Welcome to City-Data.com Forum!
U.S. CitiesCity-Data Forum Index
Go Back   City-Data Forum > General Forums > Exercise and Fitness
 [Register]
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
View detailed profile (Advanced) or search
site with Google Custom Search

Search Forums  (Advanced)
Reply Start New Thread
 
Old 07-31-2007, 08:06 AM
 
Location: Newtown Connecticut
328 posts, read 1,032,153 times
Reputation: 249

Advertisements

I am 60 years old. Six years ago I began to realize that I was not feeling as strong as I could. Mind you I wasn't envisioning nineteen year old strength but strength for my age at the time. I consulted my physician who referred me to a personal trainer. My life changed with that consultation. I began a regimen of weightlifting.. ...Oh it was hard at first. Boy was I sore yet slowly and I emphasize slowly I began to gain strength...I wasn't in any hurry to set any world records....I didn't try to recapture the athletic glory of my youth( I had been very athletic but the years and life's course took me away from that lifestyle for awhile).

Coupled with sensible cardio training, not hours and hours on a treadmill but interval training and weight training I am not only strong for my age( at age 60 I can bench press 305 lbs) but strong. I feel great....Now here's my question: How many CD readers have a program of fitness? Have you wanted to start but have reservations? What myths have you heard about weight training? Anyone and I mean anyone can profit from weight training. You don't have to do what I do but you can do much more than you think....Six years ago I was skeptical that someone my age could make the progress that I was able to make. I am a believer today....Are you?
Spiritwalker
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message

 
Old 07-31-2007, 09:32 AM
 
Location: NE Florida
17,833 posts, read 33,042,431 times
Reputation: 43378
Spiritwalker
I walk 3 miles every morning with my neighbor who is 83 he swears that it is one of the reasons he is in such good shape. Oh yeah he was playing racquet ball until about 8 months ago.
At my new gym there are quite a few folks over 60 so I think the new trend is keep active and you stay healthy.

My trainer said a lot has to do with what he calls "muscle memory" if you were active at one point in your life it is easier to restart than if your starting out for the first time.
I haven't done weights for almost 15 years and I was amazed how quickly my body readjusted to the workouts. Right now I am concentrating on cardio with spinning/cycling, water cardio/strength and throwing some body pump in once a week.
I will be 50 in Oct. and was feeling the same as you I needed that energy focus.
Quite a few folks on our daily exercise thread have said that they feel so much better since they started.
lol Now if I can just get my hubby going

karla
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message
 
Old 08-01-2007, 05:47 AM
 
Location: orlando, fl
453 posts, read 2,097,381 times
Reputation: 269
Quote:
Originally Posted by spiritwalker View Post
at age 60 I can bench press 305 lbs
that's a lot of weight. keep up the good work
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message
 
Old 08-01-2007, 06:17 AM
 
Location: Newtown Connecticut
328 posts, read 1,032,153 times
Reputation: 249
Default Thanks...............

Quote:
Originally Posted by mrdude View Post
that's a lot of weight. keep up the good work
I got 305 last February........I'm not going to press( no pun intended) my luck with more max poundage....My new goal is to see if I can cut up some.....Losing fat at this age is a challange but I think I can do this without starving or using too many "Fat Burning" remedies. It will take some time but hey Lord willing I have plenty of that....I want to push the envelop so to speak for people my age.......I want to explore potential....Not much out there (research) for us older folks with regard to what we can do ie resistance training, cutting up ....Hopefully I will find some sucess.
Spiritwalker
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message
 
Old 08-01-2007, 06:25 AM
 
Location: NE Florida
17,833 posts, read 33,042,431 times
Reputation: 43378
spiritwalker
if you up your cardio it will help you with the "cutting"
make friends with the elliptical or even the treadmill.
They say you need to hit at least 30 mins of cardio to start burning fat
When I was working out with my body builder buddies years ago, when they would start getting "show ready" they would head for the exercise bike for cardio

karla
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message
 
Old 08-02-2007, 08:18 AM
 
Location: Newtown Connecticut
328 posts, read 1,032,153 times
Reputation: 249
Default Cardio.....

Quote:
Originally Posted by myfask View Post
spiritwalker
if you up your cardio it will help you with the "cutting"
make friends with the elliptical or even the treadmill.
They say you need to hit at least 30 mins of cardio to start burning fat
When I was working out with my body builder buddies years ago, when they would start getting "show ready" they would head for the exercise bike for cardio

karla
Oh yeah....Cardio is crucial. Where I have erred in the past is too much cardio. Plateaued too quickly and actually lost strength....What I have found to be somewhat effective for me thus far is interval training....Less overall time on the elliptical machine but more intense then less intense...faster/slower...WOW what a workout !!!! I'm trying to exercise patience....I don't want to sacrifice strength for cutting up however..Feels too good having the strength....Hope I will find a happy medium....I am just so grateful that I can make these gains at my present age. Thanks so much for your advice and encouragement.
Spiritwalker
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message
 
Old 08-02-2007, 03:07 PM
 
Location: orlando, fl
453 posts, read 2,097,381 times
Reputation: 269
Quote:
Originally Posted by spiritwalker View Post
What I have found to be somewhat effective for me thus far is interval training....Less overall time on the elliptical machine but more intense then less intense...faster/slower...WOW what a workout !!!!
HIIT (High Intensity Interval Training) is a great form of cardio. It burns a bit more glycogen, but should have less muscle loss in the end. plus, you spend less overall time doing cardio, so it's less time being bored
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message
 
Old 08-02-2007, 04:23 PM
 
Location: Wherabouts Unknown!
7,841 posts, read 18,950,809 times
Reputation: 9584
I get my cardio by moving from exercise to exercise, rarely resting in between exercises. EG: If I do a set of biceps, while my biceps are recuperating, I do a set of triceps. If I reach a point of being too winded, then I do some calf raises or ab work which allows me to catch my breath. I don't do any cardio machines....what a waste of workout time! I work out 5 days a week. I'm in and out of the gym in 30 minutes. I'm 58 and one of the fittest people in the fitness center where I work out. I don't bust my butt, but I have missed very few workouts during the past 20 years. Focus on the long term and don't worry about the heaving lifting crap. Better to leave the gym feeling like you could have done more, than it is to wish that you wouldn't have done that last set.

regards....Franco
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message
 
Old 08-02-2007, 05:45 PM
 
Location: orlando, fl
453 posts, read 2,097,381 times
Reputation: 269
Quote:
Originally Posted by NewAgeRedneck View Post
don't worry about the heaving lifting crap.
but lifting heavy is so much fun, though. today i was able to leg press over 700 lbs even with a pulled glute, and it felt great to be able to lift that much even with an injury.
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message
 
Old 08-03-2007, 06:11 AM
 
Location: Newtown Connecticut
328 posts, read 1,032,153 times
Reputation: 249
Default Lifting Heavy...........

Quote:
Originally Posted by mrdude View Post
but lifting heavy is so much fun, though. today i was able to leg press over 700 lbs even with a pulled glute, and it felt great to be able to lift that much even with an injury.
True it is gratifying to lift heavy weight. This past year as I have said I reached a goal that I had been working toward. I reached that goal and now feel no need to train as heavy as I was. I will however incorporate occasional
heavier sessions....It just feels so good to feel strong....Midlife crisis? I don't know but I also agree with my redneck friend that working with less rest between sets is excellent.....The old heart gets pumpin' for sure !!!!!!! And I don't have to do as much cardio as a result...Can you tell that cardio is my least favorite lol...... All that I can say is to all you who have posted on this thread keep up the good work....We are all doing something...So many (Very sad) people are doing nothing...Keep lifting !!!!!!
Spiritwalker
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.

Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.


Reply
Please update this thread with any new information or opinions. This open thread is still read by thousands of people, so we encourage all additional points of view.

Quick Reply
Message:


Over $104,000 in prizes was already given out to active posters on our forum and additional giveaways are planned!

Go Back   City-Data Forum > General Forums > Exercise and Fitness
Similar Threads

All times are GMT -6.

© 2005-2024, Advameg, Inc. · Please obey Forum Rules · Terms of Use and Privacy Policy · Bug Bounty

City-Data.com - Contact Us - Archive 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37 - Top