[Villages PL]

as opposed to just getting some exercise?

I read that intensive workouts started later in life can shorten one's life. Of course there are many in the villages who were PE teachers, etc. and were lifelong joggers or runners. I suppose they will be less likely to shorten their lives because they have maintained their heart muscle.

What I read had something to do with the heart muscle. It seems that it slowly deteriorates with age and is not reversible. And intensive exercise beyond a certain age can actually speed up aging instead of slowing it down.

I'll see if I can find that information again; it's in one of my books that deals with slowing down the aging process.

It might be interesting to note that the people who live to the oldest ages never worked out. Centenarians and supercentenarians, for the most part, grew up in an age when hardly anyone worked out. They may have worked hard during their working years but didn't workout in their retirement, like my grandfather who lived to 97.

[SantaClaus]

My grandpa lived to 96, and was in pretty good health right up 'til his last 15 months when a series of surgeries, injuries and infections cascaded to take him down. He was always busy but I cannot remember him ever doing anything that would have been cardiac beneficial. He certainly never "worked out" and was pretty incredulous when jogging became popular.

As for my wife, she's been doing these workouts for years so it's not something new she's adding. But certainly, the more we age the more serious we should take the precaution, "consult you physician before embarking on a new dietary or exercise regimen".