Aging may not be an irreversible linear process but rather a system that can be actively managed. The case of Richard Morgan is the most hardcore proof of this view.
Let's first take a look at a set of incredible data:
• Age: 93 years old
• Body fat percentage: 15% (lower than the majority of middle-aged and young men)
• Muscle mass: 80% of body weight
• Heart condition: Comparable to a 40-year-old
• Aerobic capacity: Equivalent to a healthy 30-year-old
The owner of these data is a gentleman named Richard Morgan. He is not a gifted professional athlete but an elderly man who has won the world indoor rowing championship four times.
The most astonishing thing is that when he began to engage in and systematically practice this sport, he was already 73 years old.
The impact of this case was so strong that the research team from Limmorek University in Ireland conducted an in-depth case study on him, attempting to decode the hidden secrets within this "anti-aging" individual's body.
Now, based on this research report, let's take a look at what exactly Morgan has done right over the past 20 years.
1、 His training engine: The intelligent "70-20-10" intensity model and the "push until exhaustion" power principle
The 20-year-long exercise routine was the cornerstone of Morgan's success.
However, the "wisdom" behind his training methods is far more worthy of our study than just the word "perseverance".
1.1、Smart aerobic training: 70-20-10 intensity distribution model
Morgan conducts about 30 kilometers of indoor rowing training every week, with an average duration of 40 minutes per day. However, he doesn't challenge himself to the limit every day.
Instead, he follows an extremely scientific intensity ratio:
• 70% of the time, perform low-intensity training. This is the main part of his training, with the intensity being approximately at a level where one can talk while exercising. The core function is to build a substantial aerobic foundation, improve cardiovascular efficiency, and minimize the risk of injury, ensuring that the training can be carried out over a long period and continuously.
• 20% of the time, engage in moderate-intensity training. At this intensity, he will feel significantly challenged, with increased breathing, but still be able to persist. This part of the training aims to enhance the body's lactate threshold and endurance levels.
• 10% of the time, undertake high-intensity sprints. This is the part that truly challenges the limits. Although the duration is short, the intensity is extremely high. Its purpose is to stimulate the body to develop greater adaptability and effectively raise the upper limit of athletic performance.
This "70-20-10" pyramid model perfectly balances training volume and recovery, avoiding the common mistake of "newbies rushing headlong from the start and then getting injured or giving up quickly".
This is the key reason why it has been able to persist for 20 years without interruption
1.2、 The Law of Key Forces: 2-3 times a week, and "until exhaustion"
In addition to aerobic exercises, Morgan also conducts 2-3 strength training sessions each week.
The key point is that he performs each set of exercises until he reaches "exhaustion" - that is, to the point where the muscles are completely unable to complete one more repetition.
This is of great significance for the elderly.
As people age, muscle mass inevitably decreases, known as "sarcopenia".
Resistance training, especially this "extreme exhaustion" type of training, can maximize the recruitment and tearing of muscle fibers, sending the strongest signal to the body that "muscle growth and maintenance are needed".
This is the most effective weapon against sarcopenia and for maintaining physical strength and metabolic levels.
Morgan's astonishing 80% muscle mass is the inevitable outcome of the long-term effect of this combination of "aerobic endurance" and "exhaustive strength".
2、 His source of physical energy: A high-protein diet that is far beyond the norm but precisely supports his body.
If training is the engine, then diet is the fuel.
Morgan's dietary approach also completely overturned conventional thinking.
The research found that his daily protein intake was approximately three times the recommended intake for ordinary elderly people of the same weight.
This is an extremely crucial piece of information.
The scientific community has reached a consensus that due to the "anabolic resistance" phenomenon, the efficiency of the elderly in utilizing proteins to build muscles decreases.
This means that to maintain or even increase muscle mass, they need to consume a relatively higher amount of protein than younger people.
For elderly people like Morgan who engage in high-intensity, exhaustive training, consuming three times the recommended amount of protein is not necessarily "excessive", but rather "precisely necessary support".
It is this continuous supply of "building materials" that sustains his powerful muscle engine. Of course, high protein intake does not mean "only eating meat".
His diet is carried out under the premise of balanced nutrition.
He consumes a comprehensive intake of carbohydrates, vegetables, fruits, etc. This healthy eating habit has been maintained for over 20 years.
3、 His operating system: Unyielding willpower that ignores age limitations Beyond the technical details
what is the most unquantifiable and most astonishing aspect of the Morgan case is his spiritual strength.
At the age of 73, it is a time when most people think "everything is too late". But Morgan not only started, but also transformed this painstaking persistence into a daily lifestyle for the next two decades, and eventually reached the top of the world.
Behind this was a powerful mindset that disregarded age limits and never gave up, driving her forward.
Just as he himself said: "Starting to exercise at any age can help build and maintain a strong body."
Indeed, this is an extreme case. Genetic and other innate factors might also have played a role.
But it eloquently demonstrates a possibility: Through scientific and long-term efforts in the future, our intervention in the aging process can reach a level far beyond imagination.