Have you told yourself that you’re “too old” to start an exercise program?  Do you think that lifting weights or doing push-ups only benefits the “youngsters?”  Have you convinced yourself that you don’t have any muscles left to build?

Well, you’re wrong on all three counts.

According to studies in the Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research (NSCR), your age doesn’t really limit your body’s ability to build muscle in response to resistance training.

Now, it is true that the younger guys will show improvement in a shorter period of time (with seemingly less effort) and will maintain the muscles longer (again, with seemingly less effort – damn!), but the point is that there apparently is no such thing as “too old to exercise.”

It seems that most of the reasons people over 55 stop going to the gym tend to be more mental than physical.  So let’s tackle them head-on:

You Need to Do It

Nothing else improves your quality of life than having a strong, healthy body.  You’ll have the strength to keep up with the grand-kids in addition to having the energy to keep things up around the house.

You know the benefits:  flexibility, lower blood pressure, a stronger heart, more energy, mobility, and so on and so on.  You KNOW the benefits.  You need to do it.

Going to the Gym

Many “seniors” don’t like going to a commercial gym.  First of all, they feel really self conscious since the vast majority of people there seems to be at least 50 years younger.  Couple that with the teenagers at the front desk and the heavy metal rock music constantly blaring from the gym sound system and anybody above 50 is going to feel out of place.  Here’s some ideas to help you deal with that:

• Get over it. Realize that most people that go to a commercial gym are there for the same reason you are – to try to improve their body.  Whether that means losing weight, gaining strength or both, most people are too absorbed with their own feelings of self-consciousness to notice yours so just get over it.  Your mission at a gym is not to impress anybody.  Your mission is to go there, get a good workout, shower and get on with your life.  So do it.
• It’s actually not that bad. Once you get to the gym, you might even notice that there are other seniors there as well.  In fact, the number of gym memberships to people over 55 increased 314% from 1990 to 2005 according to the International Health and Sportsclub Association – a number that’s expected to keeps increasing.  You’ll find that many gyms have programs specifically designed to attract seniors.  Use them.
• Set up a home gym. Does the idea of going to a commercial gym bring back memories of High School gym class with all the guys on the football team laughing at how skinny your legs were?  Then set up a home gym.  All you need are a couple of basic pieces of equipment to get yourself started.  So get them.

Start and End Slowly

Don’t make the mistake most of us make and try to transform your body overnight.  Just because you could bench-press 250 pounds when you were in college doesn’t mean you can do it now — so don’t even try.  Start slow and make sure you give yourself plenty of time to warm up on the front end, and plenty of time to cool off on the back end.  Consistently is much more important than the weight load.

Also, don’t spend all your time lifting weights or doing resistance training.  Although building muscle and developing strength is important, so is balance, flexibility, and endurance.  So don’t forget to add some stretching and cardio work to your routine as well.

Take Long Walks

As you begin working your muscles, stay active.  Don’t fall for the “I-exercised-for-15-minutes-this-morning-so-now-I-can-sit-and-watch-TV-all-day-to-rest” excuse.  Best way to stay active and slowly cool off after a workout?  Take long walks — especially with your spouse or with a friend.  You’ll be surprised what comes up in conversation as well as quickly time passes.

You Need to Do It (Again)

According to the AARP (if you’re over 55, you know what this organization is – if you’re not, don’t worry about it – yet <grin>), over 90% of seniors want to stay in their homes as they age.  How are you going to do that if you don’t have the strength to open a jar of pickles or climb up a flight of stairs?  You need an exercise program that will build and maintain muscle.

So Get Started Now

As they say, “We’re not getting any younger” so get started now.

By the way, I’ve changed that old saying to “I may not be getting any younger – but I am getting better.”  It’s what I tell myself as I push myself to do one more push-up.

Quick story:  I took my grandson rollerskating last month.  First of all, the young lady at the counter was shocked when I asked for 2 tickets.  She asked me TWICE if I was going to actually get out on the floor and skate!

After my grandson and I had skated for over an hour, we were getting ready to leave.  There was a group of teens near the counter where you turned in your skates.  As I passed by, one of them said I skated pretty good and gave me a “high 5.”  How cool was that?

So get started now.  Yes, I know it’s hard work.  Yes, I know it hurts sometimes.  But being able to embarrass your grand-kids every once in a while is worth the effort!

Hiram
Certified Fitness Nutrition Coach and
Personal Fitness Trainer (NESTA)

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