Yahoo Lifestyle 'I'm 77 and In the Best Shape of My Life—This Is the Exact Workout Routine I Swear By'
There are some passions in life that never, ever wane, ones that follow us far into our golden years. For 77-year-old Charles “Buddy” Allie, his lifelong love has been track and field.
“I have been a track and field athlete since high school and college,” the Pittsburgh native says. “Since becoming a senior athlete, I continue to train and compete in track and field as a sprinter.”
Allie’s senior years have been marked by a myriad of fitness achievements, including setting world records in individual events which include the 60m, 100m, 200m, 400m and three relay events. “I currently hold eight world records in several age groups,” he says.
On the Right Track
Allie shares that he has always been involved in physical fitness, mainly through football and track and field. His high level of success in those sports eventually led to a track and field college scholarship.
Nowadays, his dedication to fitness continues to be unwavering. He says that he incorporates a “full cycle of fitness routines” into his life, which wraps in healthy eating, stretching, jogging, running and resistance weight training.
He also acknowledges that since excessive stress levels can be harmful to one’s health, he prioritizes regular exercise as a way to minimize any stress, “which in turn benefits my mental health,” he says.
🩺 SIGN UP for tips to stay healthy & fit with the top moves, clean eats, health trends & more delivered right to your inbox twice a week 💊
Charles Allie’s Workout Routine
Track and field training
Little has changed between Allie’s younger years and today. He continues to focus on training for track and field competitions, competing in both indoor and outdoor events on national and international masters levels.
“I try to be physically active on a daily basis,” he says. “During my training season, I exercise and train at least four days per week, which includes hitting the gym during my recovery/rest day. My training session usually averages around two hours.”
Warmup: light jogging; two laps around the track; stretching
Drills: A variety of basic warm-up drills to build up the heart rate, loosen up the muscles boost speed and improve running mechanics. One drill that Allie does often is called “a skip and a march,” which combines a high-knee skipping motion or a gradual walking motion with high knee lifts.
Workout: Sprint workout, also known as a ladder workout, is Allie's go-to. Beginning from the top (300m) and working your way down, or starting from the bottom (60m) and working your way up, complete sprints at 75 to 80% speed effort for each distance (this can depend on your individual fitness level). Allie says that this process can be repeated two to three times, with walking recovery between each distance.
Cooldown: Light stretching
Biking
“I also include bike riding as part of my cross training,” he says, referring to the days he gives his body a break from track and field training.
Related: 'I'm 66 and In the Best Shape of My Life—This Is the Exact Workout Routine I Swear By'
Sage Advice
To those who would like to get in shape, Allie recommends developing a consistent workout plan and setting personal goals “as to what you would like to be able to achieve.”
As a three-year prostate cancer survivor, Allie knows that seniors may encounter setbacks and challenges during their fitness quests.
“I would like to encourage all to make your health a top priority in your life,” he says. “Our health is our wealth. Being physically active and properly exercising can lead to your longevity. Through the benefits of a healthy lifestyle and participating in physical fitness activities, I am able to continue with my passion as a senior athlete and remaining fit and healthy.”
Up Next:
Related: 55 Running Tips to Keep You Happy and Healthy While You're Training
