly lacking or have a physiological reason.

[@alex-s8j9r]

What is your idea of an 'optimal diet'? Opinions can vary.

[@rollandjoeseph]

​@@alex-s8j9rone that gives you all your macro/micro nutrients, and proper portions too

[@alex-s8j9r]

All good stuff. Firstly you cannot exercise your way out of a bad diet. Diet first then exercise. Lay off eating UPFs, starch, carbs and sugar. Junk food. Go ketogenic or better still a carnivore diet meat, eggs, sardines, onions, olives, butter. Keep sarcopenia at bay. Very good to do resistance training, lift weights (not body building), retaining muscle mass. Get yourself some dumb bells and a curling bar. Go running to keep bone density high in your legs. Do lots of calisthenics and core exercises. Regular hard exercise keeps human growth hormone high.

[@marvinkamei7007]

don not do too much of everything. , hey this is 2025 and will still never figured out life of an athlete! Set lower goals and control your mind!1 thanks

[@dolittle6781]

Absolutely! Moderation is the key.

[@robertmcfadyen9156]

Good food is horribly expensive where I live .

[@Forest_velo]

Yes, that doesn’t help!

[@jeremyprodger6766]

You forget about getting regular sex. Gotta exercise the most important muscles in the body 🤔

[@stevemead6862]

what age its bollocks you born you do not die you go in to infinity human is a tiny happening utv

[@EYBTUBE]

I can't understand why most of the cyclist vlogger chose to create a content while riding. Isn't it more informative and "safer" if you talk about your topic while on your desk? We do not need to hear your crank or pedaling sounds.

[@Forest_velo]

Perhaps, but then I wouldn’t be riding as much and my videos where I do that get less views!

[@WilfNoIce]

I actually really enjoyed the dynamism and changing scenery, great video and excellent advice!

[@judithkaiser6731]

I find the desk-sitters quite boring. Video is much more entertaining when he does, what he's talking about.