Like a jaguar, Mick Jagger, 83 years old, never stops moving without difficulty, whether on stage or in his everyday life. His secret? A strict routine that he imposes on himself, between cardio, mobility and nutrition, which allows him to stay in top shape despite the excesses of the past.
A high-level athlete program
Accustomed to outbursts of energy on stage, the Rolling Stones singer detailed his secret in an interview with Q Magazine.
“I train five or six days a week, but I don’t go crazy. I alternate between the gym and dancing, then I do sprints and things like that. I train to gain endurance.”
Every morning, the man intends to run 12 km. Which he occasionally replaces with swimming, cycling or even kickboxing. An endurance program that he completes with flexibility and mobility exercises from ballet, yoga and Pilates.
However, do you have to run 12 km per day to stay in shape after 80? Not necessarily.
“In reality, there is no ideal routine, this is the first point that you really need to keep in mind. Just because Mick Jagger does it doesn’t mean it’ll work for everyone.”recalls Dr Denys Coester, doctor specializing in longevity and author of Biohacking (Eyrolles)
For the specialist, the main thing is to work on three dimensions with age: “Physical activity, which is absolutely essential as we age, should ideally focus on cardio, mobility and also strength training.”
On this last point, Mick Jagger is not necessarily talking about classic bodybuilding, but Pilates works in particular the muscles using body weight. “He uses the weight of his own body to move. And ultimately, this is what, from a functional point of view, is still very interesting. With age, you have to be able to move your body.”
“I eat a lot for my age“
On the plate side, the singer gives priority to a diet inspired by the Mediterranean diet: organic products, fruits and vegetables, legumes, wholemeal pasta, white meat and fish to focus on proteins. He also avoids ultra-processed products and red meat.
But what stands out is the amount he gives himself:
“I have to eat a lot. People say to me, ‘You’re not eating,’ but I eat a lot. I tell them, ‘I just ate twice as much as you.'”
And on this point, the singer seems to have a good intuition. As we age, the body becomes less efficient at absorbing and using protein.
“He increases his protein intake, which is logical since, with age, the body absorbs and uses them less efficiently. So he is right”, cthe expert confirms.
However, there is no question of imitating the star’s quantities: the challenge is above all to correctly cover your nutritional needs, particularly in proteins, while muscle mass and strength naturally decrease with age.
The secret: don’t stay in your comfort zone
Mick Jagger also seems to seek to maintain his abilities rather than simply maintaining his habits. An important nuance when you get older.
“From the moment we consider that muscular strength is declining, if we are still in our comfort zone, we do not try to improve it, when precisely, naturally, it is declining.”
The idea is obviously not to injure yourself, or to run a marathon, but to gradually challenge your body.
“The idea is to make sure you push the machine very lightly so that you can always maintain yourself at a very, very slightly uncomfortable level.” specifies our expert.
A principle which can translate, depending on each person’s abilities, into faster walking, more resistance during an exercise or regular work on balance and muscle strengthening.
Mick Jagger, an example to follow?
One question remains: can everyone hope to maintain the same shape at 83? Hard to say. The singer has maintained his body for decades and also benefits from very privileged living conditions.
“We must also not forget that he is a multimillionaire”emphasizes Dr. Coester. “Perhaps it’s a little easier to take care of yourself in these conditions.”
Medical monitoring, personal trainer, adapted diet, time devoted to sport: so many assets that not everyone has access to.
The specialist also recalls that we know nothing about whether the star may have taken any treatments or supplements.
Another factor that is beyond our control: genetics.
“In longevity, contrary to what we thought until recently, it accounts for 50 to 55% of the gain.”
We are not all equal when it comes to aging. But that doesn’t mean everything is a foregone conclusion.
Nothing is written, everything is still possible
This is precisely what the doctor finds particularly interesting in the singer’s journey, who has experienced numerous escapades. “He is a man who has nevertheless experienced all the excesses in life” recognizes Dr. Coaster.
And despite this, he continues to maintain his physical abilities today. “It shows that, quote unquote, nothing is ever written.”
Provided, of course, that you adapt your efforts. “What his journey teaches us is that we can, obviously, by adapting to our age, our background, our means, our strengths and our weaknesses, have an action even at an advanced age.”
The case of Mick Jagger is therefore not an invitation to run 12 km every morning. Its real teaching lies elsewhere: with age, it is possible to continue to stimulate your body, to preserve your strength, mobility and endurance and, above all, not to give up on progress.