Is it harder to start being active at 50?

I think it's both harder and easier.

Harder in the sense that if you haven't worked out regularly at some point in your life, you have to develop new habits to make it a part of your lifestyle - which usually becomes more difficult when we're older and pretty set in our ways. Also, if you've never physically pushed yourself to the point of considerable exertion, it can be an uncomfortable/disconcerting (even scary) feeling at first. Recovery takes longer (not that somebody would notice that if they've never been physically active before), and at 50+, you're well past your physical prime as far as maximum performance/gains. Injuries are more probable, and recovery from them will be more difficult and take longer.

Easier (at least for me) in the sense that I now have patience, understanding and wisdom that I didn't have when I was younger. I've been physically active/athletic (on and off) my entire life - while I can't push as hard, as heavy, as far or as fast as when I was younger, I can still make progress and better myself from where I am now. I've learned a lot more about training, and I can train a lot smarter than I used to. I have a better understanding of my limitations, and a better sense of when to push and when to back off to avoid injury rather than just charging through every workout like a bull in a china shop. I understand and accept that my progress (and recovery) will be slower and more gradual, and I temper my expectations accordingly - which I would have had a real hard time doing when I was younger. Also, I have more time in my life to work out because life isn't as hectic as it was when I was in my 20s-40s.


Don't compare yourself against (similarly athletic) people who are significantly younger than you. While a lot of us 50+ folks can run, bike, swim, lift, row, etc. circles around a typical untrained/sedentary 20-30 year old, that's not a fair comparison. Trying to compare your 50+ self against a similarly athletic/trained 20-30 year old is going to result in disappointment, because they'll most likely smoke you in whatever aspect of performance you choose to compare. That's just a fact of aging. But it's not an excuse not to work out, and not an excuse to not expect improvements from yourself. Be the best that you can be with what you have now. It will pay dividends by improving your quality of life in a lot of ways.