“It had gotten to the point that walking three houses down the street to our mailbox winded me. I have three boys and didn’t want them to lose me to something I could have prevented by working on my own health.”
This months ‘Lifter for Life’ story introduces us to Sue. Find out what motivated her to start strength training when she was 72 and what benefits that she has noticed since starting.
You can see Sue in action at her local gym, StrongerLife, in this feature from her local news channel.
Meet Sue
Do you mind saying old you are now?
I am 73 having had my birthday in December.
How old were you when you started strength training/lifting weights?
I began the StrongerLife program on Valentines Day 2020 and I was 72 at that time. I had used weight machines about 10 years prior but never free weights because I didn’t know how to lift safely.
What regular exercise had you done in the past?
Nothing really for about 10 years but prior to that treadmills and a little bit of the weight machines that were available at my local Y. I was a skier in my 30s and ran when I was in the Army Reserve to pass my PT tests.
Can you go into a bit more detail such as when was the last time you did any of these? How regularly and how long did you persevere with them for?
I actively did this for about a year to a year and a half. Then our office moved and my hours changed and I wasn’t able to conveniently continue. I was doing it every day going in at 5:30 am when the Y opened because it was right across from my office. I could get showered and dressed in my scrubs and to the office on time with no problem.
What motivated you to start lifting weight weights when you did?
I lost my husband of 35 years to end stage renal disease in December of 2019 and had neglected my own health in caring for him. It had gotten to the point that walking three houses down the street to our mailbox winded me. I have three boys and didn’t want them to lose me to something I could have prevented by working on my own health.
What does your current gym routine look like?
Our workouts are based on CrossFit principles but modified to work with our various limitations. Workouts are varied but work specific muscle groups regularly. It never gets boring!
Do you find it easier to work out at home or in the gym?
When our gym closed due to Covid, our coaches started a zoom session to keep us exercising. I tried it once and it didn’t really work for me. So I didn’t exercise at all until we were able to start again outside in June. I need the energy of the others to keep me motivated.
What continues to motivate you to keep up with your workout routine?
I feel better physically and mentally and I can tell I’m getting stronger little by little. And I can maneuver around our dogs on the stairs when they try to trip me!
Do you have any goals that you are working towards?
I want to be able to lift more weight over my head. Also I’d love to firm up the flabby arms and they are getting better?
Are there any other active hobbies or sports that you enjoy at present?
I’m thinking of trying to jog again. We did some running this last summer and it felt good considering I had a total knee replacement in 2014 and have limited range of motion in that knee.
Do you have any concerns about the future from not doing any regular exercise?
I have a family history of heart problems, one sister and two of my brothers had heart attacks. I lost my closest in age brother to a cerebral hemorrhage after he had a stent put in for an aortic aneurysm. My mother also had an aortic aneurysm. I have also had type 2 diabetes for about 12 years. If I don’t do anything then that combination would certainly shorten my lifespan.
What barriers might there be to you persevering with strength training? What strategies have you developed to manage these barriers?
One possible barrier would be if I have to have surgery on the right knee which I’m trying to avoid. It is noticeably bent and we are trying to loosen the tight muscles in my hips and hamstrings from compensating for the pain in the left knee prior to replacing it. Before I retired I worked as a laboratory technician and was on my feet constantly on concrete floors for many years.
Were there any barriers to you getting started in the first place? How did you get around these?
I had the right knee replaced in 2014 and never reached past about 95 degrees of bend in that knee. If I bend it too far there is sharp pain. I didn’t know if I could do certain exercises and getting up and down on the floor was challenging. I’m finding that I can do squats and lunges ok, some days better than others but I can do them and in a passable fashion. I began carefully and as muscles stretched and strengthened I am gaining more mobility.
What benefits have you noticed since starting to lift weights?
I live in a bi-level house, so coming in from the garage I have 14 stairs to climb to get to the living area. I was at the point I couldn’t climb the stairs without having to have both feet on each step and holding on to the railing. Now I climb them easily while carrying stuff in my arms and maneuvering around the dogs at the same time.
I can easily lift my stack of heavy glass mixing bowls on the second shelf of my overhead cabinets without fear of dropping them.
My cardiologist said my lab values were the best she’d seen since I’d been coming and it’s kept me sane in a year of quarantine and grieving. My a1c levels are also staying steady with just oral medication and I don’t really watch what I eat too closely other than trying to eat more protein?
How do your friends and family react to you lifting weights? Has it changed how they are around you?
I think they are surprised because I don’t look the part. I’m just under 5 ft tall these days and weigh about 118lbs. I don’t look like someone who would lift weights. My boys are happy that I’m doing something that I like and enjoy. One son is a firefighter and also lifts weights so isn’t so impressed.
What did you find the most difficult part of strength training when you first started?
The one thing I still have some trouble with…my stamina. I get out of breath doing some of the longer combinations but I’m still better than I was starting out.
What advice would you give to someone wanting to get started now?
Find a program like StrongerLife with coaches who aren’t afraid to challenge your limitations and will modify exercises so you can still work those muscle groups effectively. If you keep hearing that you are old and can’t do something because you might injure yourself and you aren’t challenged you will begin to believe it and you won’t even try. It’s never too late especially with good coaches.
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