'I'm 65 and In the Best Shape of My Life—This Is the Exact Workout Routine I Swear By'
Swimming is one of those athletic endeavors that soothes the mind while building muscle in a low-impact, easy-on-the-injuries way. It happens to be a sport that’s ideal for seniors, and once accustomed to the water, many excel at swimming—just take 75 year-old long-distance swimmer Diana Nyad as a prime example.
While you can always take up swimming later in life, for some, it’s a lifelong pursuit. Susan Ingraham is one of these swimmers. As a San Antonio, Texas-based swimming coach, 65-year-old Ingraham continues to crush her personal goals. She says that at 63, she swam in a four-day staged open water swim, without a wetsuit, in Morocco for over 18 miles. She also has climbed to the top of the Rock of Guatape in Colombia, been named one of the Fittest 50 Over 50 in the nation and has won medals through the National Senior Games.
Just last month, she hiked to the top of Diamond Head in Hawaii, and the very next day, she swam the length of Waikiki Beach, or 2.4 miles.
“It's not really about achievement in fitness—it's the ability to enjoy the experience,” she says.
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A Commitment to Fitness
Calling both of her parents “very active adults” who each participated in sports and dance through high school and college, as a child, Ingraham watched as they played tennis and volleyball and ran to stay in shape. With their encouragement, she participated in sports through college, then took a hiatus when she got married.
“During my first pregnancy, it was important for me to eat right and exercise to stay healthy for both me and my baby,” she remembers. “When my son was born, he and I would walk and do exercises together so that I could get back in shape. It was at this time that it occurred to me that I should do something more than just follow my kids around. I needed to do something for myself first so that I could care for others.”
Today, Ingraham sees the value of prioritizing fitness in all stages of life, pointing out that exercise can help us play with our children, prevent injuries when lifting heavy items and maintaining balance to prevent falls. She also says that it provides opportunities for social activities, to meet new friends and to enjoy life through movement.
Susan Ingraham’s Workout Routine
Swimming
It’s not surprising that Ingraham’s fitness routine has a primary focus on swimming, which is her favorite aerobic exercise. She says that Monday through Friday, she swims for 75 minutes per day, which is broken up into smaller parts. Each swim includes an eight-minute warm-up of easy swimming (freestyle and backstroke), seven minutes of kicking in the water to get the blood flowing, seven minutes of drills and then the “main set” as she calls it, lasting approximately 45 minutes and varying each day. It can range from speed work to endurance sets to improving her stroke technique. Then she finishes with a cool-down.
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Strength training
She combines all that swimming with strength training. She says that she gets in the weight room twice a week for 30 minutes each time, with a primary focus on her shoulders and back.
Other exercise activities
Once a week, Ingraham walks for 40 minutes with her husband. She also likes to take Pilates or hot yoga classes on weekends since she loves the stretching aspects of the classes. She adds, “The honest answer is that these [activities] do not always happen due to other work commitments or coaching at a swim meet.”
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Reflecting on the Benefits of Exercise
Ingraham says that her goal is to be fit enough to do activities with her friends and family.
“I love being able to do an adventurous walk during vacation as opposed to just getting off the tour bus,” she says. “Fitness is what allows me to live a healthy life and lowers my risk of serious illnesses. I am strong enough to pick up my grandkids and flexible enough to sit on the ground while gardening. There are very little limitations that I have on what I want to do.”
For those who are inspired by Ingraham’s dedication to fitness, she recommends starting small and easy, saying that walking to the end of the driveway and working in the yard count.
“Don't try to schedule the whole week at first,” she advises. “It can only set you up for failure and frustration to make big plans. Instead, do what you like and during a time that easily fits your schedule. When these small steps become normal, then add on one more activity to your week.”
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