Everyone wants to look good; that’s a given.
So we fight against wrinkles, grey hair, and less supple skin, and that fight fuels many multibillion-dollar industries.
As of 2020, the global cosmetic industry (skincare, haircare, makeup, etc.) was valued at $307.69 billion.
The cosmetic surgery industry is projected to reach $66.96 billion globally by 2026.
The world we live in prioritizes appearance above almost everything.
To be clear, there’s nothing wrong with wanting to look good. The problem is when we make the error of assuming that looking good/youthful is the same as feeling youthful.
It’s not.
What if instead of asking ourselves, “How can I appear young?” we asked, “How can I stay young for longer?”
Because that’s what we really want, isn’t it?
We want the ability to do whatever we want with our lives.
We want the freedom to say yes to every opportunity that catches our attention without the fear of our bodies failing us when we need them the most.
We don’t just want to be able to get off the toilet easily.
We want to continue to have adventures with our friends and family.
We want to climb mountains, swim in the ocean, and build campfires in the backcountry, where we can laugh together and create core memories with those we love.
We want the benefits of a youthful body AND the wisdom of the years we’ve lived.
If that’s what you want, and we suspect that’s the case if you’re still reading, you know the answer is more than skin deep.
To have that kind of life for your ENTIRE life, you have to build and maintain a body that can handle the vibrancy of youth, and that’s why we talk about sprinting so often.
Sprinting is a powerful litmus test of whether or not you’re “using it or losing it.”
It’s the peak expression of a fundamental movement pattern, locomotion.
It’s the pattern that first gives us freedom soon after we come into this world, and it’s the pattern we have to maintain if we want to hold onto that freedom.
Sprinting requires the ability to move explosively through the full range of motion. It requires the maintenance of type II muscle fibers (the big explosive ones) which are the first casualties of aging if they’re not being utilized.
In other words, if you want to be able to sprint, you have to be sprinting to maintain the machinery within your body that facilitates sprinting.
Sprinting also requires great control, which maintains your balance and proprioceptive abilities AND the strength and connective tissues of the muscles counteracting (hamstrings) the explosive forces.
Sprinting isn’t a panacea for aging, but it very well could be the most bang for your buck exercise if you want the best shot at maintaining full independence for your entire life.
