Tell me about yourself. What did you do in your "past life?"
Oh, all sorts of things! I’ve been working as a personal trainer for the past 4 years, but I’ve been studying movement and the body for most of my adult life – dance, yoga, martial arts, and more recently strength and endurance training. Now, at 61, I’m increasingly interested in training for longevity.
What is The Long Game and why did you get started?
Well, first of all, it’s a metaphor. When you’re playing the long game, you’re making small changes in the present, knowing the payoff is way out ahead of you. It shifts your perspective, thinking long term.
I think it’s important as we age to look at how we’re holding the aging process itself because it’s easy to get dragged down. Our bodies are changing in ways we’re not necessarily happy about, but science is showing us that we have a lot more control over the process than we think.
I’ve been through cancer, knee issues, and a constant ringing in my head – the same “thousand natural shocks” as everyone else. Maybe it’s because I’m such a movement junkie, but I want to keep moving and enjoying being alive for as long as I can, and I want to help other people do the same.
The Long Game is about developing a practice that makes us feel better now, and gives us the best chance of extending our health span as far into the future as possible – physically, cognitively, emotionally, and energetically. My role is to provide people with useful, science-based information through education, physical training, and coaching.
Who’s your target market?
Well, I’m doing a lecture series on longevity at Forbes this winter, and so far the audience has mostly been women in their 40s - 70s, pretty active and invested in maintaining their vitality as they age. The information is just as relevant for men obviously, but that’s who’s showing up. But really, it’s anyone who’s interested in extending their health span.
So what kind of training work do you do with people?
I help people connect to their instinct to move. Strength is an outcome of moving, not an end in itself. I’ve developed a technique called Dynamic Movement Training - my own brand of strength and mobility work. I also do training specific for brain health and for balance. I teach classes in a practice I’ve developed called Dynamic Flow that involves swinging around a soft weighted rubber ball. It’s really fun, feels great, and people love it!
You mentioned coaching…
I work with coaching clients 1:1 to design a sustainable longevity practice based on what they enjoy, what they’re willing to do, and what they want to try. A lot of it is practical, but we also look at the deeper questions – how is aging affecting my sense of who I am, what’s important to me, what do I want this next chapter of my life to look like?
What is the future of The Long Game?
I want to create a community of people who are supporting one another in various aspects of longevity practice like sleep, nutrition, movement and exercise, lifestyle, and even crazy stuff like swimming in really cold water (cold therapy)! It’s really about daily habits. What am I doing today to feel alive, take care of myself and support my brain and body in staying healthier, longer?
What is the best way to contact you or reach out?
Visit my website at Thelonggame.coach or email: Jim@thelonggame.coach. You can also call or text at (413) 695-8766. You can also catch my next lecture, “Smart Body – Healthy Brain: Using Movement to Boost Brain Health,” at Forbes Library on Thursday, January 12th at 6PM or Saturday, January 14th at 10:30AM.
