He has only been training for 20 years – that is his secret: this man (93) has the body of a 40 year old

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Irishman Richard Morgan started training at the age of 73. That paid off. Twenty years later, Morgan has the vital values ​​of a 40-year-old. So he actually rejuvenated his body. The heart and blood values ​​of the 93-year-old indoor rowing champion are in the green range.

Morgan is made up of 80 percent muscle and 15 percent body fat. The retiree also inspires researchers. His vital signs were examined at the University of Limerick. His heart beats 153 times per minute during physical activity – a record for this age. In 90-year-olds, the heart rate is normally 90 beats per minute. Rule of thumb for this: 180 minus your own age.

Philip Jakeman, professor of healthy nutrition, is fascinated by the Irishman. “It was one of the most inspiring days I have ever spent in the laboratory,” he said in a study published in the Journal of Applied Physiology. Researchers attribute the vital signs to the pyramid effect.

Fitness plan consists of 40 minutes of rowing

Morgan spends an average of 40 minutes on the rowing machine. He travels 30 kilometers with it every week. During his training, he trains slowly 70 percent of the time. He increases the speed for another 20 percent and goes full throttle for the last 10 percent. In addition to rowing training, he does lunges with dumbbells up to three times a week and eats more protein than recommended.

The research draws conclusions about aging based on active elderly people. The researchers want to test whether a sporting lifestyle extends life. What’s especially exciting in Morgan’s case is that he didn’t start training until he was old. Grandpa was watching his grandson’s rowing practice when his coach told him he could try out the equipment.

Genetics also plays a role

“We’re still learning how to design a training program,” Scott Trappe, a professor at Ball State University in Indiana, told the Washington Post. But investigators have already learned a lot from the Irishman’s case. Morgan says, “The evidence is quite clear that the human body retains the ability to adapt to training at any age.”

The researchers also make it clear that Morgan has certain genetic advantages and is not “younger” in all areas. For example, his racing ability has declined significantly over the past fifteen years. Aging cannot be stopped.

Source: Blick