Coach Sommer is a Gymnastics coach who has produced some of the strongest junior gymnasts in the US by using his practical body weight based program. Recently over at the Bronze Bow Publishing Forum Coach Sommer was talking about what it takes to have a heathful long life.

I must admit that I am always surprised when someone in their 40s & 50s asks me if there is still hope athletically. I believe that our sedentary society, and the results of our sweet laden processed American diet, have conditioned us to assume that we already have one foot in the grave; rather than a possible life expectancy of another twenty or thirty years.

My father in-law is over 90 years old. He looks younger than my own father at only 62. When I first met my wife, he was in his early 80s and I would not have believed that he was more than 55.

His secret? He has worked/exercised outdoors (farming) for a few hours each morning before heading into town to the office for his entire adult life. Lots of walking, carrying, chopping, plowing by caribao (a big asian cow) etc. All of their food is organic and they step out of the back door to pick it as they grow it themselves. They have never eaten cake. A heavy emphasis on fish, shell fish, shrimp, river crabs, rice and vegetables. Chicken is had occassionally, while pork and beef are reserved for very special events; such as my wife and children’s homecoming in the spring, when both a cow and a pig will be roasted for the entire barangay (neighborhood).

In fact all of my relatives on my wife’s side of the family are ridiculously long lived, with many over 100+. And this is a strong, vigorous centenarian; many of whom continue to live by themselves. Interestingly, the only members of my wife’s family who have developed poor health are those who moved into town and adopted western ways and diets. They develop the same typical medical problems as your average westerner and usually die somewhere in their late 60s to early 70s. And this while their relatives living a simple, relatively poor rural lifestyle, continue to live on and on and on . . .

Keep a look out for Coach Sommers upcoming book “Building the Olympic Body”