According to Klaus Obermeyer, skiing is easier than walking. Not many people are in good enough physical shape to say that. Let alone Klaus, who has just reached the age of 100. After World War II, he moved to the United States to look for work as an aeronautical engineer. Unfortunately, he soon realized that industry was not thriving after the war. However, the newly found downhill skiing industry was. He began his work on the ski slopes in Aspen, Colorado in the 1940’s. And more than 70 years later, he is entering his second century of life, still on the slopes.
Outsider Online describes this incredible centenarian. Klaus began his career in the skiing industry along with a friend from his hometown in Europe. They began running a brand new school on the ski slopes in the depressed mining town of Aspen, Colorado. According to Klaus, it was a ghost town back then.
During his twelve years of teaching on the ski slopes in Aspen, he noticed a problem. People were not wearing proper clothing for the snowy weather. At best, they were wearing a normal shirt and a sweater. He saw people were cold and uncomfortable. This is where his company, Sport Obermeyer, began. After a long day of teaching in the late 1940’s, Klaus would head home to make warm clothes for his clients at night. Soon, the company took off. Seventy years later, they are still producing skiing and sporting gear.
So how does a 100 year old stay so physically active and energized? He does the basics, like watching his calorie intake and exercising every day. He says that your health should be your priority, along with your marriage and work. But health should always be at the top. He claims that keeping your body healthy is so important because your body carries your brain. If your body’s healthy, then your brain has a chance of being healthy too.
Klaus explains that he’s always had a sunny disposition. But he also knows that skiing, martial arts, swimming, and other sports has contributed to his positive outlook and longevity. He truly believes sports have helped him to reach his second century. Klaus firmly believes one other thing: “Sport makes life sweet. You get in good shape, you feel good about your body and your spirit, and you enjoy life, so it’s easy to look at things positively”.