Throughout my life, I have always associated working out with losing weight. I’ve never had weight issues or been a heavy person, so I wasn’t very active until I was in my 50s. Weight gain due to menopause. So I started working out, but I didn’t take it too seriously. walk on a treadmill Throughout that decade, I continued to do it for 30 minutes, three times a week intermittently. I ended up losing weight, but beyond that, I wasn’t interested in working out to build strength or muscle.
When I was in my 60s, my mother was about 60 pounds overweight and had some health issues that required the assistance of medical personnel to get around. As I watched her over the years, I feared I would be in the same situation. This motivated me to continue to maintain a healthy weight to be mobile throughout my life.
The InBody scan started my strength training journey.
At 71 years old, I started taking fitness seriously for several reasons. (I even quit my job to spend more time doing it!) Not only did I want to work out to not be like my mom, but I also wanted to move far away from my friends a few years ago, so… Meet new people. Then in 2020, when the pandemic hit, my weight increased by 20 pounds. So I joined orange theorya class that combines strength training and cardio, and focuses on: heart rate zone training Strengthens the cardiovascular system.
When you start working out with Orange Theory, you’ll have the opportunity to take an InBody body composition scan. My weight was a real eye opener. It turns out that most of my weight is made up of fat and not much muscle. I wasn’t happy with this. I realized that my physical health is not all about the number on the scale. composition Weight is more important. I decided that I didn’t just want to lose weight, I wanted to change the overall composition of my body. I set a goal to convert 50% of my body weight into muscle within a year.
So I took an Orangetheory circuit training class three times a week, working on both strength training and cardio. I worked especially hard on the treadmill portion of the class, even hitting a 7-minute mile at one point. A year later, I achieved my body composition goal.
Then, I was ready to branch out and take different types of workout classes and do some weightlifting on my own, so I joined my local Lifetime Athletic Club. I tried different types of classes to find what I enjoyed and worked with a few different trainers to guide my strength training before starting on my own.
Now, at 75 years old, I go to the gym 5 to 7 days a week.
take two volleyball class and two strength training A once-a-week class that targets the whole body. I also take ballroom dancing classes three to four times a week. Because it brings me joy and helps me stay social. After these classes I usually work on my assignments pull-upuse ovalor do a strength-training circuit that works your chest, back, arms, abdomen, legs, and shoulders. In terms of volume, I usually do 3 sets of 12 reps of each movement.
I don’t follow any training plans and am a bit of a wildcard in the gym. I love walking around and trying different things weight machine Based on what I feel like doing that day. Also, I don’t take traditional rest days. I am determined to move every day to maintain my physical strength.
One of my goals is to do pull-ups without assistance. We’re not there yet, but we’re making progress. I used to be able to do a few pull-ups with 70% assistance, but now I can do 5-6 pull-ups with 30% assistance and I’m getting closer to that. Another PR I’m proud of: A year and a half ago, I was able to hold a plank for over 4 minutes, and now my goal is 5 minutes.
These three habits were essential to transforming my strength.
1. I found a type of movement that I like.
When it comes to fitness, everyone has different preferences. You need to find what works for you in order to be consistent and produce the results you want. (You don’t have to deadlift heavy weights to see results or enjoy your workout.) When I first started exercising seriously, there was a lot of trial and error, but barre, I found types of movements such as volleyball and volleyball. Strength training and dancing make me feel joy and strength.
2. Move at your own pace, even in group fitness classes.
Fitness is a lifestyle, not a trend. No matter how old you are, you can become stronger and achieve your goals. You can also move at your own pace and customize your workouts. In group fitness classes, sometimes the instructor moves so fast that I can’t focus on the mind-muscle connection even though I’m trying to keep up. I think you could get injured if you just swing the weight around, so move at your own speed. I know my body and what it can handle, so I’m aware of that when I work out, and I never do anything that could hurt myself. Slow and steady is my motto, and that’s okay.
3. Tell yourself that you may be setting a good example for young people.
In many of the training classes I take, I am the oldest person in the room. Many of the young people in my classes hope to be like me someday and tell me that I am an inspiration to them. It drives me and feeds my ego and soul. I want to continue to be the kind of person that others respect and admire.
you may also like
