Senior Citizen Bodybuilder

[Donn]

I'm 68 years old now and have been weight training at my local gym for six months. I started because of gross over weight(5 ft 7 inches, wgt 288 lbs), high blood pressure (160/100) and levated blood sugar (125 +). My doctor put me through two weeks of tests, put me on medicine and said, "LOSE WEIGHT". Following the advice offered in Ironman magazine, I'm down to 260 lbs, BP 135/78 today and blood sugar 94. I love what I'm doing at the gym and my wife has joined in too. (She uses Curves). Is there any interest out there in senior citizen weight training?

[JHL]

Hi Donn,

just wanted to say that I really applaud your weight lifting efforts and the progress you've made. Nice one!

[John Hill]

Well done Donn,

You are certainly not alone starting to weight train later in life. I am a personal trainer in Bangkok and many of my clients are in their sixties and seventies. Some say they wished they had got into weight training earlier in life as they have become addicted to the natural "high" they get from pumping iron.

The most famous bodybuilder of all, Arnold, turns 60 this year and he has often mentioned he plans to workout for the rest of his life.

Good luck with the weight loss,
John

[Jim]

Originally Posted by Donn

I'm 68 years old now and have been weight training at my local gym for six months. I started because of gross over weight(5 ft 7 inches, wgt 288 lbs), high blood pressure (160/100) and levated blood sugar (125 +). My doctor put me through two weeks of tests, put me on medicine and said, "LOSE WEIGHT". Following the advice offered in Ironman magazine, I'm down to 260 lbs, BP 135/78 today and blood sugar 94. I love what I'm doing at the gym and my wife has joined in too. (She uses Curves). Is there any interest out there in senior citizen weight training?

(Applause) Well done Donn!

[youcould2]

Way to go, Donn. I'm 73 years old and have been weight training and aerobic training for many, many years. I credit this and a good healthy diet as reasons for feeling like I'm a lot younger than I am.

I did grow weary of using the local health club for my workouts, though. I don't know, I guess it was something to do with all those lithe young bodies and realizing that even though I was in good shape -- I would never have "that look" again. Envy? Yeah, no doubt about that!!

So, I purchased a BowFlex machine (the good one) and a good treadmill and now can do my workouts right down the hall. Of course, I still have to watch my young wife as she does her workouts and, even though I can envy her younger body tone, at least I can wake up with her beside me in the morning.

Shanti,

Ron

[Donn]

Wow! Thanks for all those encouraging remarks. It was great to hear from so many.

Donn

[Hsiang-Lin]

Hey Donn,

I'm only 22, but I hope to have your mentality when I'm 68 and onwards. Bodybuilding is great! Great job on your success and I'll be pumping iron like you in the gym regularly

[Conan Stevens]

Good time to start.

"Old age" can be offset be keeping active, particularly with a weights program. It will keep your hormones more active, your blood flow and pressure better, bone density improvements, etc.

Who wants to lay down to die at 60 just because you're 'retired' and 'old'

Other cultures still venerate their old people, shame the west has lost it

[openeyes]

For extra motivation, here's one guy that's stayed in excellent shape well into his 60s with bodybuilding:

Clarence Bass: Pictorial Training History

At 65 his six pack is still more visible than mine at 22 (his bodyfat % stays very low).

[elainevdw]

Congratulations on losing 20 lbs and getting your health back in order! And on your wife joining you, too.

I wish there was more of an interest in people your age about getting fit. My mom is in her late 40s, and had somehow decided that once you lose muscle mass, you can't get it back -- all you can do is maintain what you've already got. So she was really discouraged about going to the gym.

After she found out otherwise, she started doing cardio and weights and eating better. She lowered her cholesterol and blood pressure, increased her energy and mental clarity, and lost over 20 lbs!

Now all we have to do is get my dad into it.

Hopefully, folks like you will help inspire folks like my dad into taking better care of their bodies! I'm always amazed when I see senior citizens in my yoga class, who come consistently every time, but do have a lot of challenges as far as flexibility, painful joints, etc. I need to take a lesson from them about not getting discouraged.

[Donn]

Originally Posted by elainevdw

Congratulations on losing 20 lbs and getting your health back in order! And on your wife joining you, too.

I wish there was more of an interest in people your age about getting fit. My mom is in her late 40s, and had somehow decided that once you lose muscle mass, you can't get it back -- all you can do is maintain what you've already got. So she was really discouraged about going to the gym.

After she found out otherwise, she started doing cardio and weights and eating better. She lowered her cholesterol and blood pressure, increased her energy and mental clarity, and lost over 20 lbs!

Now all we have to do is get my dad into it.

Hopefully, folks like you will help inspire folks like my dad into taking better care of their bodies! I'm always amazed when I see senior citizens in my yoga class, who come consistently every time, but do have a lot of challenges as far as flexibility, painful joints, etc. I need to take a lesson from them about not getting discouraged.

Bravo, Elaine! Keep after him. For us guys, our greatest asset is our women. When he joins you and mom in a healthy life style, he'll see that too.

As for the aches and pains; I don't have any in the gym but an hour and a half is all I can do there. It tires me so...but then I take the next day off. I train MWF only.

[Donn]

Originally Posted by openeyes

For extra motivation, here's one guy that's stayed in excellent shape well into his 60s with bodybuilding:

Clarence Bass: Pictorial Training History

At 65 his six pack is still more visible than mine at 22 (his bodyfat % stays very low).

I'm trying for a lower body fat also.

[gungho9]

Weight training is good but not for the elderly be careful how heavy the weights you carry. As for me I consume a herbal extract which does wonders for me not only in having a lean body but a muscular one at that. I am 64 and my libido is that of a 20 year old. Can you beat that guys? My new wife is just 42.

[downwitthefat]

wow! i hope when i get to that age, (if i ever make it that age) i would still be "alive" enough for those kinds of things.

[Conan Stevens]

Originally Posted by gungho9

Weight training is good but not for the elderly be careful how heavy the weights you carry. As for me I consume a herbal extract which does wonders for me not only in having a lean body but a muscular one at that. I am 64 and my libido is that of a 20 year old. Can you beat that guys? My new wife is just 42.

Idiot spammer.

Weight training is especially helpful for the elderly, there are published studies. Google them. You don't have the hormones of a 20 year old therefore you do not have the libido.

Your new wife may be so defective that no one else wanted her so age is not really much of a qualifier as to how good she is.

[lifetimelearner]

I just wanted to say good for you Donn !
keep going

[mature guy]

Originally Posted by openeyes

For extra motivation, here's one guy that's stayed in excellent shape well into his 60s with bodybuilding:

Clarence Bass: Pictorial Training History

At 65 his six pack is still more visible than mine at 22 (his bodyfat % stays very low).

clarence is my hero. i base my workouts on his lean for life book. he has a great site. i just turned 67 and feel great (so far). he is definitely da man!