Hi all! I posted this over in the r/over60 sub & someone there suggested I try it here too:
Seeking some advice from the fitness folks in the group. I've just turned 65 and am finally sick of my "granddad bod." I'm not seriously overweight; in fact I've recently lost 10 lbs. via a combo of slow carb and intermittent fasting. I'm 6'0" tall and 203 lbs with a 36" waist. I was a bit of a gym rat back in the day, so no stranger to working out. I have access to a well-equipped gym and I have no serious health issues other than standard age-related aches & pains.
My primary goals are to lose the excess paunch and tighten up my chest.
What I'd like to know: How should I start? What should I focus on?
@racheldovah Personally, for new or returning lifters I'm a fan of keeping things simple and just working out on the pin-set circuit machines found in most gyms. They're fast, safe and efficient and you will see major gains in 90 days of running circuits on them. To save time, try supersetting antagonistic muscle groups (i.e. a set of row/chest press, leg extension/leg curl, shoulder press/lat pulldown etc).
And start slow, with very low weight in the beginning. Give your joints a chance to ramp up. I'm at the end of a one-year recomp, and the first 2-ish months I did nothing but train movement and joint strength on empty bars. Slow and steady wins this race.
@mrlutrinae I'm working mostly on the pin-set machines like this one right now, but I can see where my weights could get higher than what they provide for leg exercises.
@racheldovah I’m a few years behind you in age, but I’m already starting to transition to bands for some of my strength workouts. It saves on some joint pain, I feel, without making the workout ineffective.
Also, I never touch a barbell anymore—it’s all dumbbells or machines (or bands, now) these days. That’s been my habit for a while, though, because I like to workout when the gym is usually empty.
@racheldovah Also, if you are using dumbbells or bands etc. go with really low weights for a month. Put your ego aside. Reacquaint with your muscle memory and form.
@racheldovah Congrats on losing 10 lbs! If you're already doing IF then you're tackling the first thing I would have suggested, which would be to take a look at what you're eating. More and more, I'm realizing just how much fitness really starts in the kitchen. If you're into tracking your calories or macronutrients, an app like MyFitnessPal would be a good idea. I've been using it for a year and a half or so and it's been an absolute game changer. Personally, I have found a direct correlation between tracking calories and losing weight. When I track, I lose. When I don't, I immediately start gaining. Not everyone is wired that way, but I sure as hell am.
As for the physical portion, whatever you end up doing, I would just go easy at first. We are especially injury-prone when starting a new exercise regimen--that's not hard data, just my own observation--and so I would recommend doing about 80% of whatever you think your max is in the beginning. Walking would be a great start. I highly recommend yoga for strength and flexibility. Cycling and swimming are two very good options for people in our age bracket because of lower impact. Lots of other members will have their own ideas.
I salute your determination and wish you the best! Please keep us updated on your progress.
@racheldovah You may hate this idea, but maybe check out Silver Sneakers fitness programs. They're at gyms all over the U.S. They offer a one-hour cardio and strength class. I do this 3x per week and there are several guys in my group. It definitely gets the job done. The strength is done with bands and weights.
@racheldovah Consider starting with a few weeks of Vinyasa yoga to strengthen your core and get yourself flexible. It’s a great way to start back into working out
@racheldovah Like others said, go lower and slower for the first month or two or three. Muscle grows super fast compared to joint cartilage, ligaments, tendons, and bone density. IMHO, that's what leads to injuries. Maybe get a trainer for a month, and look and ask around for a good one who really knows anatomy and physiology to make sure your form and progression is spot on. Give it at least 6 months to build your armature to hang all that muscle meat on.
