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Freed Hostage Gadi Mozes: Walks 7 kms. Daily In a 2 sq meter cell  

By Shlomo Maital  

          80-year-old Gadi Mozes, held hostage by Hamas for 14 months, agronomist, leading member of Kibbutz Nir Oz – has been released.   Held in darkness, without his glasses for 70 days (broken), he recounted on his release that he walked 7 kilometers daily, despite being held in a tiny cell. How?  He counted the floor tiles, knew the dimensions of each tile  (about four to a meter) —   and daily, made sure to walk 7 kilometers, keeping track by counting the tiles and pacing back and forth over the tiny floor area.

           Why did he do this?  I am roughly his age.  I get it.  I would have tried to do the same. Maybe with pushups as well.

           Elderly men and women tend to suffer from sarcopenia:  “a type of muscle loss that occurs with aging and/or immobility. It is characterized by the degenerative loss of skeletal muscle mass, quality, and strength. The rate of muscle loss is dependent on exercise level, co-morbidities, nutrition and other factors.”

           In short:   Seniors, use it or lose it.  And all around us, well-meaning family and friends are solicitous of us,  e.g. offering me seats on the train.  Even when I choose to stand. 

           Sarcopenia is insidious.  After you lose muscle mass, getting it back is really hard.  I just now walked several kilometers, half of it uphill, and it was pretty hard, after a doctor-prescribed pause following cataract surgery. 

           So, seniors.  Work out. Walk.  Lift things (with bent knees).  Resist pampering yourself.  Use those muscles.  You need them.  Hard to get ‘em back when they weaken.

           And, for Gadi Mozes.  Incredible admiration for his resilience.  First thing he said on returning:  I will rebuild (my kibbutz) Nir Oz. 

                And he will.  Anyone who can walk 7 kms. daily in a tiny dark cell can do anything.