A Basketball Journey, Fitness Adventures and Life Lessons
Back in high school, I was a sharpshooter - draining deep shots before the 3-point line even existed. Defense and rebounding? Not my thing. My youngest son Kyle, though, at 6'8", was the opposite - a lockdown defender and dominant rebounder. Watching him shut down opponents in high school and college was one of my greatest joys.
My oldest son, Ricky, didn't play basketball much and didn't have the same love for it as his brother, Kyle; however, he played on a CYO basketball team one year and asked if I could drive the team (which turned out to be most of the team) to a playoff game. I took them to a game, and I was amazed when Ricky started hitting deep jumpers all over the court - I think he ended up with over 20 points. The team only had 5 players, so they were too exhausted to beat the other team, which played about 8 players; however, in the stands I kept yelling "Way to go, Ricky" and "That's My Boy" when he kept hitting shots. A very proud moment for me.
My daughter Patti-Ann didn't play a lot of sports; however, when she was in college, she played tennis, and when her school played home games, I would often bring up our beagle Minah as well as groceries and spend Saturdays cheering her and the team on, which was always a great time. Minah also loved everyone coming over to see her. I've felt proud of my daughter my whole life, and I will continue to feel proud of her whether sports are involved or not.
One of my favorite basketball moments came in the 11th grade. The coach barely played me, so when he put me in with minutes left, I was determined to shoot - no matter what. With seconds on the clock, I got the ball near half court, launched the shot with a very high arc, and made it to the end of the court before the ball went through the net. The coach wasn't thrilled ( he wanted the team to hold the ball ), but I sure was.
On the flip side, my worst personal basketball memory came senior year. I rarely played, so the night before a game, I made the mistake of drinking with my brother Andy and my best friend Tony. Hungover, I assumed I'd be on the bench. Nope- the coach put me in, and I played a lot. I felt like I was moving in slow motion, missing every shot by a mile. After the game, the coach said, "You had an off night". He has no idea
A Basketball Journey, Fitness Adventures and Life Lessons
Back in high school, I was a sharpshooter - draining deep shots before the 3-point line even existed. Defense and rebounding? Not my thing. My youngest son Kyle, though, at 6'8", was the opposite - a lockdown defender and dominant rebounder. Watching him shut down opponents in high school and college was one of my greatest joys.
My oldest son, Ricky, didn't play basketball much and didn't have the same love for it as his brother, Kyle; however, he played on a CYO basketball team one year and asked if I could drive the team (which turned out to be most of the team) to a playoff game. I took them to a game, and I was amazed when Ricky started hitting deep jumpers all over the court - I think he ended up with over 20 points. The team only had 5 players, so they were too exhausted to beat the other team, which played about 8 players; however, in the stands I kept yelling "Way to go, Ricky" and "That's My Boy" when he kept hitting shots. A very proud moment for me.
My daughter Patti-Ann didn't play a lot of sports; however, when she was in college, she played tennis, and when her school played home games, I would often bring up our beagle Minah as well as groceries and spend Saturdays cheering her and the team on, which was always a great time. Minah also loved everyone coming over to see her. I've felt proud of my daughter my whole life, and I will continue to feel proud of her whether sports are involved or not.
One of my favorite basketball moments came in the 11th grade. The coach barely played me, so when he put me in with minutes left, I was determined to shoot - no matter what. With seconds on the clock, I got the ball near half court, launched the shot with a very high arc, and made it to the end of the court before the ball went through the net. The coach wasn't thrilled ( he wanted the team to hold the ball ), but I sure was.
On the flip side, my worst personal basketball memory came senior year. I rarely played, so the night before a game, I made the mistake of drinking with my brother Andy and my best friend Tony. Hungover, I assumed I'd be on the bench. Nope- the coach put me in, and I played a lot. I felt like I was moving in slow motion, missing every shot by a mile. After the game, the coach said, "You had an off night". He has no idea
Decades later, in my mid-50's, I played a game with my sons Ricky and Kyle at the YMCA. I think they were shocked that I could still nail deep jumpers. My knees, however felt like sponges with absolutely no strength and they were not impressed. That was my final game which was the best way to go out - playing well and not getting injured.
My Fitness Journey
For years, I lifted weights religiously. I had a home gym with a 315-pound weight stack - pure metal, no plastic filled with sand. My poor brother Bob, half my size, had to drag the machine to our garage when it was delivered as I was not home. He wasn't thrilled and still reminds me of this incident.
In a year, I hit peak shape - 220 pounds with low body fat, benching the full stack on an incline for 5 reps. But muscle disappears rapidly. It took 2 to 3 months to lose what took a year to build.
That machine followed me through life. It moved into our apartment, then back to the garage ( once my wife realized it wasn't baby-friendly, especially with our daughter Patti-Ann crawling all over the place ), then to the cellar when we bought our house. After 25 years, my wife finally had enough - it was rusted and outdated. I helped 2 guys haul it out of the cellar, closing a chapter of my fitness journey.
Before weight-lifting, I was a runner. I lost weight, felt great - until my knees protested. Every run left me limping for 2 days. I tried rest, tried coming back, but the pain always returned. I don't feel the human body is made to run outdoors on streets and sidewalks. I switched to a stationary bike for a while, but that didn't compare to running. My wife Kim had a stationary bike that she got and didn't use once rather, she hung clothes on it. To this day, any time we are watching TV and we see a commercial for a stationary bike, I always say to her, "What a nice clothes hanger they are selling." She doesn't think I am funny. When I discovered Rucking, I knew that was my go-to workout. No knee pain, just strength, endurance, a great workout, and I don't think my wife will hang clothes on my Rucking vest.
Treadmill Wipeouts
Speaking of my wife and fitness she used a treadmill for years, but the family would constantly hear a thud when she was using the treadmill. She said the thud was her following off. I asked her "How do you fall off the treadmill if you are holding on?" and to my surprise she said she didn't hold on. Apparently, our daughter Patti-Ann inherited this skill as she took a fall off a treadmill at Planet Fitness. I guess treadmills just aren't in the DNA of our family.
I was lucky that I didn't experience many injuries playing basketball, running or lifting weights over the years ( some sprained ankles playing basketball and one time when lifting a dumbbell over my head the clip let go and about 30 pounds bounced off my head - I saw stars but I was OK ) however my son Ricky tore his Achilles tendon playing basketball in October of this year. Thankfully he is healing and no longer wearing a boot which is great news.
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Free "Beginners Guide to Rucking After 50" PDF
I added slideshows from our visit to Scandinavia in the 'Sweden, Finland and Estonia' section of my post - Scandinavian Lifestyle Habits That Support Healthy Aging.
I hope the information and experiences I share on Healthy Retirement Strategies encourage you on your own health journey. No matter where you're starting, it's never too late to build a healthier, stronger, and more confident future.
I hope the information and experiences I share on Healthy Retirement Strategies encourage you on your own health journey. No matter where you're starting, it's never too late to build a healthier, stronger, and more confident future.
If this story encouraged you, consider sharing it with someone who might be looking for a way to boost their workouts. They will appreciate this, and in return, you can direct them to additional healthy content on Healthy Retirement Strategies.
We at Healthy Retirement Strategies focus on practical daily approaches to staying healthy by eating well, working out consistently ( Rucking and Working Out ), and maintaining a positive focus on life.
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This content is for informational purposes only and is not intended as medical advice. Always consult a healthcare professional before making changes to your health routine.
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- Scandinavian Saunas: Health Benefits, Social Ritual, or Both?
- Why Are the Happiest People in the World From Scandinavia?
- Healthy Aging Lessons From Scandinavian Lifestyle Design
- Simple Evening Habits That Support Better Sleep After 50
- Hábitos nocturnos simples para dormir mejor después de los 50
- How Dangerous is it Not to Get Enough Sleep as You Age?
- Does Time Speed Up as People Age, or is That Just Perception?
- How to Prevent Shoulder Injuries While Working Out After 50
- Is Pickleball a Fun Sport or Actually a Good Workout?
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Click here to ownload the Free Healthy Retirement GuideDisclaimer: This information is for educational purposes only and is not intended as medical advice. Always consult with your healthcare provider before starting any new health regime, especially if you have existing medical conditions or are taking medications. Visit Healthy Retirement Strategies for more tips on living your healthiest life at any age.
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