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Greg Benning is a masters single sculler outside Boston — and at 64, he’s still finding ways to get faster. I came into this conversation not knowing much about rowing, but that’s exactly what made it powerful: once Greg translates the sport, what emerges is a universal framework for longevity performance.

For the last 15 years, Greg’s question has been simple: can marginal gains in efficiency offset age-related decline? In this episode, he shares the practical systems that keep him sharp — from how he thinks about “power leaks” in the kinetic chain, to how he refined fueling around hard sessions, to the daily logistics that make consistency possible in a real adult life. 

In This Episode, You’ll Hear

•  The mindset shift: treating aging as a problem-solving game, not a verdict 
•  A simple “1% method” for identifying the small changes that compound over years 
•  Why rowing is a power-endurance sport (and how it compares to running/cycling/swimming) 
•  The hidden performance trap Greg discovered: under-fueling hard days — and how changing it improved how he felt and performed 
•  How technical execution gets harder under high exertion — and why cues matter most when it “hurts” 
•  The environment side of longevity: designing mornings so training is frictionless (and traffic-free) 
•  Why equipment and connection points matter — where speed gets “lost” before it ever reaches the water 

Resources Mentioned / Related

•  Joe Friel’s Training Bible (referenced in discussion) 
•  Shimano Rowing Dynamics / footwear and “power leak” discussion (related article/background)

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ABOUT AGELESS ATHLETE
Ageless Athlete explores how to stay strong, curious, and capable for life. Host Kush Khandelwal talks with athletes, coaches, scientists, adventurers, and other remarkable people about training, longevity, healthy aging, reinvention, and continuing to do what you love as you get older.