Weightlifting, ab workout and "pullups" for old guys.

MarathonMike

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Dec 30, 2014
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So I've been doing more upper body and core these last few months and I really like it! It doesn't take that long to do the routines and I notice a pretty big difference. When your over 60 the goal isn't to get the perfect beach body cuz that ain't happening! But it is good to feel stronger in your core and upper body. If you don't do something you just get weaker and then you start falling and.... uh oh. So for what it's worth this is what I do. I'm 63, 6' 1 and 205 lbs.

25 pullups on a short bar, so I'm not fully extended. Basically half pull ups.
Ab ripper X 2 or 3 times a week. A 15 minute core workout easy to find on the web.
Bench Press 2 or 3 times a week 135 lbs. 5-7 reps repeat 6 times
Dead Lift 1 or 2 times per week. 140-180 lbs. 4-5 reps repeat 3 times.

I also do stretching on an inversion board and a beginner yoga routine 2 or 3 times a week.

The point is, do something. Everyone is different, and this is not meant to be one size fits all. It's just what I've been doing and it has been showing benefits. Be well.
 
So I've been doing more upper body and core these last few months and I really like it! It doesn't take that long to do the routines and I notice a pretty big difference. When your over 60 the goal isn't to get the perfect beach body cuz that ain't happening! But it is good to feel stronger in your core and upper body. If you don't do something you just get weaker and then you start falling and.... uh oh. So for what it's worth this is what I do. I'm 63, 6' 1 and 205 lbs.

25 pullups on a short bar, so I'm not fully extended. Basically half pull ups.
Ab ripper X 2 or 3 times a week. A 15 minute core workout easy to find on the web.
Bench Press 2 or 3 times a week 135 lbs. 5-7 reps repeat 6 times
Dead Lift 1 or 2 times per week. 140-180 lbs. 4-5 reps repeat 3 times.

I also do stretching on an inversion board and a beginner yoga routine 2 or 3 times a week.

The point is, do something. Everyone is different, and this is not meant to be one size fits all. It's just what I've been doing and it has been showing benefits. Be well.
Have you read "The Barbell Prescription "?
Great book on strength training for older people.
 
ernestine.jpg



This is Ernestine Shepard. She is 86 years old. She was 82 in this picture.
 
So I've been doing more upper body and core these last few months and I really like it! It doesn't take that long to do the routines and I notice a pretty big difference. When your over 60 the goal isn't to get the perfect beach body cuz that ain't happening! But it is good to feel stronger in your core and upper body. If you don't do something you just get weaker and then you start falling and.... uh oh. So for what it's worth this is what I do. I'm 63, 6' 1 and 205 lbs.

25 pullups on a short bar, so I'm not fully extended. Basically half pull ups.
Ab ripper X 2 or 3 times a week. A 15 minute core workout easy to find on the web.
Bench Press 2 or 3 times a week 135 lbs. 5-7 reps repeat 6 times
Dead Lift 1 or 2 times per week. 140-180 lbs. 4-5 reps repeat 3 times.

I also do stretching on an inversion board and a beginner yoga routine 2 or 3 times a week.

The point is, do something. Everyone is different, and this is not meant to be one size fits all. It's just what I've been doing and it has been showing benefits. Be well.
Have you read "The Barbell Prescription "?
Great book on strength training for older people.
Hey thanks! Never heard of that but I will read it.
 
Everything you guys say is good. I'd add golf or bowling which are also surprisingly good when you hit your 60s-70s. The big thing is to not overdo it. If you usually curl 25 lb. dumbbells, go with 10 lb. and up the reps. If you do pushups try doing them on one of your counters instead of the floor. If you get hurt, and it's easy to do by not scaling back, you might miss a month and you don't want that to happen. Like Mike said, getting on Baywatch is out of the question at this point so don't push it. So after saying all that, I opened the pool yesterday and overdid it big time. I'm sore as hell today. Some people never learn. But I'll be back out there shortly to finish up.
 
So I've been doing more upper body and core these last few months and I really like it! It doesn't take that long to do the routines and I notice a pretty big difference. When your over 60 the goal isn't to get the perfect beach body cuz that ain't happening! But it is good to feel stronger in your core and upper body. If you don't do something you just get weaker and then you start falling and.... uh oh. So for what it's worth this is what I do. I'm 63, 6' 1 and 205 lbs.

25 pullups on a short bar, so I'm not fully extended. Basically half pull ups.
Ab ripper X 2 or 3 times a week. A 15 minute core workout easy to find on the web.
Bench Press 2 or 3 times a week 135 lbs. 5-7 reps repeat 6 times
Dead Lift 1 or 2 times per week. 140-180 lbs. 4-5 reps repeat 3 times.

I also do stretching on an inversion board and a beginner yoga routine 2 or 3 times a week.

The point is, do something. Everyone is different, and this is not meant to be one size fits all. It's just what I've been doing and it has been showing benefits. Be well.
That's it baby ya gotta do what works for you

I've had to drastically change my routine I mashed my ankle and broke three toes ....im cwippled....they gotta heal right n proper
 
I'm slowly getting back in shape after years of being on crutches. I'm 62 5'11'' 235lbs. Tried going back to my old routine and couldn't get out of bed the next day ,I as so sore all over. So its 15 min warmup and stretches routine followed by leg lifts and standing pushups. I want to lose 35 lbs plus get myself back in some sort of decent physical shape. What I am doing now has got me feeling a lot better and I'm Improving.
 
'm slowly getting back in shape after years of being on crutches. I'm 62 5'11'' 235lbs. Tried going back to my old routine and couldn't get out of bed the next day ,I as so sore all over. So its 15 min warmup and stretches routine followed by leg lifts and standing pushups. I want to lose 35 lbs plus get myself back in some sort of decent physical shape. What I am doing now has got me feeling a lot better and I'm Improving.
Excellent! Just finding something you can comfortably do consistently I think is key.
 
When working out (or restarting workouts), it's best to start at a light, easy to do level, and then as you get to the point where you can do it without much strain, GRADUALLY increase what you are doing. The thing that discourages a lot of people from working out is trying to do too much at the beginning, getting sore, and then thinking it's not worth it.

When I first started getting back on my bicycle (at almost 50 years old), I didn't think I was the young stud I was in my 20's and 30's, where I was biking 50 to 100 miles per day. I started out at around 4 miles, and gradually built myself up to where I could ride 20 miles and not even bat an eye. Sadly, the long haul rides I used to take when I was younger are not something I do anymore. Used to be that almost every Saturday when I was stationed in Jacksonville FL, I would ride 42 miles from Orange Park out to Jacksonville beach, probably ride 5 miles while at the beach, looking at all the pretty ladies, and then back the 42 miles to home. I'd leave sometime around 10 am and was back home by around 4 or 6, depending on how much time I spent at the beach.
 
When working out (or restarting workouts), it's best to start at a light, easy to do level, and then as you get to the point where you can do it without much strain, GRADUALLY increase what you are doing. The thing that discourages a lot of people from working out is trying to do too much at the beginning, getting sore, and then thinking it's not worth it.

When I first started getting back on my bicycle (at almost 50 years old), I didn't think I was the young stud I was in my 20's and 30's, where I was biking 50 to 100 miles per day. I started out at around 4 miles, and gradually built myself up to where I could ride 20 miles and not even bat an eye. Sadly, the long haul rides I used to take when I was younger are not something I do anymore. Used to be that almost every Saturday when I was stationed in Jacksonville FL, I would ride 42 miles from Orange Park out to Jacksonville beach, probably ride 5 miles while at the beach, looking at all the pretty ladies, and then back the 42 miles to home. I'd leave sometime around 10 am and was back home by around 4 or 6, depending on how much time I spent at the beach.
Totally agree. The hardest thing for most of us guys who have always been good athletes is acknowledging you aren't 25, 35 or even 45 anymore. Start at a comfortable level and do something that is enjoyable to do.
 
When working out (or restarting workouts), it's best to start at a light, easy to do level, and then as you get to the point where you can do it without much strain, GRADUALLY increase what you are doing. The thing that discourages a lot of people from working out is trying to do too much at the beginning, getting sore, and then thinking it's not worth it.

When I first started getting back on my bicycle (at almost 50 years old), I didn't think I was the young stud I was in my 20's and 30's, where I was biking 50 to 100 miles per day. I started out at around 4 miles, and gradually built myself up to where I could ride 20 miles and not even bat an eye. Sadly, the long haul rides I used to take when I was younger are not something I do anymore. Used to be that almost every Saturday when I was stationed in Jacksonville FL, I would ride 42 miles from Orange Park out to Jacksonville beach, probably ride 5 miles while at the beach, looking at all the pretty ladies, and then back the 42 miles to home. I'd leave sometime around 10 am and was back home by around 4 or 6, depending on how much time I spent at the beach.
I really should look into riding a bike, it's such good low impact cardio, but I just don't know when I'd find the time.
 

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