Strenuous Exercise Question

Lenco007

I had led a sedentary lifestyle for the past 9+ years. Ate poorly and gained lots. November I began working out 3X a week with a fantastic trainer in his conditioning class. The workouts are strenuous, but he modifies exercises to our fitness level and only asks that we do our best. He is all about good form and would rather we do fewer reps with less weight but good technique. Each session is unique and includes both cardio, and strength I have become addicted to how I feel after each session. Plus have lost weight and built muscle.

My problem: I love to be challenged and find myself being competitive with other classmates. Recently I strained a hip flexor muscle and had to visit my orthopedic. He first praised me for my weight loss (39 pounds). He then chastised me for doing such intense exercising at MY AGE. He also told me that I should not act like I'm training for a sport.

I am not sure how to respond. My physical therapist actually trained under my instructor and just suggested I just slow down a little bit and gradually increase the intensity over time as my conditioning improves. His one recommendation involves running. Instead a fast walk or extremely slow jog, only on level surface in a straight line because running is especially hard on the joints of overweight people. My trainer advised me to tell the doctor that I'm training for the sport of life.

To make a long story short: Obviously I don't want another injury. But do I really need to stop the classes? I am more aware of my limitations and willing to slow down until I am better conditioned. Is there really an age where you have to say "I'm too old?"

Azdak

For doctors who don't exercise regularly, or who do not regularly see older people who exercise vigorously, there is a tendency to put everyone in the same category. A 60 yr old who does vigorous "boot camp" type classes is still somewhat unusual to the average Doctor. I suspect his concern is that you might be doing the exercise because you think you have to work that hard, or you are being pushed by an instructor who is poorly trained.

He is wrong, of course. There is no inherent reason why adults over 60 cannot participate in vigorous exercise workouts. You have clearly articulated the positive effects you have experienced--you do not have unrealistic expectations.

That being said, an older body can be more at risk for injury in these types of classes. You can do things to lessen that risk, but it is there.

So, short answer: no, there is no age that is automatically "too old". However, there is an increased injury risk that you have to accept and work with, and you have to accommodate the fact that an older body will not recover as quickly.

At 62, I face the same thing every day (although, as a male, I don't get the patronizing remarks from the doc). I want to still work out like I have for the past 30 years and I am willing to flirt with injuries etc in order to do that.

Cherimoose

Lenco007 wrote: »

My physical therapist actually trained under my instructor and just suggested I just slow down a little bit and gradually increase the intensity over time as my conditioning improves.

That sounds like good advice. What do you do on the other 4 days? If you sit a lot, or are not very active, that could be contributing to the problem. Muscles don't respond well to infrequent hard effort, especially as we age.. so i would do some form of mobility work on non-workout days. :. +1:

LKArgh

It depends on the type of workouts. If you suddenly jumped into something rather intense, after being sedentary for years, then yes, your dr is right. egardless of age. You literally need to learn to walk before you run, and the older you are, the more important this is. At 20, you recover far more easily than you do at 60. What would keep you away from exercise for a couple of weeks can mean serious damage a few decades later, and I have already experienced this at "only" 40.

sijomial

What a shame your Doc doesn't support you better in your ambition. The good advice he gives gets swamped by the negativity of his comments.

I still have the save self-competitive fire that I've always had but try to temper that with working out smarter than I did in my long lost youth. It takes time to adapt to exercise and recovery isn't as fast in my second childhood.
I see loads of far older people on the cycling events I do and it's remarkable how fit, happy and alert they are compared to the old people stereotype.

Your trainer, PT and the classes all sound excellent. Enjoy - but in a sensible and progressive way.