Catch Up with Zak
Back in February we spoke to John (aka Zak) to find out what had motivated him to start strength training again after a 30 year gap.
Click here to watch that conversation with Zak.
This week you will find out how Zak has progressed after 8 months of consistent strength training.
You will hear what benefits he has noticed, what challenges he faced and how his motivations are changing.
What did you find different about the process outlined in the eBook compared to other exercise programs you’ve tried in the past?
It was structured in a way that was not generally prevalent at the time I last trained. Your categorisation of exercises was more comprehensive than I recall. Choosing exercises from the clusters was easy to implement.
How did you find the goal planning process? How important do you feel this is to your motivation?
I was committed to starting before I discovered the eBook, it was direction I was lacking. The goal planner and workout template containing a summary of exercise options for each functional movement was of greatest use to me. It was clear and easy to follow.
What motivated you to start lifting weights when you did?
I’m a returnee, of over 30 year’s lapse. I had become aware of my failing strength over the last few years, and strongly suspected I was losing muscle mass too.
What continues to motivate you to keep up with your workout routine?
Progress is my main driver, I have come a fair way since I started in January this year, and hope to keep going. Plus not wanting to enter that later life downward spiral.
Do you have any goals that you are currently working towards?
Restoring lost muscle mass and thereby strength. Along with that is normalizing my body weight. I am currently obese.
How did you find the process of creating your first workouts?
It really was simplicity itself. As the exercises are grouped by functional movements, one only has to determine whether to go for the suggested exercise, it’s progression, or regressive version. The demonstration videos were a great help too. The tricky part was arriving at the correct weight for each exercise, but some experimentation soon sorted that out.
Did you have any difficulties that you had to work around? Did you need to regress any exercises to allow you to get started?
I did. I couldn’t, and still can’t, adopt the normal Barbell Back Squat position. I used a hex bar, which is a bar you stand inside, to get over that. Since then, I have built my own squat rack, and using straps over my shoulders, am now able to do a version of low back squats.
I have a number of old shoulder and neck injuries that preclude standing shoulder press, except with very light weights. I was happy to regress that to chest press, which is my favourite exercise anyway.
I struggled with split squats with a kettlebell, due to pain in one knee. That has been resolved now, with the aid of a good physiotherapist.
I was obliged to perform wood chopper using a dumbbell instead of an exercise band because I had nowhere to anchor a band.
How confident do you now feel in adapting and progressing your workout program?
I am now wholly confident that I know and understand the processes involved, and can look forward to good steady improvement.
How many months have you now been going through the process?
At this point I’m 8 months in of the rest of my life.
What progressions/improvements/successes have you had within the gym?
I really have come an awful long way in the time. I know and understand that the biggest gains will always be at the start of any new fitness endeavor, and expect to see much slower and steady progress from here on in.
The weights I am now using are a world away from my starting point. I’m lucky to have a barn, in which I’ve built my own little gym.
I cast a lot of my weight plates out of concrete as their availability had plummeted, and more importantly, costs had spiraled because of the pandemic.
I do enjoy having my own small space, and always look forward to training sessions.
What benefits have you noticed outside of the gym? These could be in how you feel, activities/tasks that feel easier, benefits to existing health conditions, etc?
I feel more confident that I’m not just sliding into that awful spiral that usually ultimately ends with needing help to get out of bed, bathe and toilet. I’m certainly able to walk further without fatigue than I was. I have to carry two 10 Litre watering cans uphill over about 80 yards of uneven terrain, for the sheep. That task has become easier. I’m now able to rise from kneeling without support. I have yet to come across a situation that tests my overall strength.
How do your friends and family react to you lifting weights? Has it changed how they are around you?
My wife is fine with what I am doing, others, usually through ignorance, fail to grasp the enormity of what we all face in later life. They are genuinely puzzled, and think I’m either slightly mad, or barking mad, depending.
I’ve also invested a little in a few tee shirts which, when I’ve gained a bit more mass and shed more fat, I shall enjoy wearing.
Are there any other active hobbies or sports that you enjoy at present? Have these changed since you started lifting weights?
I do T’ai Chi, and tenpin bowling. Neither of those has changed, as far as I can detect. I also did Parkrun up until it was stopped 17 months ago, I would expect to have extensively de-conditioned in that. It’s due to re-start in three days time.
Do you have any concerns about the future from not doing any regular exercise? Have these concerns changed since you started?
I’ve always been concerned about not doing regular exercise because I understand the implications of not doing so. My concerns have largely vanished, as I am currently doing the best that I can.
What barriers might there be to you persevering with strength training? What strategies have you developed to manage these barriers?
Ill health aside. There are no barriers to my persevering, I have all the motivation and self- discipline needed. As I’ve mentioned I’ve had to work round a laundry list of injuries I’ve acquired over my lifetime, but am comfortable that I’ve mitigated those as much as I can.
Were there any barriers to you getting started in the first place? How did you get around these?
Lack of direction was the biggest barrier, the eBook resolved those issues. Along with many others, I’m sure, to begin with, I was struggling to find the physical room or the time to fit it all in.
What advice would you give to someone wanting to get started with strength training?
Buy the eBook, read it thoroughly, make sure you understand all of the issues involved and how they relate to you and your personal situation. Then get on and execute the program…… and never give up.
What would you say to someone who has reservations about buying the eBook?
I would say to them ‘Don’t be so silly, it’s the best tenner you may ever spend. It’s the price of a couple of cups of coffee, or three pints down the local.’
Is there anything else you would like to add?
Join the Never Too Old to Lift Facebook Workout Accountability Group, it really is the best behaved page I have EVER seen on that platform, you will be welcomed and encouraged if you engage with it.
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
