Researchers in Sweden and at Ball State University in Indiana assembled two remarkable groups of octogenarian men.
One group was composed of lifelong cross-country skiers, the other group didn’t do any formal exercise beyond the activities of daily living.
Not surprisingly, the skiers were in better shape than the non-skiers. The results show that the skiers had approximately twice the cardiovascular and muscular fitness of the untrained group.
One of the big differences between cross-country skiing and other forms of exercise, like running and cycling, is that your upper body plays a big role. The full body workout provided by cross-country skiing is uniquely effective. The untrained subjects, despite being blessed with remarkable health, were perilously close to the inability to live independently.
The message: Good genes can help you live a long life, but if you want to fully enjoy those later years, go cross-country skiing.
The season is getting underway, check out the website at www.ski-skmana.com or call Darcy at 250-679-3941 for more information.
- Submitted by the Skmana Ski & Snowshoe Club.