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PLEASE NOTE: I am sharing what I do, which is based on my body, what I can do and my specific needs. Any exercise program you embark on needs to be tailored to you and have the blessing of your medical professional. Nothing here should be construed as medical advice.
You and I deserve to be strong as we age
This morning I participated in a competition for YMCA members. I was told point blank that pushups were ONLY for 18 and under, and I took issue. So I grabbed a spot and went after it, getting it videotaped lest someone claim that I couldn’t do them.
Yeah. I can.
I can’t go all the way down due to old muscle damage in my left scapula but I can do this. I’ve done them for decades. I’ve just had four surgeries in my hands, and am missing a ligament in my right thumb, so I have to put my right hand on a pad.
My feet have had surgery and they hurt too-so doing any kind of pushup in any form is damned painful and difficult. There is no way I can do them perfectly.
It’s as much a story about how age changes our bodies as how determination allows us to keep going.
But I did it. One hundred. While my form isn’t perfect, it’s fair to say that I did pretty well.
I also participated in the barbell press contest, right after the pushups. At my age level (72 in a few weeks) we only had to do the barbell, which is 45 lbs. I got to 50, and when my shoulders begin to hurt, I stop. I’ve had three shoulder reconstructions, so you learn what kind of pain says quit now.
I set the record in both. In fact I’m not sure anyone else did pushups.
You and I are NEVER too old to begin rebuilding our strength.
I’ve been hitting the gym again after five years of twelve major surgeries to shoulders, hip, feet, hands and more. What I’ve learned after five decades plus of punching weights, even taking months away from regular workouts, is that the strength stays with us far longer than we realize.
In fact, if you’re brave enough to do heavy training, the results last.
Even if you’ve never ever picked up a weight in your life, you can do this. That said, get guidance. As I’ve aged, I’ve been injured and had surgery permanently change my body through the removal of key bones in my hands, insertion of screws and all kinds of staples in my feet. That changes how I work out.
I’ve hired trainers and physical therapists who have bodybuilding and PT backgrounds. Their workout suggestions have focused on the damage to my left side from a horrible car accident and building the core balance all of us need as we age. They check each other’s suggestions. Those that get the stamp of approval from both are part of my workout.
Any strength training is valuable. However, focused training for you, your body and where you are is even better.
Here are some examples of my regular exercises and balance work (I have a BOSU ball at home):
These exercises have gotten harder as I’ve increased weight and made small incremental changes. I can also hold my form longer.
These exercises can be done on the floor. I do them on a bench because they’re much harder. If I slip, I fall off. Therefore my core is working double-time.
The core is critical to balance, back strength and overall body agency.
Today after I finished with the competition, I finished my workout. A woman close to my age was using the bench next to me. She was very happy to get the kinds of gentle corrections which will prevent injury and add to the overall value of the exercise.
I’ve been a trainer, and I’ve been fortunate to have been trained by top people in bodybuilding. Back when I first got started, there were no women in my gyms. Good guys gave me form tips which prevented injury. Those tips are borne out in all the online advice for beginners and experts alike. It’s also borne out by the fact I’ve never injured while lifting.
I’ve been a gym rat for fifty-two years. Every January for every one of those years the gym is jammed to the gills with hopefuls.
By early March or sooner, most of them are gone.
Truth? The gym isn’t for everyone. My YMCA is chock-full of oldsters. We have one of the best-equipped gyms I’ve ever seen, with every kind of class and opportunity to get active for those nearly immobile to people prepping for serious competition.
No matter where you are on your arc, you can do this. I can’t tell you how much I enjoy being able to grapple heavy furniture up my stairs and into place when I can’t hire help. I love being able to schlep heavy wood.
I love being strong, knowing that if I fall, and I do, I bounce right back up.
It isn’t whether we fall. It’s how fast we get back up.
Lots of those folks are just starting out. What matters isn’t how they look. It’s that they’re showing up, making friends, turning this work into a social activity.
The gym isn’t about weight loss, albeit people flock to them every year in the hopes of slimming down. What goes into your mouth has far more to do with that. The gym is where you get to build strength, balance, body confidence and agency.
I’ll end with a fun story.
Back in February of this year, long before I stood on a BOSU ball, I watched this lovely young woman at my Y:
She clearly had dance training. No way I can do that, I said to myself. Then I got mad.
For the next few weeks I practiced standing on a BOSU ball with a staff. Then no staff. Then slowly I added difficulty. About a month later I was doing precisely what she had done, for longer, and then I added weights.
I don’t look that graceful, but by god I was doing it.
Since then I have added greater and greater difficulty with movement, more weights and speed. When that gets easy, I change up. I’ve done this with guidance from my PT who is happy to see me take on harder challenges.
One day I told that young woman that she was my inspiration. She was delighted. Never saw her again.
People around us are constantly showing us what’s possible.
She was a third my age. I didn’t care. I wanted to do what she did. Now I can do what she did and a lot more.
Age is no excuse. Never an excuse. You and I are never too old to rebuild our strength, reclaim balance and enjoy body agency.
My wish for you in 2025 is that whatever shape you are in, whatever age you are, you decide to take it up a notch this year. Find a friend, make it social. Doesn’t matter. This is for you, your life, your joy and for aging vibrantly.
Let’s play.
Thanks as always for reading along. I hope this served as inspiration. It’s also a shoutout to all those who served as inspiration for me, and there are many. Please consider
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