How To Live A Long, Healthy, Successful Life – Lessons From A Remarkable 93 year-old Swimmer

Meet David Lawson, a 93-year-old athlete and health advocate from the USA who’s living proof that a daily regimen of healthy eating, fitness & a positive attitude is the best happiness and anti-aging program around.  Lawson happens to be one of our favorite people and Vasa enthusiast.  Recently, Vasa founder and CEO, Rob Sleamaker, had the privilege to speak with David when he visited us at Vasa HQ in Vermont.

Lawson_Blog

 

Rob Sleamaker: David, you’re the picture of health and vitality…what’s your formula?

David Lawson: Four things: genetics, nutrition, exercise, being physically, mentally, and emotionally involved on a daily basis.

RS: You’ve told me before about your WWII experience in the US Air Force and I remember you telling me about promising to your maker that you would live a happy-go-lucky life if you ever got home safe and sound.

DL: Yes exactly, I was happy-go-lucky before I joined the military and I got happy-go-lucky coming out, and I’m still happy-go-lucky.

RS: I know you exercise every day. What’s your typical exercise routine?

DL: Every morning, I exercise for 33 minutes on a Vasa Trainer (doing a Butterfly pull) for 900 repetitions up and down. That takes about 33 minutes to complete. Then I either run or swim everyday for about an hour to an hour and a half. Also, I hit a speed bag (boxing) for 1000 strikes every day.

RS: You’ve had Vasa Trainers at home and at your Villa in Barbados for how long?

DL: I have a Vasa Trainer at home right outside of my bedroom and I have a Vasa Trainer in Barbados at my villa. I’ve had them for almost 20 years. It’s one of the greatest pieces of exercise equipment available today.

RS: So how does the Vasa Trainer fit into your overall fitness routine?

DL: It’s a major part of the fitness routine. I do that every day religiously, whether I’m at home or in the West Indies.

RS: What would be the single best advice you’d give other that are seeking health, fitness, happiness?

DL: Well, I think what you have to have is discipline. And I thank being in sports for discipline. And I say to myself every day ‘nothing tastes as good as being healthy and fit’. And I say to myself also the most important thing I have in life is health and family.

RS: You were an athlete in high school and college and masters swimming right?

DL: I was an athlete in high school, college, the masters swim program, and in the Senior Olympics. I swam for University of Michigan.At the Masters Senior Olympics, I won 9 medals, in every event I won a medal.

RS: What would be the single best piece of advice you’ve received in life?

DL: Take care of yourself, nobody else will.

RS: How would you define success?

DL: Well success is a mental thing. Success is being happy with what you’re doing, achieving at what you’re doing, and helping people.

RS: You’re 93 now, what are your goals for the next 5 years?

DL: To do what I’m doing now… working out every day, having a good family life, taking care of myself, my wife, and my children. I have 4 children; they run from age 26 to age 63. The last one was born when I was 67, and I’m ready for a couple more (laughs).

In the video below, 93-year old masters swimmer & Senior Olympic Athlete, David Lawson, explains how he used the Vasa Trainer as a central part of his total fitness program to live a long, healthy and successful life! His positive attitude is inspirational and will motivate you to follow his simple formula to increase your longevity by improving your health & diet, increasing your physical and mental fitness to live a happier, more productive life. Watch the full interview here:

We want to thank David Lawson for sharing his secrets of success and his experience using Vasa Trainers for over 20 years. He truly is an inspiration and we appreciate and share his lifelong approach to health, fitness and happiness.

 

LawsonInterview_Rob

David Lawson with Vasa Founder, Rob Sleamaker at Vasa headquarters in Vermont.

To find learn more about David Lawson’s villa in Barbados, go to:
http://www.bonvivantvilla.com/


Related Posts

11
May

Establishing the Sustainable Swim Week

Author: Tim Crowley Consistency is one of the key contributing habits to developing long-term swim success. By getting in the water regularly, you maintain that all-important feel for the water and swim-specific endurance. Creating sustainable swim workouts week after week is essential to maintaining a love for swimming and increased performance. This article will give you […]
31
Mar

How to Improve Swimming Technique using a Vasa Trainer

Dryland swim training with Vasa Trainers has proven very effective in preparing competitive swimmers from age-group to masters swimming levels. Since 1989, it’s been a “go-to” training tool swim coaches, swimmers, and triathletes have used to improve swim technique.  Several former and current US Olympic coaches like Richard Shoulberg, Mark Schubert, Matt Kredich, and many […]
29
Mar

Tim Crowley - Talks Coaching and Vasa as a Game Changer

Tim Crowley is Head Strength & Conditioning Coach at Montverde Academy.  He also is an accomplished triathlon coach and age-group triathlete.  He owns TC2Coaching and coaches many triathletes, including beginners, age group contenders, and Olympians.  Since 2006, Tim has used the Vasa SwimErg and the Vasa Trainer for coaching and in his own triathlon training. […]
15
Mar

Vasa 30-20-10 Power Building Interval Workout

This workout is an adaptation of the “30-20-10” Interval workout that has become popular with many runners and cyclists.  It works very well as a Vasa Swim Erg power-building swim workout. WHAT IS IT?  The workout consists of doing seven one-minute intervals in a continuous “round” or set. Each work interval consists of doing 30 […]