Badass at Age 100: How to Stay Fit, Strong, and Pain-Free for Life, Simplified

📖 DEEP DIVE

At 36, I’m already planning for my 100th birthday.

Most people don’t think about living to 100, but as a performance physical therapist, I see the difference it makes.

Living a longer, healthier life isn’t just about adding years – it’s about adding life to your years.

Most people struggle with joint pain, injuries, and health problems, blaming “getting old.” They rely on quick fixes and reactive healthcare instead of proactive maintenance.

For a long time, I focused on short-term goals, but now I’m playing the long game.

I don’t want to live forever, but I do have a lot of life I want to live before I cash in my chips.

Someday when I have kids, I want to see them get married and have kids of their own. I want to be the badass grandpa out-sprinting, out-lifting, and out-performing my grandkids. I also want to help as many people as possible do the same.

So today I’ll guide you through three essential pillars of longevity:

The 3 Pillars of Longevity

We’ll discuss the 3 pillars to add quality life to your years and how I approach this for myself and my clients:

1. Cardiovascular Fitness

2. Building Muscle

3. Daily Mobility

Let’s dive into how you can start living a healthier, longer life today.

🏛️ Cardiovascular Fitness

When training to be a badass at 100, incorporating both Zone 2 and high-intensity (Zone 5) training is key to optimizing cardiovascular health.

Zone 2 Training

Zone 2 training involves activities like brisk walking or jogging at 60-70% of your max heart rate, where you can still hold a conversation.

Benefits of Zone 2 Training:

• Increases and improves mitochondrial efficiency, which improves metabolic health.

• Enhances fat utilization as an energy source.

• Lowers insulin resistance and reduces risk of chronic diseases like type 2 diabetes and heart conditions.

High-Intensity Training (Zone 5)

Zone 5 training involves short bursts of intense exercise near your maximum heart rate.

Benefits of Zone 5 Training:

• Increases VO2 max, a strong indicator of cardiovascular fitness and longevity.

• Reduces all-cause mortality risk–which means a lower risk of dying.

Combined Approach

Most people train too hard without hitting the optimal zones.

They work too hard to get the Zone 2 benefits but not hard enough to hit Zone 5 for the max heart rate benefit. They end up somewhere in between, where there’s little benefit if longevity and health is the goal.

For longevity, aim for an 80/20 split: 80% in Zone 2 and 20% in Zone 5. This mix maximizes both aerobic endurance and high-intensity benefits.

How To Train

For Zone 2, include activities like brisk walking, jogging, cycling, or rucking (my personal favorite). Start with 20-30 minute sessions, gradually increasing to 30-45 minutes, 2-3 times a week.

For high-intensity, less is more. Do your Zone 2 training, then finish with 5-10 minutes of all-out sprints (30-60 seconds) followed by 1-2 minutes of recovery, once a week.

🏛️ Building Muscle

If cardio gives you a longer life, building muscle gives you a better life.

Around your 30s, sarcopenia (age-related muscle loss) begins. Without strength training, you could lose 3-5% of your muscle mass each decade. This loss accelerates over time, leading to weakness and loss of independence.

Benefits of Building Muscle:

• Combats Sarcopenia: Slows or reverses age-related muscle loss.

• Metabolic Health: Boosts metabolism, aids in weight management, and reduces risk of metabolic disorders.

• Injury Prevention: Supports joints, reducing injury risk and aiding recovery.

Strength training with good technique and progressive overload will be the difference between living in the nursing home and maintaining your independence.

Although any form of strength training is beneficial, kettlebell training is my go-to for building muscle efficiently, combining strength and cardio in one workout. It’s ideal for busy professionals and can be done at home with minimal space and investment.

Top 3 Kettlebell Exercises:

1. Getups for shoulder strength, core strength, and mobility.

2. Goblet squats for knee strength & hip mobility.

3. Swings for hip strength, power, and cardiovascular fitness.

The good thing is you don’t need to live in a gym to get results. Here’s a simple routine you can do for 20-30 minutes, 2-3x per week:

How To Train

• Getup x 1/side

• Goblet squat x 8-10 reps

• Swings x 8-10 reps

Set a timer for 20-30 minutes and complete as many quality rounds as possible. Rest as needed, but aim for 70-80% effort – challenging but manageable.

This workout is just a starting point, so adjust as needed. The key is to stop overcomplicating and start doing.

🏛️ Daily Mobility: The Morning Recharge

Mobility is the often overlooked stepchild of fitness.

Staying flexible, limber, and pain-free is essential for an active life at any age. It allows you to move freely and do everything you want without pain.

It’s even been linked as a predictor of all cause mortality:

This is why I start every morning with a simple 5-minute mobility routine I call “The Morning Recharge.” A few hip circles, spine waves, and upper body openers help me tackle the day feeling refreshed and energized.

I wrote an entire article on how to start your own Morning Recharge routine to improve your mobility and longevity, which you can check out here.

TL;DR: The Blueprint For a Stronger, Longer Life

Part of living longer is having a bit of luck on your side. But you can also “attract more luck” by focusing on the right habits and routines.

These are the things I do and recommend to my clients to attract more luck.

Obviously, none of this guarantees I’ll live to 100, but I’m damn sure gonna keep trying.

You now have the blueprint:

• Build Muscle: Combat sarcopenia and build functional strength with kettlebell training, or your preferred strength workouts.

• Cardiovascular Fitness: Boost your cardio with the a balance of Zone 2 and Zone 5 training (mostly Zone 2).

• Daily Mobility: Start each day with a 5-minute morning recharge to prevent stiffness and stay limber.

Bottom Line: It's never too early or too late to start taking steps for a stronger, healthier future. With the right lifestyle habits, you'll be ready to keep thriving for decades to come.