Maintaining a strong body is essential, especially as we get older. One reason is that you never know when you may injure yourself and end up in bed for an extended amount of time recuperating. A strong body before an injury puts you ahead in the recovery lane. Also, keeping your body strong is part of a healthy lifestyle that is sure to benefit your future self by keeping you young. Like Jack LaLanne, “The Godfather of Fitness,” Vera Koo is the epitome of someone who never appears to age. Vera shares what she has done in these three posts to keep her body strong well into her 78th year.
In her article “Why You Must Exercise if You Want to Shoot,” Vera begins by comparing our bodies to vehicles. She explains that just like cars need regular maintenance to perform when called upon, so do our bodies.
If you want your vehicle to perform, you must keep it fueled and give it the necessary maintenance. […] We must keep our bodies fueled with proper nutrition and maintained by steady exercise.
Some of the tips Vera offers in this article are:
Vera’s article “When Your Friend Won’t Listen to Good Advice” was inspired by a friend who suffered an ankle injury and wanted to help. Having had a spiral fracture in her leg at 66-years old, Vera definitely knew what she was talking about.
When facing a challenge in life, you do not have to like what you must do, but you must do it. If it is the course you must take to arrive at a destination, then you have to do it.
Vera used both Chinese and American medicines to recover. The Chinese ways of healing focus on eating, sleeping and medicine, in that order. Vera consumed several thousand calories each day without any concern for gaining weight. She also slept well and drank two cups of Chinese medicine tea daily. As for American medicine, she diligently followed her doctor’s orders for physical therapy.
Vera returned to competition less than a year after her injury with no significant ill effects lingering.
As mentioned in the first paragraph, Vera never seems to age. Her article “Staving Off Physical and Mental Deterioration with a New Sport” is proof of her eternal physical abilities. In order to challenge herself, at the young age of 72, Vera decided to begin a new sport, shotgun shooting.
My goal is to keep learning and to keep challenging myself. When left unchallenged, untested and with no task at hand, I am not the top version of myself. Pushing the envelope and welcoming new challenges brings out the best in me, and it keeps my mind and body sharp at a time when I must focus on that.
Vera explains how challenging shotgun shooting is for her. For those who do not shoot guns, shotgun shooting is very different from pistol shooting. Aside from the obvious size of the firearm and the way it’s held, the trigger pull is very different. And there’s also the way targets are engaged. When shooting a pistol, you aim at the target through the sights. For shotgun shooting, there is no aiming, and the focus is solely on the target. The strength and stamina needed to compete in this sport at any age are challenging.
Although Vera Koo has never toted herself as a health expert, after seeing her in person over the years and learning many of her life stories, her advice she offers about maintaining a strong body is worth serious consideration.
Find all Vera’s posts here.
Visit Vera’s website here.
Michelle Cerino, aka Princess Gunslinger, first entered the firearms industry in 2011 as co-owner, president and trainer at a national training company. She immediately began competing in both 3-Gun and NRA Action Pistol, becoming a sponsored shooter. Michelle is currently a columnist and Managing Editor of Women’s Outdoor News, as well as owner of Pervenio LLC. She also manages social media for Vera Koo and FASTER Saves Lives. Michelle encourages others to step out of the comforts of home and explore. View all posts by Michelle Cerino
