Library : Year 2 | Session 11: Mental Side of Fitness -- Impact of Aging on Intellect
By Thomas Tutko, Ph.D.
The field of psychology has long been interested in and has researched the area of developmental age levels. Most of the research has centered around early developmental levels and its influence on later life. Although many of the details are controversial, in general, there seems to be a consensus that there are different stages and each contributes to our total life span.
It is only more recently that research has centered around the later years. Call them whatever you like—the fading years, the twilight years or the final years, they are part of our total personal picture. For the purpose of this article, we will refer to these years as the mature years. Two aspects of the mature years need to be considered, particularly in relationship to exercise. The two include chronology and attitude.
The first consideration, chronology, seems so obvious. It is inevitable that we all grow old, no matter how much we may dislike or fight it; Age Happens. Some older individuals dedicate their lives to combating this process whether it be through denial, immature behavior or plastic surgery. This approach only intensifies our emotions when confronted with the inevitable, each day we grow older. Most aging individuals would like to be young forever. In fact, there are many industries and much research centered on this very issue. That it has not yet happened is a painful reality.
The second consideration, attitude, is probably the key to dealing effectively with growing old. Whereas we can do nothing about chronology we can do something about attitude. Besides, age is far more an attitude than an accumulation of time.
Living is a notion obsessed with being youthful. We fail to consider the many attributes associated with aging. Being young is associated with being wild, free and risk taking. To be young is to be active, exploring and adventurous. To grow old, however, is to be set in your ways, inactive and staid. This mental set, more often than not, determines our behavior. Active people do active things; sedentary people sit.
Age and attitude are of particular importance when it comes to considering exercise. Whereas exercise is usually thought of as a youthful activity, it should play a far more important role in the mature years. It is unfortunate that many consider physical activity belonging to the young rather than critical to the mature.
There are 3 steps that the mature individual might consider in reframing their attitude. The first is realizing that exercise is only for the youthful is a myth! Mature individuals are equally entitled to the physical activity arena.
The second step is for the mature individual to realize that exercise may be more important to senior adults than younger individuals. Maintaining one’s health, including exercise, becomes far more important in our later years than when we are developing.
Finally, the quality of our lives depends on fitness. The more fit a mature individual may be, the greater the opportunity to expand their personal talent. In addition, senior citizens have far more to offer others through their experience and wisdom than the developing adult.
It is unfortunate that we have a stereotype of aging individuals as being inactive and sedentary. This stereotype mot only degrades the mature individual, but minimizes their potential contribution. Even more unfortunate is the fact that many mature adults have bought into this misleading concept and have avoided exercise, giving it to the young.
Age, attitude and exercise are intricately bound. It is only by understanding the myth, taking action to overcome it and being more physically active, that exercise can contribute to the quality of our lives, whatever the age.
Tom Tutko, Ph.D., is the founder of the Institute of Athletic Motivation, Professor Emeritus of psychology at San Jose State University and author of Sports Psyching and other books on mental preparation for competitive athletics and exercisers.
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