'I'm 85 and In the Best Shape of My Life—This Is the Exact Workout Routine I Swear By'

In 1959, it wasn’t exactly common to hear about a woman jumping out of planes. But as a member of the first U.S. Women’s Parachute Team, skydiver Kimberly (Kim) Emmons Knor is no stranger to being a pioneer. Now 85, Emmons Knor has traveled to 21 countries throughout her skydiving career and has a goal of completing 1,000 jumps by 2026.

“My goal now as a senior is to finish out some dreams I have had throughout my life,” she says. “One goal is to make 1,000 skydives earning the Gold Wings award from the United States Parachute Association.”

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She says that currently, she is enjoying one of the best times of her life with freedom to travel, enjoy the outdoors and participate in physical sports and activities. Since she dearly loves to travel, she bought a small motorhome that she calls home, and has the freedom to visit friends and family throughout the country and “skydive at as many drop zones as possible and live a very positive, energized, happy life.”

A Skydiving Dynamo

“My first encounter with a parachute was through my uncle, a Navy Pilot during World War II, who came home with a parachute that he had used to jump from a burning plane,” Emmons Knor shares. “My six-year-old dream of skydiving was born at this time! During the next 14 years, flying in our family airplane and seeing parachuting on the newsreels increased my desire. On December 13, 1959, I made my first jump near Chicago.”

And this wasn’t the only thrill-seeking Emmons Knor was doing. She says that during elementary school and high school, she was very active in sports like skiing, ice skating, swimming, water skiing and scuba diving. “So at age 20, living in Chicago, I added skydiving, which is now my main form of exercise,” she says.

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Prioritizing Fitness

Emmons Knor goes on to say that as life got in the way with work, a marriage, raising a family and community activities, her free time diminished along with aging and losing her husband at age 58.

“Also, it was the beginning of grandchildren coming, so I moved from Florida to Colorado to keep my family together for the grandchildren and the holidays,” she says. “It was a good move, and I was able to ski and skydive again occasionally.”

But that’s also when she began to realize that signs of aging were creeping up on her. That’s when she was inspired to work out, in order to regain her strength and mobility and increase her energy.

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Kim Emmons Knor’s Workout Routine

Skydiving

Skydiving in and of itself is Emmons Knor’s top form of exercise. She says that this includes climbing up in an airplane with full equipment two or three times a day. And of course, jumping out of a plane certainly puts those muscles to work!

Walking and hiking

Emmons Knor says that two important activities for her are walking and hiking, and she specifically seeks out challenging, uneven surfaces such as grass and gravel roads. She also takes the stairs whenever they’re available.

Daily stretching

The skydiver says that she focuses on daily stretching of her back, legs and arms. This is in addition to driving across the United States, which she says requires her to stretch her legs quite a bit and targets muscles in her back, arms and legs. She also uses a roller on her spine and shoulders.

Utilizing body weight

One of Emmons Knor’s regular goals is to get up off the floor without help. Things that aid in this goal include getting in a squat position and getting up from that position and getting on her hands and knees and getting up from that position without assistance—she only uses her body weight.

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Top Tips

Apart from regular exercise, for fellow seniors, Emmons Knor suggests including a diet of fresh foods, making home-cooked meals and eating minimal or no processed food.

“Also, I would recommend visiting a physical therapist or a chiropractor for checkups, or for suggestions to keep active and keep muscles toned,” she advises. “I do this at least once or twice a year, sometimes more. It's always good to look forward to a six-month plan with excitement that you will accomplish it. After five years of 10 of these six-month plans, you will be amazed at what you can accomplish.”

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Sources

• Skydiver Kim Emmons Knor.