OCR athlete Rose Wetzel shows how to achieve peak performance after the age of 40

OCR athlete Rose Wetzel shows how to achieve peak performance after the age of 40

Rose Wetzel is a woman with many titles and one who wears many hats. Each title requires dedication, persistence, drive and passion. Mother, competitive runner, Ninja Warrior finalist, Precision Nutrition Coach, life coach, certified personal trainer, and Pro Spartan obstacle course runner, to name a few.

Wetzel's successes speak for themselves: He finished in the top 10 in three world championship races in 2022: Spartan, Spartan Trifecta and OCRWC 3k.

She achieved all of these sporting successes even after she was 40 years old. Wetzel shares how exercise helped her overcome life's hurdles and how you can be the best version of yourself, no matter what season you're training in or what goal you're aiming for.

The making of an athlete

“As the youngest girl in a family of nine children, I ran everywhere to keep up,” says Wetzel. In middle school, she beat all the boys in footraces during recess, and after playing soccer and basketball for a few years, she focused on track in high school; Winning a couple of 800m state championships and an athletic scholarship to Georgetown.

After college, Wetzel worked as a personal trainer and trained hard to compete in the U.S. Olympics, but failed on her first attempt. Wetzel's friend suggested she try something new for a fun break - which in turn opened up her athletic profile more than she originally expected.

“My first obstacle course race humbled me to the core and left me exhausted from head to toe after running amok through the woods, flipping tires and climbing ropes,” says Wetzel. “I loved it and have been racing professionally ever since, including four seasons of the challenging and extremely entertaining hit series American Ninja Warrior.”

With all of these achievements came some different types of obstacles. Although unexpected, these hurdles showed Wetzel the importance of exercise when life gets tough.

Overcome obstacles with movement

About seven years ago, Wetzel's husband, Tim, was diagnosed with cancer. Luckily he is healthy today. But during these more difficult times, Wetzel was able to integrate her stressful and frightening situation into her training. “The physical and emotional hurdles we faced during this time made me especially grateful for the exercise-induced endorphins I received from my daily workouts,” she says.

After Tim's cancer diagnosis came another major obstacle: postpartum postpartum depression. Because PPD is far from a walk in the park, Wetzel instead chose running as a way to cope. “Running was great therapy, as was a solid HIIT workout.” It shows how important exercise is not only for the physical body, but also for mental and emotional health.

Rose Wetzel Tips for Improving Your Workout Routine

Wetzel shared her top tipsMuscle & Fitnesss readers who have helped her prioritize health and fitness.

1. Priorisieren Sie die Dinge je nach Jahreszeit und Leben unterschiedlich. Sie können alles tun – nur nicht gleichzeitig. Lassen Sie einige Dinge vorübergehend ruhen, um das zu erledigen, was zu einem bestimmten Zeitpunkt am wichtigsten ist, insbesondere wenn es sich um eine Gewohnheit oder Zeitvertreib handelt, die als Baustein für andere Ziele dient.
2. Stellen Sie Hilfe für alles ein, was Sie budgetieren können. Das ist ein Element, das Wetzel gerne früher getan hätte, da ein wenig „Outsourcing“ zeitaufwändiger „Aufgaben“ einen großen Beitrag zum Erreichen langfristiger Ziele leisten kann.
3. Sprechen Sie mit Ihren Kindern über Ihre Ziele. Erstellen Sie ein kinderfreundliches Mini-Workout, das Sie einmal pro Woche durchführen können, damit sich die Kinder einbezogen fühlen. Vom Kleinkind auf dem Rücken bei Liegestützen bis zum Heranwachsenden beim Tanzaufwärmen oder Rumpftraining – hier haben Kinder das Gefühl, dass sie Ihnen bei Ihrem Fitnessziel helfen.

Staying in shape over 40

“Nutrition and self-care become more important as we age.” Says Wetzel. Not surprisingly, recovery and maintaining muscle mass become more difficult. Therefore, Wetzel recommends focusing on proteins and vegetables, as well as getting enough water and sleep. “In addition, lifting heavy loads and high-intensity training help build or maintain valuable muscles.” She adds. A balanced life with exercise, rest and nutrition is the answer to graceful and healthy aging.

Rose Wetzel Go-To Supp

To support her active lifestyle full of training, racing, work and parenting, Wetzel has been taking MitoQ every morning for four years. “As we all know, cellular health declines as we age, and fortunately, the scientists at MitoQ have invented a mitochondria-targeted antioxidant that can penetrate cells and reduce cellular stress so our cells can thrive,” she explains. And when our cells thrive, we thrive too. “Taking MitoQ gives me the confidence to stand on the starting line with people in their 20s and hold my own,” she says, emphasizing regular exercise, healthy eating and the right supplements... I'm the only 40-year-old. Something (and only mom) was in the top 10 in the world in my sport!”

Rose Wetzel Spartan Training Workout

Although the "American Ninja Warrior" finalist prefers her strength and cardio training separately, this combination workout provides an excellent physical and mental challenge that is perfect for increasing mental and physical strength.

How to:

After warming up, run one lap/400 meters around a track and then do one exercise from the following list for 30 seconds before resting for 30 seconds (Repeat for 8-10 laps/exercises):

ABurpees

b.Lunges

CBear crawling

DJump squats

EPush-ups

FSpeed ​​skater

GREAT:For a greater challenge, reduce the rest time to 15 seconds