Your Centenarian Decathlon

Wouldn't it be great to live to be 100 years old? If you could, what would you like to be able to do?

Dr. Peter Attia came up with an approach that he calls the "Centenarian Decathlon". It is a framework for designing a personalized, lifelong fitness plan, working backward from a set of physical and cognitive tasks you want to perform at age 100.

It encourages training for the "marginal decade" (the final decade of life) by focusing on strength, stability, mobility, and aerobic capacity to maintain independence and enjoyment.

The "decathlon" itself is not a single event, but a template for individual goals, encompassing athletic feats, activities of daily living (like picking up groceries), and personal hobbies to ensure continued high quality of life.  

How the Centenarian Decathlon Works

1. Define Your Future Self.

Begin by identifying specific, tangible physical tasks you want to be able to do in your 80s, 90s, or even 100s. 

2. Work Backward.

Determine what training is necessary today to achieve those goals in the future, considering natural age-related decline. 

3. Focus on the "Four Pillars".

Structure your training around four key components to build comprehensive fitness for the long term:

• Stability and Mobility: Exercises that improve balance, flexibility, and movement, such as getting up off the floor, performing planks, or walking with proper form. 
• Strength: Activities that build and maintain muscle mass, including lifting weights, bodyweight exercises, or carrying objects like groceries. 
• Aerobic Capacity: Both steady-state cardio (Zone 2) and high-intensity interval training (VO2 Max) are crucial for cardiovascular health. 

Personalize Your List.

The Centenarian Decathlon is unique to you. Your goals might include climbing a flight of stairs, playing with grandchildren, carrying suitcases, playing pickleball, walking around Green Lake, traveling, or doing 30 minutes of resistance training. 

Why Set Up Your Centenarian Decathlon?

As Zig Ziglar once said, "If you don't know where you're going, any path will take you there". Doesn't it make sense to have a sense of where you would like to be in your old age?

Here are three reasons why it's important:

• Shifts your mindset: It moves beyond generic fitness to a purpose-driven approach, focusing on specific goals for continued independence and enjoyment of life. 
• Combats ageist stereotypes: It challenges the assumption that physical decline is inevitable, offering a proactive way to remain capable and vibrant for decades. 
• Enhances longevity: By training for the specific physical demands of old age, you build resilience and the capacity to live a more fulfilling life, regardless of age. 

Now What?

Now that you've identified the ten activities that constitute your Centenarian Decathlon, what do you need to do -- starting right now -- to make it all happen?

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