There aren't too many octogenarians headlining high profile rock concerts but Sir Paul McCartney. The rock legend recently took to the stage at Glastonbury Festival, one of the world's biggest contemporary music festivals, and in so doing, became the oldest solo act to headline the festival.
Hey Jude and Let it Be were just a few of the classics he threw himself into - appearing energetic, full of stamina, and with the posture of much younger rockers. So what's the secret to his vitality? While Paul attributes much of his good health to his vegetarian diet, he also believes his workout routine plays a big role, which he shared on a 2020 episode of the SmartLess podcast.
Yes, it seems there is such a thing. Paul learned it 20 years ago thanks to "some yogi" he came across while in India.
The yogi explained that our eyes are muscles whereas ears aren't, a statement which Paul took to heart. His eye yoga routine starts with the head kept still, then looking up as far as you can for the count of three, eyes back to the middle, then look down as far as you can for the count of three. Repeat sideways, then on a diagonal "like the Union Jack", he says, then cross the eyes to look at the end of your nose and roll them in a circle in both directions. Finish by focusing on a distant object for a count of three and then at the lines on your hand. "It can look a bit weird," he says. "But it's pretty good stuff."
Like many seniors, the foam roller seems to be Paul's next best friend. He says he gets on the exercise mat and does a "bit of foam roller".
Foam rolling can help to improve flexibility to a similar extent as stretching, but works better if combined with stretching before you get down to the harder parts of an exercise program, according to Paul.
Trainers say weights are essential as you get older, working against a resistance becomes more important to prevent the decline in muscle mass that occurs with age, so it comes as no surprise that Paul's routine includes this type of workout.
His workout includes "weights, some abs on the Swiss ball, before ending up on the mat doing a few stretches. Strengthening the core muscles that wrap around the trunk improves posture and stability." "Exercising on an unstable surface such as a Swiss ball ensures greater recruitment of the abdominal muscles than if you did them on the floor."
Can you imagine Paul McCartney standing on his head? Extraordinary as it sounds, it's how he rounds out his workout.
"If I'm in a gym and all the big guys have got big weights and they're doing all the big stuff, at the end I do a headstand," he told the Smartless podcast.
"And they come over to me [and say], 'That's pretty impressive, man'."
"Seriously, it's called "the king of yoga poses" and it's believed to improve circulation, concentration, and digestion.
"I actually learnt it in the 1960s, it was a yoga thing, and my argument is I need flexibility, not strength," Paul said.
Before you go following in Paul's footsteps, headstands are not easy and should be done only under supervision due to the high risk of injury.
No baby boomer would be surprised that Paul is into Transcendental Meditation (TM). In fact, the Beatles popularised it in the 1960s, inspiring a whole generation to travel hippy trails to India.
He continues to practice TM whenever he gets the chance.
"It's a good thing," he wrote in a blog post. "I do the TM and I was lucky because I was taught personally by Maharishi."
TM involves sitting still for about 20 minutes twice a day, silently repeating a mantra. Apparently, it can be good for lowering blood pressure, and reducing stress and anxiety. Paul says it works because "it's always very good to get a sort of still moment in your day".
