Damien Kelly shows how to tweak workouts
to suit your needs.
(Q) I am 58 years old with the usual age-related aches and pains. Exercise routines always appear geared to 30-something gym junkies with lots of disposable income to employ personal trainers. Some advice for older people on how far to push knees that are sore or strengthen backs in a lead up to more serious exercise routines would be invaluable.
(A) I'm asked this question a lot and it's an interesting one. You are not too old to exercise like a younger person. In my fitness studio we conduct small group classes and everyone in the group does the same workout. Some participants are 20-30 years old but there is more than a smattering of 50 and 60-somethings.
How does this work? It comes down to a shift in thinking. No longer think of exercises as too constraining. Instead think of movements.
So, a push-up is now a push movement and a deadlift is a bend movement. Every movement we do in a gym falls into one of these movement categories
1. Squat
2. Push
3. Pull
4. Lunge
5. Bend
6. Twist
7. Spinal Flexion
8. Cardio
9. Isolation
And some exercises contain more than one of these movements.
Now what I want you to do is look at these body+soul workouts and examine the 5-6 exercises detailed. Distinguish which category each movement falls into. If you see an exercise you deem to be too advanced for your current level than you need to swap it for a movement that better suits you. A weighted barbell squat may go to a bodyweight squat, or even a squat where you sit down onto a chair and then stand, or even a squat where you support your weight through any means you can find.
This allows you to do the workout as intended but means you've tweaked it to fit your needs. It's a little like cooking from a recipe and changing a few of the ingredients to better your suit your tastes, to take in allergies or to replace an ingredient your can't find.
Rather than going out and spending big bucks on a personal trainer you can make your own programs that will give you a great workout. Just make sure that you still look to advance your program over time so you can continue to challenge your body as it gets fitter, stronger and more able. Your strength or fitness may not be what it was twenty years ago but you'll be surprised how much you can still achieve.
(A) I'm asked this question a lot and it's an interesting one. You are not too old to exercise like a younger person. In my fitness studio we conduct small group classes and everyone in the group does the same workout. Some participants are 20-30 years old but there is more than a smattering of 50 and 60-somethings.
How does this work? It comes down to a shift in thinking. No longer think of exercises as too constraining. Instead think of movements.
So, a push-up is now a push movement and a deadlift is a bend movement. Every movement we do in a gym falls into one of these movement categories
1. Squat
2. Push
3. Pull
4. Lunge
5. Bend
6. Twist
7. Spinal Flexion
8. Cardio
9. Isolation
And some exercises contain more than one of these movements.
Now what I want you to do is look at these body+soul workouts and examine the 5-6 exercises detailed. Distinguish which category each movement falls into. If you see an exercise you deem to be too advanced for your current level than you need to swap it for a movement that better suits you. A weighted barbell squat may go to a bodyweight squat, or even a squat where you sit down onto a chair and then stand, or even a squat where you support your weight through any means you can find.
This allows you to do the workout as intended but means you've tweaked it to fit your needs. It's a little like cooking from a recipe and changing a few of the ingredients to better your suit your tastes, to take in allergies or to replace an ingredient your can't find.
Rather than going out and spending big bucks on a personal trainer you can make your own programs that will give you a great workout. Just make sure that you still look to advance your program over time so you can continue to challenge your body as it gets fitter, stronger and more able. Your strength or fitness may not be what it was twenty years ago but you'll be surprised how much you can still achieve.
Source: http://www.bodyandsoul.com.au/
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