Why Hockey Is the Best Anti-Ageing Sport

Many adults reach a point where they believe getting older means slowing down.

The knees ache.

The back feels stiff.

Recovery takes longer.

They swap sport for the gym because they think that's what they're supposed to do.

Eventually, they stop playing altogether.

I don't think it's age that changes us the most.

I think it's when we stop playing.

I know what it's like to believe your sporting life is over.

Years of playing hockey left me with chronic inflammation, recurring gout and hip arthritis. I eventually quit playing because I didn't think my body could cope anymore.

For several years, I focused on coaching instead, becoming Head Coach of Great Britain. I still loved the game, but I missed the feeling of competing.

As I learned more about ancestral health, changed the way I ate and started training differently, something unexpected happened.

My body began to respond.

The pain reduced.

I became leaner.

I moved better.

Most importantly, I wanted to play again.

Fast forward a few years and I was representing the Czech Republic at the World Championships, becoming a World Champion in the 45+ division.

At 50, I don't train because I want to look younger. I train because I want to keep playing hockey.

People often ask me what the best exercise is for longevity.

I don't think it's an exercise at all.

It's a sport you genuinely love.

For me, hockey combines almost everything we lose as we get older:

• Speed
• Strength
• Balance
• Coordination
• Power
• Quick decision-making
• Competition
• Friendship
• Purpose

For an hour, I'm completely present.

I'm not counting calories or watching my heart rate.

I'm simply playing.

Ironically, that's when I get some of my best exercise.

What Happens If You Stop Playing

When we stop doing the activities we love, training becomes another task on the to-do list.

We move less.

We challenge ourselves less.

We lose strength, speed and confidence.

Before long, we start believing decline is inevitable.

It isn't.

What Happens When You Keep Playing

When you keep playing, you give yourself a reason to stay fit.

You eat better because you want more energy.

You train because you want to skate faster.

You recover because you want to be ready for the next game.

Fitness stops being the goal.

It becomes the by-product of doing something you love.

That's a much more sustainable way to stay healthy.

Ask yourself one simple question:

What sport or activity would I still love to be doing in twenty years?

If the answer is hockey, don't wait until you're "fit enough" to get back on the ice.

Start playing.

Then build your training, nutrition and recovery around staying on the ice for as long as possible.

That's exactly what I'm doing.