“I had gained an additional 20+ pounds and I looked fat and sloppy. I hated it. My wife and adult children lovingly joked about it, so I had to do something.”
Meet August
This Lifter for Life post will introduce you to August who has kindly agreed to share his story. August will explain what motivated him to start lifting weights, what benefits he’s noticed and what his goals are going forwards.
Do you mind saying old you are now?
I’m 71 years old. I’m 5’7” tall, 135# and between 13-14% body fat. My wife and I have 5 children, 8 grandchildren and 4 great-grandchildren.
How old were you when you started strength training/lifting weights?
I actually started working out, on a whim, at my company’s gymnasium.
I would go on my work breaks, and I’d try to do exercises. For insurance purposes, they only had a few “commercial type” exercise machines, so I was limited. I was also a smoker, back then, so my wind was limited.
What regular exercise had you done in the past?
Working with the machines, I would do the Bench Press, Lat Pull-down, Back Row and Squat Rack. I had never thought much of it because I would become winded quite easily and I would only have a few minutes on break.
How regularly and how long did you persevere with them for?
What motivated you to restart lifting weights when you did?
My motivation to start again was actually very simple: My wife had always wanted me to quit smoking. I had smoked all my life, since I was 12 years old, and I had always told her I’d quit when I retired.
I am a “small framed” man.
- In my 20s, I weighed 135#.
- In my 30s, I weighed 145#.
- In my 40s, I weighed 155#.
- In my 50s I was up to 165#.
By the time I retired at 60, I was right around 165# and it was time for me to quit smoking. I struggled for 2-3 months before I had it under control, and I was smoke free.
The only problem was that during that process, I had gained an additional 20+ pounds and I looked fat and sloppy.
I hated it. My wife and adult children lovingly joked about it, so I had to do something. After searching the internet, I discovered the “Low Carb Diet”.
I knew nothing about nutrition, but I had to do something. I started this protocol and within 2 months I had lost 15-20 pounds. I was sold on it and continued, but within the next few months my weight loss had slowed to a crawl.
I discovered that “homeostasis” was a real phenomenon, and my body was adapting. I needed another weight loss stimulus.
In January of 2013 I joined my gym. It’s called Planet Fitness and is a large “fitness center” chain in the States. This was not a traditional gym, there are very few free weights, but they have a sufficient amount of quality exercise machines and a lot of tread mills.
Within a few months I was hooked and doing surprisingly well.
What does your current gym routine look like?
I try to keep my gym workouts relatively simple with the basics:
Monday-Chest
Pec Deck–Flat Bench–Incline Bench–Dips–Abdominal Machine
Tuesday-Back
Pull-ups-Incline Row-Horizontal Row-Back Extension-Straight Arm Pulldown
Wednesday-Shoulders
Shoulder Press-Upright Row-Side Flies-Reverse Pec Deck-Machine Shrugs
Thursday-Legs
Machine Squats-Leg Extensions-Leg Curls-Calf Raises-Knee Raises
Friday
-REST-
Saturday-Touch-up
A combination of 3-4 Monday and Tuesday exercises (as the mood hits me)
Sunday-Touch-up
A random combination of 3-4 Wednesday and Thursday exercises
Do you have any barriers to your progress?
I do have several restrictions:
- I suffer from Labyrinthitis which effects my overall balance.
- I have a bad knee (torn MCL and ruptured Meniscus).
- I have a shoulder impingement.
So, I have to work around these restrictions.
Do you find it easier to work out at home or in the gym?
I prefer the gym. I go as early as possible (6a.m.) when it isn’t too crowded.
I adhere to my routines as much as possible, but at the gym you have to deal with other people and they can be distracting.
If I can’t make it to the gym, I workout at home. I bought my son a small multi-station Marcy gym 17 years ago and it’s still set-up in the basement.
Though we’ve both outgrown it’s 110# capacity, I can still get a reasonably good workout on it. I have a complete set of solid dumbbells down there also (5#-35#), a Roman Chair, a Power Tower and my son just purchased for me a Landmine set-up for Olympic Plates.
When I won’t or can’t go into the basement, I have my bands upstairs which I can use for a variety of different exercises.
I’ve created the habit of working out (doing something) everyday and when I don’t or can’t, I miss it.
What continues to motivate you to keep up with your workout routine?
The greatest motivation any one can have is “SUCCESS”. It will keep you going and that’s what I’ve achieved (to a certain extent).
People at the gym comment on my physical appearance often. A younger group of men that I see at times (at the gym) have nicknamed me “Buff Grandpa” and I love it.
Do you have any goals that you are working towards?
The only goal I have is to maintain my physique and activity level for the next 20+ years.
Do you have any concerns about the future from not doing any regular exercise?
I’m afraid of Sarcopenia. If I had to stop my activity level for any length of time, I’m sure I’d lose a good portion of my gains.
What barriers might there be to you persevering with strength training? What strategies have you developed to manage these barriers?
The only barriers I can perceive would be physical incapacitation from another injury or an unexpected hospital stay where I couldn’t move freely for any extended length of time.
To prevent further injuries, I workout as safely as I can.
What benefits have you noticed since starting to lift weights?
How do your friends and family react to you lifting weights?
People at the stores and at my part-time job have all noticed and commented on my appearance.
My children and grandchildren have all noticed and even one medical professional has stated that I have the physique more liken to a 50-year-old athlete than the 71 year old man that I am (I appreciate his kindness).
What did you find the most difficult part of strength training when you first started?
The most difficult thing I had to do when I started working out was to adhere to the commitment I had made to myself.
For any beginner, I’d say the most difficult exercise to master is the opening of the gym’s front door. Once you do that and you enter, the rest comes easier.
3 Responses
Hi great story I have been doing strong lifts for my workout about five weeks now thanks 🏋️
Hi Jeffrey. Glad to hear that you’ve been keeping it going for 5 weeks now. Keep up the good work. Chris
Hi Jeff–
Yes, keep up the good work. I don’t know how old you are, but remember, I didn’t get serious about my training until I was over 60 and 50+ pounds overweight. Plus, I had been a smoker for almost 50 years. I believe the key to sucess is the “3Ps”:
1. Persistence
2. Propper Mind Set
3. Progression
Good luck–August