Question For The Fitness Experts i.e. Athletes/Medical Folk

ImaKnitter67

I'm 67 and have had so many health difficulties/challenges I can't even list them, but they include a paralysis following my 3rd spinal operation that took me a year to recover from. I attend my local YMCA, do water aerobics 3x a week, chair aerobics 2x a week on the alternate days. Walk my dog daily. Rheumatoid arthritis is my constant companion, but I am feeling quite fit and healthy these days. Oh, and I have lost just under a pound a week. Bonus!

Decide to do - then do it. Just start.

Azdak

You really don't know what your limits are. I have a fitness/exercise background, but also am conducting my own "study of one" about the lifetime effects of exercise. From ages 46-55, I deteriorated quite a bit in terms of sedentary living, weight increase, etc. When I started back 3 yrs ago, I had very modest expectations. Over 18 months, I was pleasantly surprised at how much I was able to progress. I had pretty much resigned myself to just being a recreational exerciser, but I got to the point where I was about ready to consider going back to 5K races and, at least in smaller ones, might have even been able to compete for some age-group awards. Plus I was lifting heavier weights at 56-57 than ever in my life.

The bottom line is that you, whatever your goals or abilities, you have plenty of room to grow at age 50. You do have make some concessions to age--to be conscious of injuries (my bugaboo) and be smart about building in "active recovery" and taking care of your core and joints--but the human body still has the ability to grow and adapt after age 50.

Pebble321

I think anything is possible -but it does pay to be a little bit cautious when you aren't 20-something anymore.
I started running at 43 and very overweight - and at nearly 45 and a whole lot fitter, I'm living proof that it's never too late to start.
I have had some injuries - so finding a good physio and having a checkup with a doctor is probably wise.

gpstrucker

Thanks again everyone. It's nice to read about people's success stories. I had a full physical back in April, which is sort of what really kicked off all of this for me. I have a follow up (prostate exam) this month, and then a follow up with my regular doc next month. I plan to discuss all of this with him then and get his advice, I just wanted to know from you kind folks whether or not it was even worth the discussion.

This coming payday I am going to try and get some good walking shoes.

myjourney2

I once had a 72 year old woman come to me at the gym and ask me to train her for a new sport she wanted to try. She had never been in a gym before but was bored sitting at home since her husband died and had seen this sport on television that she wanted to try. Sitting across the desk from a 72 year old woman who had never been in a gym before, I assumed she wanted to try shuffleboard or golf or something equally slow paced. Nope. She had watched the Olympia the night before. By the time she was 78, she was competing in the masters division in bodybuilding and won a local competition in Atlanta. So, I would tell you that you are only limited by what you believe you can do. If you think it, you can achieve it. But like was previously stated, start slow and progress to more. I don't have my clients increase anything more then 10% per week. So, you can increase intensity by 10% this week and duration by 10% next week and so on until you get to where you want to be. Just start slow!

Inspiring! I will be 61 next week and am aiming to run the Disney Half Marathon in 2014. Will be doing 4 - 5km races this summer. I can barely run 90 sec right now but I know I can do this and so does my trainer!

jsuaccounting

I hope you find some good answers from the experts. Have you read "Younger Next Year" by Crowley & Lodge?

gpstrucker

I hope you find some good answers from the experts. Have you read "Younger Next Year" by Crowley & Lodge?

No, I haven't read it. I'll look for it, thanks.

mmapags

Thanks everyone. I appreciate all of the encouragement. I guess trying to get fit may not be such a fool's errand at my age. I am still just focusing on weight loss for now but maybe at some point I can loosen the reigns on my little fantasy of getting fit.

It's not a fantasy brother. 2 years ago I couldn't have imagined I'd could be in the shape I'm in today, just like you. Today, 1 week before my 61st birthday, I ran a 1 mile warmup in under 10 minutes, did Stronglifts 5x5 = squats 145lbs, overhead press, 95 lbs, deadlift 200 lbs, 3 sets of decline sit ups with a 45# plate, 3 sets each of assisted dips and assited pull ups.

If you told me I could do this 24 months ago, I'da asked you what you been smokin' lol. Get checked out and cleared by the doc and get started. There's no time like the present!!