Senior Fitness Advice From an 81-Year-Old Trainer

• Harry King, 81, works 35 hours a week as a fitness trainer.
• He specializes in helping seniors get the most out of their training.
• King said “The Golden Bachelor” star Jerry Turner, 72, is a role model for older adults.

Jerry Turner, the 72-year-old star of “The Golden Bachelor,” has captivated fans – and the female contestants vying for his heart – with his high level of fitness.

Trim’s senior recently told GQ He goes for regular walks and plays at least nine hours of pickleball each week.

“I have a dog and dogs love walks, so I walk them,” he told the magazine. “One of the nearby lakes has a three-mile loop around it, so you can tell.”

Turner said he also plays pickleball three mornings a week for about three hours at a time.

“That’s how I exercise,” said Turner, who proudly wears a hearing aid. He noted that he used to go for long runs to “clear his head,” but as he got older, he realized walking was a good alternative.

The grandfather and father-of-two didn’t mention any gym training, but the mansion where The Golden Bachelor was filmed has a pool that the cast can use in between filming.

Fitness trainer says Turner is a great role model

Fitness trainer Harry King, 81, doesn’t have any celebrity clients, but said he would love to coach Turner.

“Jerry is a great role model for seniors who want to stay healthy and active,” he said.

Dr. King said he hopes some will be inspired by his role as a qualified instructor. planet fitness.

“I think there are a lot of people who question why an older gentleman is a trainer,” King said. “But I exercise harder and have more energy than most people.”

Mr. King, a former senior vice president of sales and marketing for an insurance company, said he started taking exercise “more seriously” in middle age.

King said he works out five times a week, in addition to spending 35 hours a week as a trainer, despite suffering from age-related health issues such as arthritis.

“You need to exercise at any age to maintain a healthy lifestyle, but it’s especially important when you’re older like me,” said the octogenarian.

He shared his top three fitness tips for seniors with Insider. “If you make it a habit, you can live longer,” he says.

set a goal

Dr. King said the first thing to do after consulting your doctor is to “ask yourself what you want to accomplish.”

“Your goals may include gaining muscle mass, losing weight, lowering blood pressure, or generally becoming healthier,” he said.

He advised seniors to monitor their progress by recording their vitals and taking photos before embarking on a new exercise regimen.

“Seeing improvements in my health keeps me motivated,” King said. He used to record his achievements in his diary.

He also told people to be “realistic” about their goals and know their limits. “Nobody wants to get discouraged or burnt out,” he says.

Remember, low-impact training is the best and safest form of exercise for older adults.

King said steady, low-intensity training is ideal for older adults. He said this exercise is less stressful on joints such as the knees, hips and ankles because “your feet are always on the ground.”

He recommended activities such as walking on a treadmill, riding an elliptical machine, and rowing a boat. He said stationary bikes provide a “great aerobic workout”, adding that rowing works “all muscle groups” and has the benefit of improving posture.

“These exercises should be performed at about 60% to 65% of your maximum effort,” he said.

King said older adults typically need to work on rebuilding muscle that is lost during the natural aging process. However, he cautioned that weightlifting, such as barbells, is best done under supervision.

make gym friends

King said having a partner at the gym will help with accountability.

“You can motivate each other to go to the gym even when you don’t feel like it,” he said. “If we encourage each other, we are more likely to train effectively.”

The 81-year-old said the social aspect of the gym is a welcome antidote to the loneliness that can often come with being a senior. “It’s a good way to expand your circle of friends,” he said, adding that he gets “inspired” by chatting with the gym’s younger members and staff.

He recommends people do low-impact training three times a week. “Try to stay in the gym for at least 30 minutes to an hour,” he said.