A Gym-rat at 79? There’s Not Much Peer Pressure!!
Harry’s a long-time friend of mine. We’re the same age (79); we shared a few decades of corporate experience with the same company; we helped him and his wife in their search for a home when they made their final relocation to the Denver area around 40 years ago. We’ve broken bread together and shared family challenges openly for many years. I’ve tried in vain to match his skills on the golf course.
It’s been a good relationship – and we expect it to continue. We’ve shared our complaints of aches and pains and creeping debilitations along the way. Harry, in particular, has recently experienced some very frustrating upper and lower back issues. So it was encouraging to get a call from him announcing that he had decided to take advantage of his Medicare Advantage “Silver Sneakers” option that covers the monthly fee at his local 24 Hour Fitness (yes, a few in the area have remained open). He’s now becoming a “regular” in the weight room.
That’s significant because I knew Harry to be a consistent aerobic exerciser but recalcitrant on the weight lifting front. I had suggested to him a few times that he should include some strength training with his exercise. So I saw the announcement as an important breakthrough for him although one would think that 79 is a bit late to start throwing around weights.
There’s this condition we all contract called loss-of-muscle-mass (often tagged with the clinical name “sarcopenia”) that we know a lot about but do little to defend against.
I’ve written on this topic of sarcopenia and the importance of weight training in the past. Here are links to a series on the topic that can elevate your awareness of the condition and the importance of adding strength training to your lifestyle:
Aging Without Frailty – A Series
Aging Without Frailty – A Series (Part 2)
Aging Without Frailty – A Series (Part 3)
Is Harry wasting time and energy hanging with the tattooed, tank-topped, and tiny testicle mirror-muscle crew at 24?
Not in the least. Besides, they won’t even know he’s there – that is unless he comes between them and the mirror.
Harry is taking on one of the most important health-enhancing activities he can take on, even this deep into his eighth decade. I’m putting my money on his back issues improving dramatically as he teams up this weight training with the therapy techniques he’s learned in physical therapy.
It starts in our thirties.
We’ve known like forever that we start losing muscle mass on an accelerating basis starting in our mid-to-late thirties. It really kicks in as we move into our 50s and continues to accelerate unless counteracted. It’s the main reason that people end up in nursing homes.
And the ONLY antidote is strength training. No pills, no magic potions – only putting the muscles up against resistance.
Why do we ignore something this important and avoid the antidote when we know so much about its effectiveness? I have a few thoughts:
- It’s preventative, so we won’t hear much about it from our healthcare providers. Since they can’t drug it or cut it out or charge for the advice – and because it isn’t a line item in the EPIC electronic medical record – it isn’t likely to come up. If it’s not part of the health discussion, how important can it be? (BTW, my PCP is 40 pounds overweight and has had both knees replaced at 65).
- It’s inconvenient, often giving in to the allure of extra sleep or the devilish combination of La-Z-Boy and Netflix.
- It’s painful, especially starting out. Much of that is because of starting out wrong, as in too much, too early, and/or not getting professional athletic trainer advice and inducing injury, a sure step towards avoidance.
- It’s intimidating, especially if your start point is 79. Where to start? Machines or free weights? Which machines? How much weight? And then there’s the mirror-muscle and lululemon crowd that you just know is looking at you and smirking (P.S. They could give a #$*@).
- It’s without quick results and grinds against our culturally-driven need for instant gratification. Most of us aren’t programmed for slow and steady which is the fundamental reason that athletic clubs like 24 Hour can even exist. I’ve been a weight-room “gym rat” for over 30 years. I’ve been through 30+ January-through-February ” blooms” where club occupancy explodes with new signups. By mid-March, things are back to “normal” along with uncrowded access to free weights and machines.
- It’s not fun. Athletic clubs lie to us and tell us that enrollment and participation will be fun. It’s not. See #2-#5 above.
It’s one of those healthy, longevity-extending lifestyle choices
But, unfortunately, largely ignored.
Maybe if we knew more about the benefits, we would endure #2-#6 above. Consider this shortlist:
- Better posture
- Building calorie-burning muscle tissue, enhancing weight loss
- Building better endurance/strength/power
- Strengthening your bones, avoiding osteoporosis
- Better balance, better mobility
- Fall avoidance
- Lowering your body fat percentage
- Lowering your medications
- Actually making your body younger inside by many years
Maybe you can come up with a cogent argument against strength training. If so, please share it.
Mikey likes it!!
I came across this article in my Evernote archives that I want to share with you about 81-year-old Mike Harrington and his venture into strength training.
Exercise Advice from a Powerlifting & Planking 81-Year-Old
I particularly appreciate what he has been able to accomplish in maintaining his core by doing planks. On the advice of an online athletic trainer, I abandoned crunches and sit-ups in favor of planks as my main method for strengthening my core about a year ago.
There’s a video in this article in which Mike does a ten-minute plank. That’s insane. I’ve worked up to a three-minute plank and it is flat out grueling. He got to ten in under a year.
I hope you enjoy his story because he’s a poster boy for what can be done and the benefits therein.
Guaranteed that Harry isn’t doing that – yet! Nor am I – yet! But we both know we could. Most all of us could. But most all of us won’t.
And warehouses for the elderly will continue to be a growth industry.
Do you have a strength training regimen? Leave a comment and tell us about it. Help us learn from what is working for you.
I’m a 74 year old gym rat. I do an almost 2 hour session three times a week. I start with a HIIT cardio elliptical for around 23 minutes. Then the owners of Genesee Mountain Fitness came up with a strength building routine that covers the major muscle groups. The major changes I have noticed is my chest is now larger than my belly and my core strength seems to have increased the most. I’ve done the program for a little over a year and now am planning to dial it back soon from two sets of 15 reps to one set for maintenance. I hate going until I get there and then it’s fine to keep going.
Thanks, Jerry – and congratulations on the commitment and discipline. I haven’t been going back to the gym yet but plan to shortly. I need that environment to force myself out of maintenance mode which is where I’ve been since COVID. Thanks for mentioning Genesee Mountain. I’m going to check them out.
I am not a gym rat but I exercise consistently since I was in the army for my three year stint. Now 67 I workout regularly – 4 times a week. I think I am pretty self motivated so going to the gym is not something I do often. I use a virtual group workout right now and have followed other folks educated on how to introduce a full body workout. I focus on both aerobic and weight bearing exercises. Since I began this particular type of exercise I lost 20lbs and can do 80 pushups in a minutes. My goal is to get to 100 pushups in a minute before the middle of June. I had better get at it. Thanks for the article.
Yikes! 80 pushups in a minute, John? That’s pretty intimidating. My shoulders say “enough” at about 30, and those aren’t even fully range pushups. Good on you for the balanced, disciplined approach. Shave that beard and you’ll lose another pound or two (not really – I think it becomes you!).
I currently have poor heath and as a wake up call i plan on attempting Ironman Cozumel in Nov 2021. I’m 53 lbs overweight and everything hurts. it’s not going to be easy but it’s necessary to enjoy the life I want to live.
Gary please say a little prayer for me!
OK, Mike – I’ll pray, you do!! You’ve got this!
The problem with getting old is the body wears out. I am 77 and have been active all my life. Marathoner prior to 50 and a herniated disk in my neck. Now do racewalking, hiking, and weight lifting regularly. I love sports and used to play soccer at 75 but chronic hamstring pulls have left me on the sidelines. I also have a rotator cuff problem, a torn quad and a strained calf. All act up now and then. The muscle injuries’ require rest which I hate to do but need to or it will continue. I did an 8:10 mile when I was 75. The pandemic has contributed to my lack of conditioning and my injuries since I had to discontinue my weight training and my cross training at the Y. My goal is to do a half marathon called Pier to Peak again. 13.1 miles and 3895 elevation gain. I wish to be the oldest person to do the race. I have completed it 4 times and hold the record for my age at the time of performance. The biggest problem with training is finding people to train with. One usually has to train with people 20 years younger.
Hello. magnificent job. I did not expect this. This is a impressive story. Thanks!
Dear makeagingwork.com owner, You always provide clear explanations and definitions.
Hi makeagingwork.com administrator, Thanks for the well-researched and well-written post!
To the makeagingwork.com administrator, Thanks for the comprehensive post!
To the makeagingwork.com owner, You always provide helpful information.
To the makeagingwork.com admin, Your posts are always well-supported by research and data.