Joseph Lebovic a real estate developer and philanthropist in his eighties, plays tennis at the York Racquet Club in Toronto.JENNIFER ROBERTS/The Globe and Mail
Joseph Lebovic, who prefers to keeps his age close to his chest, immigrated to Canada from Czechoslovakia as a young man in 1949. He went on to become a successful commercial land developer and home builder in southern Ontario (through his company, Lebovic Enterprises) and a philanthropist. Until 10 years ago, he used to race sailboats. But he says he never would have guessed how much exercise he needed to live longer until a trainer suggested activities that raise his metabolic rate might be the way to go.
My goal:
"To stay healthy and make sure the muscles are in shape."
My workout:
"I see a trainer twice a week. Every 10 minutes we do a different exercise so the workout doesn't get too monotonous. We do treadmill, free weights, stretches, legs, arms and abdominals exercises - a full-out session. These professional trainers can judge how much you can do and push you to your maximum. He assesses my strength and tells me what needs to be worked on.
"Twice a week I play singles tennis with as many balls as possible, so it's a continuous exercise, there's not so much stop and go. I tried squash and handball, but I like tennis best. It gives me a good sweat."
My lifestyle:
"I'm very much involved in charitable work. I sit on hospital boards and federation boards. I'm on the executive board of Mount Sinai Hospital and Mount Sinai Foundation, the Jewish Federation, the JDC (American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee, Inc.) and Markham Stouffville Hospital. I want to make sure that when I give money they're spending it properly.
"I watch my weight by eating as little bread as possible. I only eat kosher foods.
"I smoke a cigar a day, mostly Cubans."
My motivation:
"Weight is very important as you get older. You see 80- and 90-year-old people and they're skinny. Skinny people live longer than fat people. I'm doing it for my own benefit."
My anthem:
"The TV is on, mostly sports and news."
My challenge:
"To live to be 120. I've got a few years to go."
Dive into aquafit class
Judy Chu is a certified kinesologist with 24 years experience teaching fitness to seniors. At Toronto's Baycrest Centre for Geriatric Care, she programs cross-training to add variety to workouts.
She suggests Mr. Lebovic consider returning to the water, a forgiving environment because its gentle buoyancy offers protection to joints.
"Two 45-minute sessions a week is a reprieve from the constant jarring of vigorous exercise," she says, pointing out that water also helps foster flexibility, co-ordination and balance.
"Pool workouts don't only mean swimming laps. For non-swimmers, aquafit classes are an option."
Exercise intensely, live longer
If the fitness goal is living longer, sustained aerobic exercise for 20 minutes three times a week at a heart rate of 70 per cent of your maximum is recommended, according to a study directed by I-Min Lee, an epidemiologist at the Harvard School of Public Health. Mr. Lebovic easily achieves this goal.
However, Ms. Chu warns: "For people in their mid-70s and up, who may take medication, do a breathing check: Listen for panting sounds during exercise, because if you're catching your breath you're working too hard."
This interview has been condensed and edited
Special to The Globe and Mail