Torres Provides Credo for People of All Ages: “Don’t Put an Age Limit on Your Dreams”

Pat Benic/UPI Photo/Newscom

By word and deed, U.S. Olympic swimmer Dara Torres set a milestone for people of all ages this week at the Beijing Olympics.
 
Her deeds: Three Olympic silver medals for second place finishes in the 50-meter freestyle, the 400-meter medley relay and the 400-meter freestyle relay. At 41, Torres became the oldest swimmer ever to win Olympic medals.
 
Her words: “The thing that's most rewarding here is what can be learned about what I've done. You don't have to put an age limit on your dreams. I'm hoping that people out there that may have thought they were too old to do certain things can realize they're not.”
 
With her three silver medals, Torres easily captured the title as the world’s fastest mom, bringing her career total to 12 Olympic medals. She also gained a share of the international spotlight with U.S. superstar Michael Phelps, who earned eight gold medals this Olympics, leading to a career total of 14 Olympic gold medals, the most held by any Olympian.
 
But Torres was also praised by competitors and teammates alike for her athletic prowess and her sportsmanship (she single-handedly held up the start of her semifinal race while a competitor repaired a swimming suit).
 
She was joined by her two-year-old daughter, Tessa, after her swim. She was already pregnant when she resumed serious training for what eventually became her Olympic triumph.

Her success at winning a place on this year’s Olympic team, her fifth, has already inspired older athletes. Now Torres has provided a credo for anyone middle-aged or older. A TV announcer noted that Tessa would likely not remember these Olympics and she asked what Torres would tell her daughter about her accomplishment. “Don’t put an age limit on your dreams,” she said. 

Within 24 hours, that credo had become emblazoned on a T-shirt available on the Internet for $17.55, plus shipping.

Torres has a history of breaking records. After breaking her first three world records in 1982, at age 14, she has since earned nine Olympic medals and she was the first American swimmer to compete in five Olympic games. Not only has she overcome the age stigma, she’s breaking down stereotypes about women’s bodies after motherhood. Torres gave birth to Tessa Grace just two years ago, after retiring twice from swimming and undergoing two surgeries in the past eight months.

So what’s her secret to success? Torres stands by amino acid supplements, which she claims help her recover after she swims.

Christine Gerbstadt, M.D., the spokesperson for the American Dietetic Association, says that these supplements, called branched chain amino acids, don’t offer all of the essential amino acids which make a “complete” protein found naturally in lean meats and dairy.

Gerbstadt recommends that, immediately after exercising, both athletes and nonathletes consume a 4-to-1 carbohydrate-to-protein ratio. The carbohydrates are for energy recovery, the proteins for muscle recovery. She suggests eating whey protein shakes or protein bars. Doing cardio activity and weightlifting break down muscle tissues, and by eating proteins you are repairing muscles.

Frank Clarke Holmes, M.D., director of sports medicine at Georgetown University, also recommends that aging athletes of both sexes take multivitamins and that aging women take calcium and vitamin D supplements.

Holmes also emphasizes the importance of a well-balanced diet, rich in lean meats, fruits and vegetables and low-fat dairy products. He also says it is especially vital for older athletes to stay hydrated when working out, and recommends drinking electrolyte drinks, such as Gatorade or Powerade, in addition to water.

Gerbstadt says that people should drink eight ounces of water every 15 minutes during strenuous workouts, and four ounces of water every 15 minutes during moderate exercise.

In addition to cardio and weight training, another secret to Torres’ success is resistance stretching—repetitive exercises using an external force to push against muscles to strengthen and lengthen them. See her promotional video demonstrating these exercises. Or you can watch Al Roker demonstrate them.

As she’s aged, Torres’ workouts have changed as well. After having a child and two surgeries, she has reduced her swimming workouts from 10 to five times a week and has added weight training four days a week.

And if Torres keeps up her regiment into her 50s, she’ll stay on track. Holmes recommends a combination of cardio and weightlifting at least three to five days a week for people over 50. Weightlifting is an especially important way postmenopausal women can maintain bone density.

And don’t worry about getting too bulky, ladies. Resistance training increases flexibility, endurance and balance.