• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
Breaking Muscle

Breaking Muscle

Breaking Muscle

  • Fitness
  • Workouts
    • Best Shoulder Workouts
    • Best Chest Workouts
    • Best Leg Workouts
    • Best Leg Exercises
    • Best Biceps Exercises
    • Best Kettlebell Exercises
    • Best Back Workouts
    • Best HIIT Workouts
    • Best Triceps Exercises
    • Best Arm Workouts
  • Reviews
    • Supplements
      • Best Pre-Workout
      • Best BCAAs
      • Best Testosterone Boosters
      • Best Bodybuilding Supplements
      • Best Creatine
      • Best Supplements for Weight Loss
      • Best Multivitamins
      • Best Collagen Supplement
      • Best Probiotic
      • Best Non-Stim Pre-Workout
      • Best Greens Powder
      • Best Magnesium Supplements
    • Protein
      • Best Protein Powder
      • Best Whey Protein
      • Best Protein Powders for Muscle Gain
      • Best Tasting Protein Powder
      • Best Vegan Protein
      • Best Mass Gainer
      • Best Protein Shakes
      • Best Organic Protein Powder
      • Best Pea Protein Powder
      • Best Protein Bars
    • Strength Equipment
      • Best Home Gym Equipment
      • Best Squat Racks
      • Best Barbells
      • Best Weightlifting Belts
      • Best Weight Benches
      • Best Functional Trainers
      • Best Dumbbells
      • Best Adjustable Dumbbells
      • Best Kettlebells
      • Best Resistance Bands
      • Best Trap Bars
    • Cardio Equipment
      • Best Cardio Machines
      • Best Rowing Machines
      • Best Treadmills
      • Best Weighted Vests
      • Concept2 RowErg Review
      • Hydrow Wave Review
      • Best Jump Ropes
  • News
  • Exercise Guides
    • Legs
      • Back Squat
      • Bulgarian Split Squat
      • Goblet Squat
      • Zercher Squat
      • Standing Calf Raise
      • Hack Squat
    • Chest
      • Bench Press
      • Dumbbell Bench Press
      • Close-Grip Bench Press
      • Incline Bench Press
    • Shoulders
      • Overhead Dumbbell Press
      • Lateral Raise
    • Arms
      • Chin-Up
      • Weighted Pull-Up
      • Triceps Pushdown
    • Back
      • Deadlift
      • Trap Bar Deadlift
      • Lat Pulldown
      • Inverted Row
      • Bent-Over Barbell Row
      • Single-Arm Dumbbell Row
      • Pendlay Row
Fitness

Top 6 Ways to Know You’re a Mature Athlete

I used to joke about wanting be in the "masters" category of competition, now for the first time I feel like a mature athlete. What makes me feel this way? Six things in particular, and here they are.

Becca Borawski

Written by Becca Borawski Last updated on Nov 22, 2021

I used to joke about wishing the “mature athlete” categories of the sports I competed in had a lower threshold age so I had a better shot at winning. Years ago when I competed in Brazilian jiu jitsu all it took was being 35 to be in the masters category, but I was in my twenties at the time. CrossFit set the bar higher at 45. Thankfully, now that I’m set to start competing in powerlifting later this year, I’m a “Sub-Master” in the age group of 33-39.

But despite my joking, I never really felt like a masters athlete. I thought I had a while to go until I hit the point of calling myself a “mature” athlete. Until this year, that is. Now, there’s no doubt in my mind. While my maturity could possibly be called into question in other aspects of life, I am most definitely a mature athlete.

How do I know? Here’s my countdown of the top six ways I know I’m a mature athlete:

#6 – It Takes Forever to Warm-Up

The amount of time it takes me to warm-up seems to be increasing exponentially. Depending on the programming for the day, the warm-up may in fact wind up longer than my actual workout. The warm-up also requires the playing of loud music to avoid exposing the symphony of creaks, pops, and groans that emits as my joints explore full range of motion.

#5 – Strange Things Hurt

A couple months ago my elbow started hurting. My elbow has never hurt in my life. Thankfully it only hurts when I grip anything with my hand. Because I never need to do that in the gym. I also have to grab the nearest countertop every time I sneeze in case it triggers some sort of lumbar spasm. True story. And the floor? Let’s not talk about how far away the floor has been getting the last couple years.

#4 – I Need Longer to Recover

mature athlete, crossfit, masters athlete, aging athlete, age and fitnessWhen I think back on how much I used to train in my twenties, I have no idea how I did that. I trained almost every day, frequently twice a day, and sometimes three times per day. Now, I train four times per week and do some mobility work on top of that. If I trained any more than that I wouldn’t have the strength to make my lifts and I’d need twice as many naps.

#3 – I Actually Have to Eat Right

Similarly, when I think back on the things I used to eat when I was younger, I don’t even know what to think actually. Horrifying. As I’ve mentioned before, my first year of CrossFit and many years of martial arts were fueled on Hot Pockets. Well, Lean Pockets to be precise. Now even the tiniest transgression results in energy level and body fat mayhem. And if I forget my fish oil, then reason #5 (strange things hurt) just gets even worse.

#2 – I Don’t Like Getting Hurt Anymore

Which is not to say I ever enjoyed getting hurt, but I also didn’t seem to mind. Getting punched in the face never bothered me. Having my elbow hyperextended was just a minor setback. These days? These days you’ll hear me saying things like, “Someday they’ll learn,” as I watch people training so much like I used to do. I don’t think ripping my hands open is cool, and if you brag to me about destroying your shin on a rope climb I’m just going to tell you that you should learn how to do it right. The only kind of pain I’m interested in seeking out these days comes from a foam roller.

And the number one reason I know I’m a mature athlete:

#1 – I Actually Care About What Really Matters

mature athlete, crossfit, masters athlete, aging athlete, age and fitnessI used to care a lot about things that didn’t matter, it turns out. I cared about winning. I cared about scores. I cared about what other people thought. I cared about making my coach happy. Now, more often than not, I care a lot less.

Because the best part about being a mature athlete is celebrating your successes. It’s about having fun. You don’t fuss over things that don’t deserve fussing. Your training time is about patience and perfecting the practice. You may in fact be slower or lift less than you used to. You might even be getting “worse” at some things. But you’re excited anyway, because it’s about being alive. It’s about quality of life and enjoying life. It’s about never being a victim to your fitness and being in charge of your day. It’s about spending another forty or fifty years with your loved ones. That’s what being a mature athlete means to me.

Photos provided by Miguel Tapia Images and CrossFit LA.

Becca Borawski

About Becca Borawski

Becca found her way to a career in health and fitness through Martial Arts and CrossFit. Originally a music editor for film and television, Becca started studying Martial Arts in 2000. Though she started with traditional Martial Arts it was not long before she discovered Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) and her path was forever altered. She began training in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu (BJJ) and Muay Thai and started working with professional MMA fighters, building websites, working on fight promotions, and producing videos.

As a competitor in BJJ herself, Becca wanted to get stronger and fitter. In 2006 she discovered CrossFit and became a student at CrossFit Los Angeles. In only a couple of years she became CrossFit Level III Certified, left her career in the film industry, and dedicated herself full time to coaching. She has since been certified through CrossFit in Olympic Lifting, Powerlifting, Nutrition, Endurance and Kids coaching. She also held an NSCA-CSCS from 2006-2008 and is a certified IndoRow instructor. In addition to coaching adults, she founded the CrossFit LA Kids program in 2010 and taught children aged 5-17.

Becca regularly takes on new sports, which have included indoor rowing, fencing, and most recently, cycling, as she believes it makes her both a better athlete and a better coach. In order to reach more people with her coaching, Becca also created ModernAthena.com – a website dedicated to women in pursuit of physical fitness and self-improvement.

View All Articles

Related Posts

Fergus Crawley 5K Run Tips Photo
Fergus Crawley Shares 5 Tips For Running a Better 5K
Actor Chris Hemsworth in gym performing dumbbell row
Chris Hemsworth Diagrams a Killer Upper Body Workout Fit For an Action Star
Hugh Jackman Deadpool 3 Workouts Spring:Winter 2023
Hugh Jackman Returns to Wolverine Condition in Workouts for “Deadpool 3”
Method Man Incline Dumbbell Presses December 2022
Check Out Rapper Method Man Cruising Through 120-Pound Incline Dumbbell Presses for 10 Reps

Primary Sidebar

Latest Articles

New Year’s Fitness Sales (2025)

XWERKS Motion BCAA Review (2025): A Registered Dietitian’s Honest Thoughts

Assault Fitness AssaultBike Pro X Review (2025): Assault’s Best Bike Yet?

13 Best Exercise Bikes for Home Gyms (2025)

Transparent Labs BCAA Glutamine Review (2025): The Key to Post-Workout Recovery?

Latest Reviews

Element 26 Hybrid Leather Weightlifting Belt

Element 26 Hybrid Leather Weightlifting Belt Review (2025)

Omre NMN + Resveratrol, Lifeforce Peak NMN, and partiQlar NMN on a red background

Best NMN Supplement: Fountain of Youth in a Bottle? (2025)

The Titan Series Adjustable Bench on a red background

Titan Series Adjustable Bench Review (2025)

A photo of the NordicTrack Select-a-Weight Dumbbells on a red background

NordicTrack Adjustable Dumbbell Review (2025): Are These Value Dumbbells Worth It?

woman lifting barbell

Be the smartest person in your gym

The Breaking Muscle newsletter is everything you need to know about strength in a 3 minute read.

I WANT IN!

Breaking Muscle is the fitness world’s preeminent destination for timely, high-quality information on exercise, fitness, health, and nutrition. Our audience encompasses the entire spectrum of the fitness community: consumers, aficionados, fitness professionals, and business owners. We seek to inform, educate and advocate for this community.

  • Reviews
  • Healthy Eating
  • Workouts
  • Fitness
  • News

Follow Us

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • RSS Feed

© 2025 · Breaking Muscle · Terms of Use · Privacy Policy · Affiliate Disclaimer · Accessibility · About