This week you will learn more about Mike, who is approaching 70 years old, and his new found passion for strength training.
You will hear what motivated him to start lifting weights as an older adult, from four active grandchildren to mountain biking and fell running.
More importantly Mike will tell you about the progress he has made and the benefits that he has noticed from incorporating strength training into his routine.
Mike
I’m 70 in January and I feel better, healthier and stronger than I did 20 years ago.
Exercise History
I’ve lived near the lake district for 40 odd years and enjoyed rock climbing, fell walking, skiing, and mountain biking, and to train for these I took up running and ended up doing four road marathons and several mountain marathons.
In my mid 50’s, I was diagnosed with atrial fibrillation and moderate coronary artery disease. For a couple of years, struggled to do these things.
My dedicated Romanian cardiologist, and a brilliant Irish heart electrician at Newcastle got me up and going again.
I was getting lots of injuries and wondered if I was just too old to be doing these kinds of things anymore.
Inspired to Start Strength Training
I took up weight training a year ago when I was inspired by my daughters, who were exercising to recover from recent pregnancies, despite their hectic life with young kids.
They followed an online course, and I picked a weights workout from it, bought a new set of barbells and started doing this workout. But it was a bit boring and a bit hectic.
In January I heard about Chris Tiley’s Never Too Old to Lift ebook and bought that and looked at that.
The clear explanations and the rationale and the videos demos in it gave me confidence to lift heavier weights. Although some of the seven functional exercises he described didn’t really fit in with my idea of what I thought weight training would be.
After a while I discovered muscles that I never knew I had and ribs that I couldn’t remember seeing before. I enjoy going at my own pace and seeing the progress that I’ve made and recording it on Chris’ planner.
Goals
- No. 1: To be able to play with my four grandchildren without suffering afterwards, play actively with them. I’ve just survived two weeks childcare in Birmingham, which culminated in a four year old bouncy castle party for the eldest.
- No. 2: To be able to fell walk and run without knee pain. I’ve just been for three hour hour fell run yesterday and no issues at all with the knee.
- No.3: To be able to go mountain biking without sore wrists, shoulders knees, and the feeling that I’m definitely getting too old to do this kind of stuff.
- No.4: To regain my confidence skiing, I’ve always loved doing and skiing off piste, where I was struggling to get up, if I fell in soft snow. I don’t know about this one yet, but hopefully this winter I’ll be able to see how that’s going.
Progress in the Gym
The progress I’d made so far, a year ago the heaviest dumbbells I was lifting were 6kg.
Now I am squatting with 77kgs, shoulder pressing 14.5kgs, deadlifts 94kgs and bent over rows 2x 20kg.
Other Benefits to Strength Training
As far as health is concerned, I’ve lost about 20 pounds and probably a lot more of that fat.
Feeling great now and think I’m not getting too old, I was just too weak, and one of my daughters even said “dad’s ripped”.
Advice to Others Thinking of Starting Strength Training
I would heartily recommend Chris’s ebook and weight training to anybody of any age. You don’t need a very sophisticated gym.
I’m I’m now definitely hooked on weight training, I’m going to carry on doing it. I might have to improve my setup if I keep progressing at the rate time I am.
Has Mikes Story Inspired You to Start Strength Training?
Do you want to feel stronger and continue to enjoy an active lifestyle as you get older?
It is not too late for you to start resistance training!!
The Never Too Old to Lift eBook will guide you through the process of creating a 12-week strength training program. This will be one that takes into account your current ability level as well as any injuries/conditions.
This post was written by myself, Chris Tiley, a physiotherapist based in Harborne, Birmingham. For more information on how I can help you visit christileyphysiotherapy.com
