What is the greatest shape you have ever been in?

I am now closing in on 35 years old and I was looking back thinking about what is the best shape I have ever been in. I played High school sports and this would be an easy answer to say. I had a football coach that made it mandatory to be in a weight training class. So each day I had that class plus a sports practice. Many times I would also do some extra working out of some sort, basketball in my driveway, or swimming, or just a nice run.

This is quite a bit of exercise and it is amazing to think that this used to be the norm for me. However, knowing what I now understand about the way our bodies respond to the constantly changing stimulus it receives I would have to say the best shape I have ever been in was when I was younger. Ages 6-8 I would say is about as physically fit as I have ever been.

I grew up in Denver which lends itself to being a great outdoor spot as a kid. It is sunny for the majority of the year and even the cold winters are a blast thanks to the many snow storms. I remember in 1983 there was a few storms that came in and it got to the point of the snow being as high as our doors. It was truly amazing as a kid to see this happen. There was even T-shirts made saying I survived the blizzard of '83.

Back to my point. Since we understand that our bodies constantly adapt to what we ask it to do then the best shape we are typically going to be in is when we are asking it to do the most variety of activities. You have heard me say over and over again that what we lack as we get older is that constant forcing of our joints to go through their full range of motion.

When is the last time you asked all the joints in your body to go through their full range of motion? This is what was so incredible for us as kids, that constant movement into every area of our body. The playground mentality is what allowed us to become in the best shape of our life.

I was very active in High School but I was missing that key ingredient that had allowed me to be able to play sports. The strength and power I developed as a kid on the playground. Had any of us continued to use this mentality throughout the teenage years and beyond wold we still be able to play all day like a kid without needing prescription drugs to deal with the pain? My answer is yes. I am doing a thirty year study that I am almost 8 years into. I'll keep you updated as my son continues to grow.