Age Discrimination?
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My mom will be 65 in July. She does some formal exercise (yoga, treadmill, etc) in the winter, but in warmer weather, she's an avid gardener and does all her own lawn care. She also still works part-time as a nurse. So she gets plenty of exercise, and frankly she's stronger than I am. She just really likes to stay active. She hauls bags of soil, moves furniture, etc. I'm amazed at her sometimes, but it all boils down to the fact that she takes care of herself and has been fortunate enough not to develop any neurological or other issues that might limit her. If you take care of your body, it'll probably continue to take care of you as you age.0
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Next time someone tells you old age is a limiting factor look at something that happened to me nearly 20 years ago... http://www.ms50.com/1996/RSLTS96.htm Look at the 12th, 14th and 16th place finishers of this 50 mile run.0
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AllanMisner wrote: »Next time someone tells you old age is a limiting factor look at something that happened to me nearly 20 years ago... http://www.ms50.com/1996/RSLTS96.htm Look at the 12th, 14th and 16th place finishers of this 50 mile run.
Lol, you didn't fare so well there did you?
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AllanMisner wrote: »Next time someone tells you old age is a limiting factor look at something that happened to me nearly 20 years ago... http://www.ms50.com/1996/RSLTS96.htm Look at the 12th, 14th and 16th place finishers of this 50 mile run.
Lol, you didn't fare so well there did you?
I finished. And I was able to see a man more than twice my age cross the line before they closed out. What you don’t see is the 12 who didn’t finish. So, we’re really just middle of the pack.
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I'll take middle of the pack any day..............
At my gym I have people watching my lifts and I'm always reminding them I'm just average..........but I'll take that...0 -
And when I told her I was lifting, my doctor said.... "Good for you!". Then cautioned me to be careful about my joints and not overdo anything.
Not like I'd have stopped if she'd been negative, though.0 -
All kinds of older guys play tennis, and tennis, with all the quick movement and running on cement, is a lot harder on you than weight lifting.
I don't know. But they sure seem and look a whole heck of a lot healthier than those old guys I see putting in 15 minutes with the light weights at the gym.2 -
I haven't read the article you're discussing, but if it is aimed at 65+ who are new to exercise, it makes sense. You cannot, at any age, just start going hard in the gym if you've been a sedentary lump. The man's doctor should have referred him to a physical therapist to demonstrate proper form/exercises to help with knee pain, or it could be that the man is genuinely over-exercising. I can't say.
You have chosen your hobby wisely, but it does make you an outlier. I can understand that you're frustrated with your outlier status, but you can't take it personally. It might take the meatheads aging and being treated the way you describe to figure out where you're coming from, but they'll get it eventually.1 -
@luluinca you rock. as a woman in my 40's I often wonder what my body will do in my 60's. I have to say that women like you inspire me. I met a woman in my acrobatics class who is 60 - gorgeous, no plastic surgery, wearing her hair natural and silver and still doing back bridges and handstands. I love love love seeing and hearing about people who don't let their bodies go as they age. My own mom is in er 70's and has been learning tae kwon do!
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In a "use it or lose it" life, most people lose it by the time they are 65. The doc, if you can realize it, was just a dude punching a clock, waiting for quitting time. He was taught to the average, he's paid to the average, and he treats you as the average. My doc, for example, told me for years "lose weight", and then was surprised when I did.1
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So.......the moral of this story is just because we, or you, are getting older, doesn't mean we can't achieve a level of health through diet and exercise that compares to many people much younger than we are.
I agree completely, last year (at 59) I got PBs in 10K, half-marathon & sprint duathlon distances, this past weekend I won my AG at a sprint duathlon (and we had on participant in the 70-74 AG). For Fathers Day this year my kids bought me a membership at the gym, you're still kicking my butt at deadlifts but I'm closing in fast.
While exercise may not be the fountain of youth I'm convinced that many of the indignities that get heaped upon us as we age can be mitigated or reversed though a well designed exercise program. And I don't agree with people who call us outliers, that's just making excuses for the vast majority of us.
When old age pensions were first introduced in Germany it was a miracle if people lived to 65 now with improved healthcare, sanitation diet etc that's no longer the case. Most of us can, if we have the desire, lead healthy and active lives well into our 80s..... I plan on going into old age running, biking & lifting heavy stuff! (even though it is nice to get the senior's discount on race entry fees )
cbc.ca/news/canada/calgary/powerlifting-record-breaking-senior-1.3617512
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Exactly Brian! Even through injuries and other setbacks, there's no reason we can't keep going IMO. I was diagnosed with frozen shoulder in Jan of this year. Had to stop swimming, lifting things over my head and a few other related lifts. I started running and focusing on calisthenics and just kept going. Now I'm healed and back to all the lifts and swimming, but I still run and do calisthenics.
No excuses! And I won't let anyone else make excuses for me or try to convince me that I'm pushing myself too hard. I know exactly how hard I can push myself.0 -
I'm 65. Age and sex discrimination in the weight lifting community is very common. While it is generally well intended (they don't want older people and women to get hurt), it is misguided and those giving the "advice" don't realize that it does seniors and woman a disservice by preventing them from realizing their full physical strength and potential.
The only thing we older people and woman can do about such "advice" is to ignore it to the extent that it limits our desire and ability to get stronger and fitter. However, we cannot ignore the fact that we (seniors and woman) have certain physical limitations based on our age and/or gender that may subject us to greater risk of injury as we put greater physical strains on our body.
As long as we take this risk into account, there is no reason why seniors and woman cannot do things far beyond what is commonly believed that seniors and woman can do in terms of lifting weights or other physical activities. Heck, I just saw a young female powerlifter do a full squat w/475#'s at a local match this weekend, which was more than most of the male competitors could do!
I know that I am far stronger and more fit than my mother and father (who were born in 1914 and 1913 respectively) were at my age and the current perception of the feebleness of seniors is largely based on the lack of strength and physical activity of people of that generation.
We of the baby-boomer generation (those born between 1946-1964 who are now 52-70 years of age) are a much different lot but the perception of the physical strength and fitness of this generation has not yet changed, because we are just becoming "of age" and it is just becoming known how much stronger and fitter we are when compared to our parents.
So, I think the perception but that will take time. In the meantime, we seniors and woman should just do what we know is best for us in order to remain strong and fit in preparation for those days when we get even older.
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@sgt1372, I agree the difference between our generation and the one before is pretty remarkable. I just wish even more men and women our age would pursue physical activities. I have very few friends, male or female, outside of MFP, who spend any time at the gym or exercising at all really. I would be more discouraged about it except I do see so many people here who are changing their health for the better through diet and exercise.
I do have one sister in law, age 69, who's running a 5K with me later in the month though!1 -
I'm 65, work out with a trainer four days a week and try to run three days a week. I love lifting weights, and today I went four miles for the first time. Last month I got 2nd place in my age group in a 5K.
Two years ago I was 221 lbs and basically had been settled on the couch for 20 years due to fibromyalgia. I had even retired early because of my health. It's been a two-year journey for me to regain my health to this point. First, I started walking and couldn't even go one mile without sitting down and resting. About six months in I started water aerobics and then a few months after that I went to the gym where my husband goes and got a personal trainer. Now I've lost about 60 pounds and gone from a 2x to a size 14, losing 31" in total so far, and I'm not done yet.
I have the best trainer who has researched fibromyalgia, has given me great tips and ideas, and is able to work with my limitations and help me turn them into strengths. When I first started I needed help off the bench, had to hold onto his arm for step-ups, and regularly fell down when working out. Last week he told me that he uses me to motivate his younger clients. I'm eating clean, joined myfitnesspal, and am having a great time. The most interesting thing is that I've motivated some of my friends and met some new ones and now am getting a group of women friends around my age who like to exercise and walk/run. If I can do it, anyone can. Start small and keep going!! I think that most of the time I'm the oldest one in the gym, but I'm not stopping.
I'm a caregiver for my 85 yr. old stepfather who has congestive heart failure. Cooking for him has helped me to reduce/eliminate sodium from my diet. The neat thing is that he's now walking 1-2 miles a day, and his doctors can't believe his improvement and general heath.5 -
Except that weight lifting increases bone density..................but thanks. I don't think I am an outlier really though. I just put the work in and don't make a bunch of excuses. I think progress is a little slower as we age but as long as we don't have a debilitating illness or serious physical limitations we can get there.
Progress isnt as optimal as some twenty years olds, but it really depends on your goals.
My 50 year old buddy wins alot of races from 5k-halfs.
Myself, I have a progressive joint disease that has crippled me twice, cancer that took a year of treaments and surgeries, and two failing kidneys.
I still managed to pull a state record for total lifted in the USAPL on my first meet and looking to pad thst in two weeks and grab the squat record.
Illness and physical limitations are of the mind in many cases and doctors are the first ones to tell you that you can't.
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Ever need to prove someone wrong show them the IPF masters division.
Watched a 70 year old Japanese woman crush 70kilos at world bench press championships. She benched her age !!! Like a boss.0 -
One of the best things I ever did (and completely by accident) was to get a doctor who's a runner. The first thing he asks every time I see him, regardless of what it's for - and it's usually the children - is "how the running?"
I've been having issues with my big toe - it's lost some of it's flex which is throwing my gait and causing all sorts of issues - my physio tried to tell me it's because I'm getting older and implied that I should just suck it up and live with it. I'm 43, for crying out loud - I intend to live for at least another 43 years, ideally 60, and the only way I'll enjoy that is if I remain fit and healthy.
When I first joined a running club 10 years ago and was put in the 6:30 mins/km pack, my pack leader was a 75 year old woman - and so much fitter than me. As I progressed I moved up packs and I remember having long conversations with a 72 year old man in the 6 minute pack about all the marathons he has done in the past and those he's got planned for the future. And when I say long conversations, they were pretty one sided - basically he chatting for two hours non stop while I gasped out the occasional question.
My mother in law is 62 and she was horrified when I suggested when they visited us, before leaving on a 12 hour flight, that they should walk the 3.2km round route with me to drop the children at school. I said, "it'll be a nice stretch for your legs before sitting for so long". She physically recoiled at the idea (although did actually do it in the end). She keeps using the "I'm getting old" excuse, wilfully ignoring the fact that her own mother only died last year at the age of 90. She's got a lot of old ahead of her!0 -
I don't share the OP's outrage. In fact, I get a kick out of being underestimated. And after being taken down a peg or two a lotta younguns often turn out to be pretty nice. But their eyes do tend to get a bit big the first time. (Shhhh...don't tell 'em.)2
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I can't believe this isn't an important issue to anyone but me????
eh . . . i guess i find you slightly confusing. on the one hand, if the doctors are so in the wrong then none of your peers need the encouragement or the example you think you present, right? on the other, if the doctors are right then you're an outlier and i don't really grok why you're bent out of shape with them not knowing it instantly just because you are you. either one would be valid in isolation, i think. but the combination of both is confusing to me.
65 is still far enough off for me that any opinions i might have on the subject would just be me flapping my gums about something i know nothing about yet, anyway. i've certainly met people who wouldn't take me seriously, but i don't really cross-analyze to find out what their problem is.0 -
Ernestine Sheppard. 80 year old female bodybuiker. Here's a link.
http://www.boredpanda.com/oldest-female-bodybuilder-grandma-80-year-old-ernestine-shepherd/
Discrimination of any kind is just wrong, to think someone can't do something because of thier age is total crap!
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I'm running more than I ever have and i'm 57. Don't worry what people say.. only thing i noticed detrimental for my age is injury recovery times, so I tend to be careful and work on my technique to avoid that. But hey older is wiser so that's no biggie right?. Also my vo2max nearly always measures about 52 from a normal slow run, which according to the net is better than most 20 year olds. I haven't pushed myself to the extreme to see what the max would be.
Sounds like to me many people use age as an excuse to slack off0 -
"The Barbell Prescription: Strength Training for Life After 40" by Sullivan and Baker
It strongly advocates for compound barbell movements be trained far later in life. Author is a doc and a Starting Strength coach.
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I completely agree with the OP that ageism is a problem and that anyone's actual health and fitness level should be taken into account for things like doctor visits... though there is a difference between being told and made aware of real changes and concerns in an aging body (good doctor) and being told you shouldn't do something even if at your fitness level it's safe and beneficial (ageism/bad doctor).
That being said yes you are an outlier because most 60+ individuals have not put in the work or achieved your results (*yet*) but I agree is that they most certainly can and shouldn't be discouraged. To be fair most young individuls haven't either. So to be honest you don't really have a right to be upset about a video aimed most likely at beginner 60+ individuals... because most seniors looking up a video on BB.com are going to need to start there, and as a clearly very dedicated and strong person you should be looking at more advanced videos. Now if you are frustrated specifically that more older individuals don't care enough to get healthy and/or aren't encouraged enough that is completely different but not really the makers of the videos fault...they are just making a video aimed at the most likely group of users (that would be like a body builder getting upset that a Jillian Michaels DVD wasn't hard enough, it just doesn't apply!).
Someone who has not exercised for their whole life or recently at your age, will in fact have weaker bones, so they would absolutely need to start light... that's not ageism, it is a fact that as we get older if we havent put in the work we become more prone to injury. This is true for overweight individuals or anyone new to working out, it's not discrimination when we suggest that new members on here take it easy, it's common sense... now if and when someone is told they should stop because of these things even though they are physically capable that is absolutely bulldung.
Also to the person who wrote "ageism yes descrimination no" I truly hope that was a joke, considering that is the definition of ageism... descrimination of a person based on their age (I am sure it was a joke but just in case!).0 -
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By the time I got to my age I stopped caring about what "other people" were saying about most things. I'd listen, on the off chance there was something worth while there, but really just listening to my body and doing what I wanted and thought I needed to do. In reply to the doctor, or anyone else, suggesting we "back off": "That's not going to happen, what else do you have."
First Half marathon at 61 (2:17:10) and still going.2 -
So.......the moral of this story is just because we, or you, are getting older, doesn't mean we can't achieve a level of health through diet and exercise that compares to many people much younger than we are.
I just came across your thread and couldn't agree more. I used to click on those links about exercise recommendations for people over 40, and now I avoid them. I'm convinced that your exercise regimen should be based upon your ability and goals, not your age.
A few years ago in my early 40's, I got into boxing. Most of my family, friends, and doctor didn't think I was capable of doing this. But, my trainers/coaches treated me based upon my ability and goals. I experienced progress beyond my own expectations and started to box against 20 year old guys with more experience. I'm thankful that my gym paired up sparring partners based on ability and not age. As a result, I competed and won a sanctioned amateur boxing match at age 43.
For those of you who think we can't do it because of age, think again! If you still don't believe, step in the ring with me and I'll give you a free boxing "lesson."1 -
I know this is an old thread (2015), but it's a good one to revive
I think most of us who become active later, rather than having been continuously active since youth, have a pretty clear idea - or develop said idea rapidly - of what considerations and limitations apply to us. That may be even more true for people who've been vigorously active for decades: They know whether and how they've changed.
We've lived in these bodies for a while now! If anything, we may be over-cautious. To suggest that we need to be protected from ourselves, coddled and cautioned, counseled to wind down our activity is, to my mind, patronizing and insulting . . . to our intelligence even more than to our bodies.
Yes, we may need technical information that applies, about changes in tissues with aging and that sort of thing. But all beginners need tailored technical information to achieve their best results in the safest & most effective manner.
But if, as older beginners, we have normal mobility, strength, flexibility, etc., the basic approaches that apply to other non-impaired beginners of other ages also apply to us. Everyone needs to start low & slow, and build up from there as our individual capabilities allow, with the usual constraints of keeping good form, paying attention to how we feel, and getting adequate rest.
A bunch of people need to get over the idea that age is a disability. It isn't. Age may increase the odds that some of us have developed certain kinds of physical challenges, but age in and of itself is not a synonym for decrepitude.
To insist that OP is "an outlier" is, to my thinking, also insulting. Is she non-average, atypical, in her current level of effort and accomplishment? Sure. But "outlier" implies being a data point out there in isolation, far from other data points. Much as I respect @luluinca, she isn't this. There are bunches of athletes in their (our? ) 60s and beyond.
I rowed a double shell this morning with a 71-year-old woman, doing power intervals for around half of our 7k+ morning row. (I'm 61. Both of us could go longer, but the two newer - and younger, 26 & 50-something - women we rowed with were heading back to the dock after 5-6k in recreational single shells, so we went back, too, to help carry their boats.)
My 71 year old friend lifts heavy multiple times a week, rows 4 days a week with us in season, and goes to Pilates twice a week, not a "for seniors" class (but taught by her 71-year-old husband . . . I've done his class - it's Serious).
Also out on the water this morning in single racing shells were an 80-something-year-old guy (skinny, wiry math professor emeritus with washboard abs who also rides his recumbent trike regularly for dozens of miles per outing), and another woman in her late 60s or early 70s (don't know her as well, but she's also active in other ways with her same-age husband). Another 70-year old rows with us routinely, too, but she's out of town right now.
This is just a tiny sample - one random morning's rowers. My daytime spin classes are similar: Multiple folks in 50s through 70s, including a couple of active triathletes, one of whom also runs marathons. (Regular spin classes, BTW, not "for seniors" easy versions - heh).
So, @luluinca is doing great things, and is above average for sure, very disciplined and accomplished - I have great respect for her - but she's not an outlier. There are a bunch of nearby data points.
I sort of sympathize with doctors. They see a lot of people who are not average, either . . . but in the unhealthy/inactive direction. Who would you suppose is disproportionately patronizing doctors? So, no surprise that they develop bias. Ideally, they'd recognize more quickly when they're dealing with active people. I know various verbal tactics for helping them out with that.
Most of the things I hear 30-somethings say they expect about exercise as they get toward my age are, IMO and IME, silly. I detrain a little faster if inactive than i did when younger; I have to be a little more conscientious about recovery strategies; and it's more important to avoid injury (because of the slower recovery and faster detraining. I can still do what I once could, improve at what I do, push myself, etc.
BTW, when folks say things to me like "you don't look 61", I usually say something like "Yes I do: This is how 61 is supposed to look."7 -
Hi Ann, thanks for such a great response to my original.
Yes, if I'm an outlier, then so are you and countless other men and women we've both come across here. Age is just a factor to consider, it's not a determination of failure.
My trainer said something to me the other day that kind of stuck.....he said, "You're not like most women......of any age, but other women could be like you if they wanted."
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