Mike Siemens, 61: Moving by Example

At 61, Mike Siemens moves through the world with the energy of someone who never got the memo about slowing down (and doesn’t plan to). As the director of performance science at Canyon Ranch, he leverages a Master of Science in exercise physiology and certifications in exercise physiology and strength and conditioning to shape the way thousands of guests at Canyon Ranch think about strength, longevity, and what it means to age on their own terms. Having worked at the Ranch for over 30 years, Mike is not solely a facilitator of health. He’s also learned more than a thing or two from those who regularly visit.

What’s kept Mike rooted at Canyon Ranch isn’t the routine of movement and fun. It’s the magic of seeing real transformation happen, week after week, in a place built on integrative health long before it became a buzzword. Based on experience and data, Mike’s philosophy around movement has evolved, shifting from a “more cardio fixes everything” perspective to a far more nuanced understanding of body composition, metabolism, and the non-negotiables of midlife fitness. He’ll be the first to say you can’t “out-train the fork,” that VO₂ max and muscle mass matter more than most people realize, and that strength training only gets more essential with time—insights he shared when we recently had him on The AGEIST Podcast to talk about what training smart after 50 can look like.

Today, Mike leads—and moves—by example. His routine is built around CrossFit-style training, learning new skills, and pushing through discomfort because it keeps him curious, capable, and connected to what he asks of others. Whether he’s hitting a benchmark workout, backpacking with his kids, or tending his impeccably tidy garage gym, the driving force is the same: consistency, kindness, and the belief that performance—at any age—is simply the freedom to do the things you care about.

How old are you?
Sixty-one (and a half) years old.

Where are you from originally, and where are you based now?
I grew up in the exciting college town of Urbana, Illinois, and have lived in Tucson, AZ, since 1987.

You’ve been with Canyon Ranch for over three decades. What’s kept you inspired and engaged for that long?
Canyon Ranch is a magical place where life transformations happen on a weekly basis, and I just love being a part of that. When Mel and Enid Zuckerman opened Canyon Ranch in 1979, their passion was to have this place be a place centered on an integrative approach to health and wellness, and I am a huge believer in that philosophy. I also love the company mission statement that they came up with: The staff of Canyon Ranch is here to inspire our guests to make a commitment to healthy living—turning hopes and intentions into the highest enjoyment of life. Now that is something I can get behind and find fulfillment in every day.

How has your philosophy around movement and fitness evolved over the years?
Wow—this is a big question that could have a very long answer. I will summarize by saying, I now believe that there are numerous exercise strategies that will create desired outcomes. I used to think that more cardio was the only way to lose body fat. Now I have experienced that mindful healthy eating is the best tool to influence body fat. I love the saying: “You cannot out exercise the fork.” I have also come to believe that we all MUST strength train as we age—this is a non-negotiable.

What do you think people misunderstand most about exercise or longevity?
I think most people miss the importance of two main things in fitness/exercise that influence aging: VO₂ maximum and muscle mass and function.
You’ve worked with countless guests at Canyon Ranch—what patterns do you see among people who age exceptionally well?

I see this every day at Canyon Ranch: People in their late 70s and even late 80s thriving—and I mean thriving cognitively and physically. The key things these people have in common are consistently healthy eating habits and consistently exercising and moving. They have been coming to the Ranch for three-plus decades, and they share with me. Each year, I picked up one or two healthy habits, and now, 30-plus years later, I have 60-plus things I do differently than the average person who never learned these things and, like compounding interest, the benefits of these consistent behaviors just continues to multiply and build.

How do you define “performance” at this stage of life, both physically and mentally?
To me performance is being able to do what I want to do physically. If I want to run eight-minute miles in the annual 5K Turkey Trot on Thanksgiving Day, with a little training, I can do that. If I want to backpack in the Sierra Nevada mountains with my teenage kids, I can climb a 3,000 foot pass up to 12,000 feet. If I want to dig a three-foot deep hole in my yard to plant a tree, I can do that.

Mentally, I am working on the transition from what George Brooks calls fluid intelligence, which peaks in our 30s and fades in our 40s and 50s, to our crystallized intelligence, which starts to rise at this same time our fluid intelligence starts to fade. I want to be able to think clearly and be able to “read between the lines” to effectively and intimately communicate with those that matter in my life.

You mention loving Olympic lifting, backpacking, and cooking—how do those passions connect to your philosophy on well-being?
These things allow me to do all the things I mentioned in the question above about how I define performance.

What does your own fitness routine look like these days?
I do CrossFit-type training five days a week. I love the challenge of learning new skills—double-unders, muscle ups, and hitting new PRs in lifts, even in my early 60s. Plus, there is something great that happens when you push yourself through something that is uncomfortable. I find it super empowering.
Do you workout at home? Tell us about your home gym.

I have a PRX Performance pull-up bar and squat rack that folds down off my single car garage wall. I have a barbell, bumper plates, two 45-pound dumbbells, two 26-pound kettlebells, and one 36-pound kettlebell. Oh, and a jump rope and a 20-pound wall ball. With that set up, I find I can do just about anything and the variety this affords is incredible. I would like to have a rowing machine or stationary bike—will try to add that in the next year or two. I love this little space. I vacuum my rubberized flooring and keep the area real neat.

You specialize in metabolic and body composition testing—how do you personally track or measure your own health?
I get in the Bod Pod monthly and check my muscle mass and body fat level. I also gauge my performance in my workouts: How is my strength doing? How do I feel during my workouts? I also have a few benchmark workouts that I do every once in a while and compare my times.

One of my favorites is 33-22-11 reps of:

• American kettlebell swing, 35 lb.
• Double kettlebell hang cleans, 26 lb.
• Double kettle push press 26 lb.
• Double kettlebell split squats, 26 lb.
• Kettlebell Russian twist, 35 lb.

My bench mark is under 12 minutes and hopefully unbroken on the reps.

What are a few small habits you believe make the biggest difference in long-term vitality?
Do not eat junk. Cook as much of your own food as possible. Be ruthlessly consistent with your movement—do not skip exercise.

You’ve spent your career helping others feel their best—what do you do to stay motivated?
I find new things to do—that is one reason I have loved CrossFit so much. The variety is awesome. I also find things I can see improvement in. Nothing is more motivating than seeing yourself get better at something.

What’s something you’ve learned about resilience or longevity that surprised you?
The power of consistency. Consistency wins every single time—doing something is always better than doing nothing. Eating a little bit better, doing a 10-minute workout is better than skipping the entire workout because either you are out of time or out of energy.

How do you approach balance—between performance, rest, work, and family?
Still working on this. It is a tough one for me because I tend to love to obsess on things and try to get really good at them, which, at age 61, can end up taking most of my energy leaving not enough energy for some other things in my life that are important to me. (Who can help me with this?)

What’s one piece of advice you find yourself giving over and over again?
Eat more protein. Lift heavy weights (three reps in the reserve). Cut the processed, refined carbohydrates out of your diet. Severely moderate or eliminate alcohol

How does your family shape your approach to health and happiness?
My mom and dad were heavy smokers when I was growing up, and I grew up really hating everything about that habit while understanding the addictive powers of nicotine. My parents always ate super healthy; we had a garden growing up in Illinois, so I developed at a young age the appreciation for homegrown food. My parents also got pretty serious about weight lifting and cardio exercise and still do those things at ages 91 and 87! I have seen through my parents how eating well and exercising and good genetics (and some luck) have given them very robust health and independent living for many many years.

What does “living well” mean to you now compared to when you were 30?
Living well now means I can have a more mature outlook on life. I can understand I do not need to be perfect—I cannot be perfect. I have learned that I cannot nor should I even try to control things or other people outside of my control. I have tried to learn acceptance and that provides me with a lot of serenity.

What is something that is personally hard for you outside of the gym, a challenge you had to accept or overcome, or maybe are still working on?
Something tough and challenging I’ve been working on lately is becoming more vulnerable in my relationships in an effort to improve communication.

If you could go back and give your younger self one piece of advice about health or life, what would it be?
Slow down and focus more on your relationships. Take the time to nurture your lifelong friendships.

When you think about the future—your own and the field you work in—what excites you most?
For myself, I am looking forward to the chapter in my life when I can focus on giving back to my community and others in a big way.

My career: With technology and AI exploding exponentially, I am super excited for us to discover the optimal ways to exercise and move to prolong lifespan and healthspan by measuring and monitoring metrics we do not even know about yet.

What are your three life non-negotiables?
Be kind to everyone you meet. Get my workouts in. Be a champion of someone else’s self esteem. It is a tough world out there, and all of us are getting kicked in the face on the daily—everyone needs a champion in their corner. BE that person for someone else.

Editor’s Note: Some answers may have been condensed and/or edited for clarity.

Connect with Mike: Canyon Ranch Tuscon

Listen to Mike on The AGEIST Podcast here

Cover photo courtesy of Mike Siemens