Weight training as we age ... NY Times article

[Music Lover]

Totally agree with this. I've been doing pullups and squats regularly for several years now, and just doing that much has improved my fitness level considerably. In the time it would take me to drive to the gym and back, I could do my bodyweight workout several times (and at essentially no cost, other than the $20 it cost me for my door-mounted pullup bar).

I'd probably add some pushups into that workout to train other muscles that are being missed.

 

[hesperus]

- The only strength training most of us need is bodyweight oriented and doesn't require a gym membership. A "core four" workout of pushups, pullups, planks, and squats is plenty for overall fitness. You can scale them to make them easier, or vary the movement to make it more difficult as your ability allows.

Key word here is 'most'. It depends on what reason you're in the gym. Training for specific sports is something that typically requires weight training. I hike a ton in the summer, and am very fit, but for pure power when skiing or cycling, strength training with weights is a must.

 

[nash031]

Who can do a pull up?

I'm still just a kid relatively speaking around here, but I do a bunch of wide grip pullups in my current strength routine. I'm hoping to get back to the days where I could do a couple with a 128lb kettlebell strapped to my waist! (It helps to only weigh like 150 anyway at that point). They're a great upper body exercise hitting most every muscle north of your hips (obvious exceptions).

You can scale them. Use a band wrapped around the bar that you step in or kneel in, or put a foot on a chair and spot yourself or have a partner spot you until you can do them free.

 

[nash031]

Key word here is 'most'. It depends on what reason you're in the gym. Training for specific sports is something that typically requires weight training. I hike a ton in the summer, and am very fit, but for pure power when skiing or cycling, strength training with weights is a must.

I can't really disagree. I have a long history of weight training for my sports, but these days I can get all the leg strength I need with pistol squats, goblet squats, and stuff like that I can do at home. I miss deadlifting, but as I've gotten older, my SI doesn't behave like it used to so I'm probably better off not doing it at all!

All that stuff without the barbell or machine training and I find that I haven't lost anything off my FTP on the bike and can still run as well as ever.

 

[nash031]

Yes I could cut back and promise to do so before age 80. Seriously, I know my limits and expect the limits to go down with age. Have been doing this sort of thing since the early 1970's as an adult.

I worked with a physical therapist to come up with some stretches. Works for me but I'm sure there are more ways then mine to tackle this component of health.

For decades I avoided the gym. Now with plenty of time I find it provides new choices like swimming and studio cycling as well as gym equipment. Some very light socializing is good for me too.

Your PT knows better than I do! I've gotten some great hip openers from my PT over the years that help me with my mobility while riding and running.

Earlier this year in marathon training I was up to 65 mi/week which was enough to qualify for Boston in 2017 with a sub-3:00 effort. Now, I'm probably not racing it since DD just arrived 11 weeks ago, but it's nice to know I was able to get it in. I enjoyed the miles, believe it or not. That was my biggest volume of just running ever, and I miss it, but I also know I wouldn't want to sustain something like that for more than a couple of weeks training specifically for half/full races. 20/week is relatively tame by that standard, but it always amazes me the toll that even 15-20/week for week after week takes on me when I finally back off a week or four. It really is a lot for our bodies, even yours and mine that are adapted to that kind of volume... The difference once my legs recover in how I feel is incredible. Ah, the joys of aging.

I think as I get older and stop competing I'll follow my own advice... maybe one run and one ride a week just to get the juices flowing. Otherwise, lots of walking, mobility and body weight work.

 

[hesperus]

I can't really disagree. I have a long history of weight training for my sports, but these days I can get all the leg strength I need with pistol squats, goblet squats, and stuff like that I can do at home.

I like both of those you mention. The pistols from a bench start are nice because I can't use any momentum on the rise up from the sitting position.

 

[Ronstar]

I think my bodyweight exercises do the most good of the exercises in my workout. Pushups, pull-ups, seated leg extensions, and exercise ball wall squats. The squats are amazing - my knees feel better than they have in years.

 

[Big_Hitter]

I'm still just a kid relatively speaking around here, but I do a bunch of wide grip pullups in my current strength routine. I'm hoping to get back to the days where I could do a couple with a 128lb kettlebell strapped to my waist! (It helps to only weigh like 150 anyway at that point). They're a great upper body exercise hitting most every muscle north of your hips (obvious exceptions).

You can scale them. Use a band wrapped around the bar that you step in or kneel in, or put a foot on a chair and spot yourself or have a partner spot you until you can do them free.

I'd rather do lat pull downs. I figure when I can get 5 reps on the stack I can do a pull up

 

[Music Lover]

I think my bodyweight exercises do the most good of the exercises in my workout. Pushups, pull-ups, seated leg extensions, and exercise ball wall squats. The squats are amazing - my knees feel better than they have in years.

Squats not only work the quads, but they involve the hamstrings, the core, and other supporting muscles. If you're doing squats, there is no reason to isolate the quads with leg extensions...you get minimal gain at the possible expense of creating an imbalance.

Compound movements are beneficial because they work more than one muscle at a time which ensures that the supporting muscles can "keep up" to the major muscles. Strong quads without hamstring support can be an injury waiting to happen.

 

[Big_Hitter]

Squats not only work the quads, but they involve the hamstrings, the core, and other supporting muscles. If you're doing squats, there is no reason to isolate the quads with leg extensions...you get minimal gain at the possible expense of creating an imbalance.

Compound movements are beneficial because they work more than one muscle at a time which ensures that the supporting muscles can "keep up" to the major muscles. Strong quads without hamstring support can be an injury waiting to happen.

squats on a bosu ball work pretty well too

I do those as well as lunges, reverse lunges, kb squats, kb swings and straight leg dead lifts at least once a week

 

[Music Lover]

squats on a bosu ball work pretty well too

I do those as well as lunges, reverse lunges, kb squats, kb swings and straight leg dead lifts at least once a week

I used to hate lunges, but they are effective.

My lower body workouts are done in 2 parts...day 1 is quad dominate with squats and lunges, day 2 is hamstring dominate with deadlifts and good mornings.

Another favourite of mine is farmer's walk...a few laps around the basement or a few trips up and down the stairs carrying heavy dumbbells.

 

[Exrook]

Some good info:

How To Look Good Naked And Live A Long Time. - Ben Greenfield Fitness - Diet, Fat Loss and Performance Advice

 

[frank2009]

I do a few basic weight lifting exercises 2X a week. Mostly 3 sets of 5 after a few gradually heaver warm up sets. The workouts are about an hour each. The methodology is better explained at startingstrength.com.

I also ride an Airdyne bike for 20 minutes 2 or 3 times a week.

I agree with those posters indicating that strength training becomes very important as we age.

Lastly, no, I can't do a pullup.

 

[Big_Hitter]

I used to hate lunges, but they are effective.

My lower body workouts are done in 2 parts...day 1 is quad dominate with squats and lunges, day 2 is hamstring dominate with deadlifts and good mornings.

Another favourite of mine is farmer's walk...a few laps around the basement or a few trips up and down the stairs carrying heavy dumbbells.

we do both in an hour - she says my hams are weak which is why my back hurts so much after I play golf

leg training has really helped my ball striking though

 

[Ronstar]

Squats not only work the quads, but they involve the hamstrings, the core, and other supporting muscles. If you're doing squats, there is no reason to isolate the quads with leg extensions...you get minimal gain at the possible expense of creating an imbalance.

Compound movements are beneficial because they work more than one muscle at a time which ensures that the supporting muscles can "keep up" to the major muscles. Strong quads without hamstring support can be an injury waiting to happen.

Thanks for the advice. I'll eliminate the leg extensions. I find leg extensions without a machine to be awkward.

 

[Big_Hitter]

Thanks for the advice. I'll eliminate the leg extensions. I find leg extensions without a machine to be awkward.

I don't think leg extensions hurt anything unless you just do leg extensions - when I do them I mix in leg curls, squats, lunges, etc

 

[O2Bfree]

Well...as someone who just realized I have been working out/lifting weights for 40 years as of next year...and...who learned just two days ago he has slight arthritis in his left knee from doing very heavy leg exercises for about three of those decades...I would not recommend overdoing it with weights. I came away from my chat with the orthopedist with the idea I will significantly reduce leg exercise weights immediately (starting with today's leg workouts as a matter of fact).

OTOH, I intend for weight training exercise to remain a staple of my activities for the remainder of my life. There are just too many health and quality of life benefits associated with it.

Ditto. I've been lifting pretty heavy (for a girl) for 31 years and earlier this year saw an orthopedist about a slight pain that had developed in one knee. This was after I started moving up again to 115 on lunges. So I've been keeping the weights down since then.

I also decided to get my shoulders checked, since I'd been noticing a slight grinding sensation in my right shoulder. No pain or grinding during lifting, only when I held my arm straight to one side and rotated my wrist back and forth. I figured it was just a bone spur that could be ground off. Turned out I had patches of grade 2 and 3 arthritis in that shoulder, probably from a change in mechanics due to a rotator cuff tear I didn't know I had. Plus there were the suspected bone spurs.

Also, I learned I had a Type 2 (twisted) acromion that was causing wear in both shoulders. And on the left side, the upper tendon on of the long head bicep was frayed. Scary, because I never noticed any pain, yet the tendon could have eventually broken. A number of long-time heavy weight lifters I know had this happen, plus several people I know who didn't lift, but were very active otherwise.

So in June I had surgery on my right shoulder; then in October surgery on my left shoulder. I'm a little mad at myself for going heavy for so long, though I did cut back the weight in my mid-40s. But at the same time I know many people my age or even younger who never lifted but are having joint problems, some even worse than just a touch of arthritis. And some have other problems as well from not working out.

 

[W2R]

I'm a little mad at myself for going heavy for so long, though I did cut back the weight in my mid-40s. But at the same time I know many people my age or even younger who never lifted but are having joint problems, some even worse than just a touch of arthritis. And some have other problems as well from not working out.

Exactly.

I have noticed that some people are awfully quick to blame joint problems on weight lifting. I think that weight lifting, if done carefully and cautiously, can actually help one to develop some protective muscles around joints and sometimes might even delay joint problems.

Which is not to say that overly heavy weight lifting cannot cause joint problems, but I think weight lifting is an easy scapegoat for these problems sometimes.

To me, there's a difference between just slinging around way-too-heavy weights every which way with reckless abandon and without paying attention, and truly observant, thoughtful, cautious weight lifting that is focused on perfecting form and on what feedback one's body provides during a workout.

 

[haha]

If health depended on routines as specific and complicated as given above, no one ever would have experienced a living grandmother or grandfather. Possibly humans would have perished, since in times past one had to be physically healthy and fit to survive.

Also, notice how contradictory many of these highly specific must do's are. Either it really matters little, or some of us are seriously misled. My vote is that it really matters little, once one is committed to avoiding couch potatoedom. It is similar to saving for retirement, withdrawal plans, etc. Getting it basically right is what counts. the rest is just selling articles and trolling for clients.

Ha

 

[W2R]

It is similar to saving for retirement, withdrawal plans, etc. Getting it basically right is what counts. the rest is just selling articles and trolling for clients.

You know, I think that's a good point. I noticed that when saving for retirement. It really didn't matter so much if my money went to pay off the mortgage, or was invested, or whatever, so much as it mattered that I was putting that money towards my future/retirement.

I hope you are right about health. I have stopped weight lifting for now, and have been using other machines at the gym, as my knees allow. I am no good at these machines, whereas I felt I was pretty good at weight lifting for an old lady, so it's hard to feel very positive about the change.

 

[Ronstar]

I don't think leg extensions hurt anything unless you just do leg extensions - when I do them I mix in leg curls, squats, lunges, etc

Good point. I was talking to DW's friend the personal trainer today. She said that I should mix it up. Do squats some days, do leg extensions and other leg work other days. She said a good mix of leg work, as opposed to all squats, minimizes wear and tear on the knees.

Similar to this:

I used to hate lunges, but they are effective.

My lower body workouts are done in 2 parts...day 1 is quad dominate with squats and lunges, day 2 is hamstring dominate with deadlifts and good mornings.

Another favourite of mine is farmer's walk...a few laps around the basement or a few trips up and down the stairs carrying heavy dumbbells.

 

[Music Lover]

To me, there's a difference between just slinging around way-too-heavy weights every which way with reckless abandon and without paying attention, and truly observant, thoughtful, cautious weight lifting that is focused on perfecting form and on what feedback one's body provides during a workout.

I've learned over the years to warm up fully and to listen to my body...if something feels a little off, then I'm either doing something wrong or need to back off a little. I don't lift as heavy as I used to, but when I did lift heavy, I never injured myself because good form and caution was key. The phrase "no pain, no gain" was never part of my mindset. If you are doing it right, it shouldn't hurt.

 

[Big_Hitter]

Good point. I was talking to DW's friend the personal trainer today. She said that I should mix it up. Do squats some days, do leg extensions and other leg work other days. She said a good mix of leg work, as opposed to all squats, minimizes wear and tear on the knees.

when my knee hurts we stick to leg extensions

of course if I wasn't so fat my knee (or back) wouldn't hurt so much

 

[friar1610]

I'm a recovered runner, age 71. Gave it up about 5 years ago because it ceased bring enjoyable. For years I tried to get in the weightlifting habit but, except for one period if about 2 years, could never keep it up for more than 6 - 12 weeks at a time.

So here's what I do now:
- spin classes 2-3x per week
- C2 row machine and/or elliptical 1-2x per week
- lots of walking

I've just started (about a month ago) going to fitness classes that are a combination of cardio, stretching, ab and dumbbell upper body work. So far I enjoy the classes and am hoping I can sustain them such that they're will give some regular, consistent upper body weight work.

As an old fart, I also need to be working more on stretching/flexibility. I pretty much ignored that all the years (40+) I ran.

But, at my age, I'm thankful I still enjoy working out and am capable of doing what I do reasonably vigorously 5-6 days per week

 

[LOL!]

I'm still just a kid relatively speaking around here, but I do a bunch of wide grip pullups in my current strength routine. I'm hoping to get back to the days where I could do a couple with a 128lb kettlebell strapped to my waist! (It helps to only weigh like 150 anyway at that point). They're a great upper body exercise hitting most every muscle north of your hips (obvious exceptions).

You can scale them. Use a band wrapped around the bar that you step in or kneel in, or put a foot on a chair and spot yourself or have a partner spot you until you can do them free.

Thanks very much for mentioning that a band can be wrapped around the bar to help with pull-ups. My son had some exercise bands from ages ago, but I could not find them until he came home from school and found them for me. I have rigged one up with my pull-up bar, so I should be able to get more than one rep in and build up from there. Thanks!