“It’s just part of getting old” and other bs. BAF newsletter september 2025
Greetings BAF Friends,
We’ve made it to September — and what a meaningful year it is for our city. This marks the 20th anniversary of Katrina, and I can’t think of a better way to appreciate New Orleans than by spending more time outdoors.
If you haven’t visited The Historic New Orleans Collection lately, they have a marvelous free exhibit showing how the city grew outward from the French Quarter. Beyond a certain distance from the river, it was truly swamp land! Parts of City Park like Couturie Forest are the vestiges of that primal landscape.
If the summer heat kept you indoors, I encourage you this month to break free from the enclosure and reconnect with the city we call home. It's good for your spirit.
Bike along the Mississippi River--East or West Bank!
Watch a sunset at Lake Pontchartrain
Hop on the streetcar or ferry and just take it all in
When we train outdoors together, it’s not just about exercise — it’s participation, creation, and our little contribution to making this city something special. Movement is appreciation of this time and place.
It doesn’t always have to be a “fitness mission.” Simply being present in this landscape helps you feel part of something greater.
“I Guess This Is Just Part of Getting Old” — And Other BS We Believe
I hear it all the time: “I can’t bounce back like I used to when I was younger.”
Well... I have a hot take for you... When you were younger, you were not bouncing back — you just had more reserves.
Think of your “youth” like a big pile of cash stuffed under your mattress. Every time you do something unhealthy, you take a handful. And it doesn’t bother you too much because there is still plenty of cash in there. Then one day—say when you turn 30 or 40—you realize there’s not as much cash in there as there used to be, and you say “oh well, I guess I’m poor now.” Then you try to make what little money you have left last as long as you can. Your quality of life drops, you can’t do the things you once did, and it is stressful! Sounds pretty dumb right?
Like… why didn’t we invest some of that mattress cash?
So why do we treat our health like this?
Instead of treating our health like some finite reservoir determined by a chronological age, we can reinvest in ourselves by exercising, eating right, sleeping, reducing our stress, staying hydrated… that’s a well diversified portfolio! That way in tough times, when one aspect of our lives or our health goes awry, we’ve hedged our bets to TRULY have the ability to “bounce back.”
Pain ≠ The End
If you broke your leg, do you say, “oh well, I guess that’s it” and walk around with a non-functioning leg for the rest of your life? NO.
So why is it any different with soft tissue and nerves? As time marches on, we may experience chronic aches and pains, and instead of doing anything about it, we can get into the bad habit of saying “that’s just my body giving out.” This lies on an assumption that despite doing NOTHING preventative or proactive, that you have perfect mobility... and apropos of nothing, your body decides not to work anymore. This is the exact opposite of what exercise science tells us. The “use it or lose it” principle tells us that if we don’t move out bodies, they start to break down, but if we keep using them, they stay strong and supple.
Often, it’s just imbalanced movement patterns straining a joint. If something feel overused, something else in the body is likely being under used.
The good news: unless there’s a major tear, you can still strengthen and restore soft tissue. And MOBILIZATION works better than immobilization.
Remember, adult pro athletes rehab serious soft tissue injuries all the time and return to high levels of performance. You just need to be responsible about it.
Key Takeaway: Don’t ignore nagging pain — manage it before it becomes a bigger problem.
Learn the difference between productive discomfort (“good pain”) and injury signals (“bad pain”). At the first sign of bad pain, stop what you’re doing, stretch, or activate muscles to reset.
Warmups aren’t optional. They calibrate your body for stress and prevent injury. You can also continue to mobilize, stretch DURING your workout as well, such as during your rest periods.
Protective and Supportive Gear like wrist wraps, knee sleeves, knee wraps, elbow wraps aren’t a sign of weakness — A football player doesn’t think less of themselves because they have to play with helmets and pads. Using protective gear is just part of the game.
Wear the right shoes! I've said it once, I'll say it 1000 times, squishy running shoes (e.g. Hokas, Brooks, OCs) have no place in strength & conditioning training. Wear them for what they were intended for and nothing else... RUNNING.
Your feet need to feel the ground to better balance and support you. My favorite training shoe for functionality, look, and price is FEIYUE. If you've never heard of them, they are very popular within the Kung Fu and Parkour communities.
When to Seek Outside Help
If you’ve gone too far and the pain is interfering with your ability to move….
See a chiropractor or osteopath for identification and immediate relief of the problem. The solution may be realigning the body with myofascial release, muscle stim, and spinal/ hip manipulation. Ask for recommended exercises to help train the body to stay in better alignment.
Reserve orthopedic specialists for extreme cases (immobility or surgical needs). Their expertise is in drastic corrective action — not prevention. Remember: an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.
Rewrite the “Getting Old” Script
Getting old is largely a state of mind. Some people “decide” they’re old at 30, 40, or 50. If you’re planning to be on this planet a long time, that’s a little EARLY to be throwing in the towel, don’t you think?
Next time you hear yourself say “That’s just part of getting old,” reframe it. Say: “I’m capable of so much more.”
It’s never too late for your first push-up, pull-up, or 10K.
Need inspiration? These athletes prove age is nothing but a number:
Stay Strong. Be Free. Be Yourself AF.
