Anyone start lifting at an older age?

dbkyser

I played sports all through high school and in the Air Force, have done cardio off an on my entire adult life but never lifted weights much.
Now that I am learning more and more about being healthy I would rather do something less boring than 60 minutes on elliptical. I also want to start toning and building my core back up.
I do cycle a lot during the summer so my legs are in great shape, its upper body that needs the work.

What age did you start lifting, or get serious at it and any advice you want to share would be appreciated.

queenliz99

You could start here


http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/1161603/so-you-want-a-nice-stomach/p1

musicfan68

I started at about age 40 with weight lifting. I'm now way stronger than I ever was. I like weight lifting because you can feel and see the positive changes as you increase weights every week or so and just feeling stronger in general.

BrianSharpe

I can't say that I really lift other than a x-training and in an effort to avoid age induced muscle mass loss.

Apparently this guy started at 87....
bodybuilding.com/fun/lessons-from-a-95-year-old-bodybuilder.html

dbkyser

Thanks everyone, this is very encouraging to see, and giving me stuff to read.

Sumiblue

I started Stronglifts 5x5 at age 45, bought a power cage & oly bar/weights and am now doing PHUL. I love lifting! I'm 47 now, in the best shape of my life.

hill8570

Started lifting when I was 53 (55 now). Guess by some standards that would be "an older age".

Montepulciano

About to start Stronglifts 5x5 in a couple of weeks and will be 52 next month. Will let you know how it goes.

kshama2001

To try to help her low bone density/osteoporosis, my mom started weight lifting last year at age 78. She does semi-personal training (which means there could be another client) twice per week. She loves it!

misfits_shotgun

I was active till 28 sports martial arts 7 days a week then I started driving a truck over the road till November of last year. I joined a gym the 18 of November 2015 I have lost 24 lbs and added 1 inches to my legs and 1/2 inch to my arms. So yes it's great I started slowly but now I go 3 days a week do cardio for 1 hour and lift weights for 2 hrs all 3 days reat on weekends. Not sure what you're age is but recovery time can be different for everyone hope this helps

whatatime2befit

I had just turned 40 when I started lifting, about a year and a half ago. Wish I had started sooner

jt31053a

dbkyser wrote: »

I played sports all through high school and in the Air Force, have done cardio off an on my entire adult life but never lifted weights much.
Now that I am learning more and more about being healthy I would rather do something less boring than 60 minutes on elliptical. I also want to start toning and building my core back up.
I do cycle a lot during the summer so my legs are in great shape, its upper body that needs the work.

What age did you start lifting, or get serious at it and any advice you want to share would be appreciated.

I started lifting barbells st age 60, 3 yrs ago. It really helps reduce body fat, makes you more lean, and I love it. I do a class at my gym called Body Pump.

jt31053a

jt31053a wrote: »

dbkyser wrote: »

I played sports all through high school and in the Air Force, have done cardio off an on my entire adult life but never lifted weights much.
Now that I am learning more and more about being healthy I would rather do something less boring than 60 minutes on elliptical. I also want to start toning and building my core back up.
I do cycle a lot during the summer so my legs are in great shape, its upper body that needs the work.

What age did you start lifting, or get serious at it and any advice you want to share would be appreciated.

I started lifting barbells st age 60, 3 yrs ago. It really helps reduce body fat, makes you more lean, and I love it. I do a class at my gym called Body Pump.

MelissaPhippsFeagins

45. I am 47 now. never too late to start.

loulamb7

Started at 55, will be 57 this year. Best fitness decision I've ever made. Start slow and build up, listen to your body. Check put the "Over 35" forum at bb.com at http://forum.bodybuilding.com/forumdisplay.php?f=11

I like AllPro Beginner's Routine on bb.com. Best of luck.

robininfl

48 but I only do deadlifts once a week for now, want to be able to lift my body weight 3 sets of 5; and weighted hip thrusts. Yoga gave me the arms I want, still working on getting good at push ups and pull ups, handstands and stuff.

I definitely don't find it more interesting than cardio though. Cardio for me is a run outside, jazzercise, dancing, playing with the dogs. Never did manage to run on a treadmill though, that seems soul suckingly dull.

dbkyser

Great to read all these posts, thanks again.

colors_fade

Started at 42 (now 44). I lifted in high school and a little bit in the Air Force, but had not anything since I was 19 or 20 and I had never done a deadlift. I started with StrongLifts 5x5,

One thing I'd say if you go the Olympic bar/powerlifting route: add accessory work early on, especially anything that adds lateral strength and works individual muscles. And you should learn to stretch. I don't think you need to do a lot, but 15 minutes of extra aux work 3x per week might help. Especially the stretching after lifting bit.

I am just finishing my 6th week of Physical Therapy for hip bursitis that basically was caused by an imbalance in my body from training. Even doing Olympic lifts with a barbell, I'm right-side dominant, and apparently I was relying too much on one side and causing my left side to weaken, resulting in the bursitis. If I had done more aux work for my hips and stretched before/after lifting, it probably wouldn't have happened.

Be mindful of your body and aches and pains. Strength training is awesome, but things can happen...

trina1049

As someone mentioned up thread, I also do Body Pump classes 3Xs per week and love them. I started when I was 64 so I've been at it for 2 years now. Some may not consider that really lifting but it's worked well for me. It's totally changed my body composition for the better. It's never too late to start.

AnnPT77

Mid-40s, but only stayed consistent for 2-3 years (not injury - more like short attention span ), and resumed recently at 60. There are even some books aimed at the 50+ audience.

IMO, the difference as an older person has to do with issues like stamina (initially, at least), recovery time (longer than when I was younger), aggressiveness of progression, and avoiding injury risks (more important because recovery/repair takes longer, and our lifespan may've earned us some injury-prone parts already). But all of those are very individual, as well.

No reason not to do it, lots of benefits from doing it.

middlehaitch

Started lifting using AllPro at the age of 62.
As a petite older woman I like the rep increase before weight increase that AllPro offers.

Did Nerdfitness bodywork for a couple of years before moving on to lifting heavy things.

Cheers, h.