Anyone a little older gone from unfit to pretty fit?

[PuffinIsle]

I've.joined the gym. I'm almost 60 and although I have a pretty active job, I am not fit in amy way. I have dodgy knees and hips so anything I do will start off gently, but I'm wondering if I'm wasting my time and have left it too late.

I'm not expecting to be doing a Hyrox (nor do I want to) and my focus will be mostly on strength training, but I would love to hear experiences from people who started their fitness journey a little later.

Definitely not too late - strength training is so important when we get older. As you know you have knee and hip issues I'd focus on strengthening these areas before adding loads of impact stuff like running. Single leg rdls, Bulgarian split squats, Copenhagen planks, single leg plank raises are all good and can be adapted to whatever level you can currently manage.

I’m a few years younger than you but have gone from virtually sedentary to about average fitness for my age in two years. Good luck

I’ve been going for 3 months now and I’m 52. I started hugely unfit and at least 3 stone overweight I’ve made amazing progress.
I see a pt once a week and try and get in at least another 2 sessions. My PT has been invaluable in growing my confidence and my strength.
Whilst the weight is shifting very slowly my gains in strength and energy are huge!
I actually now feel like I belong there

Better to be the oldest in the gym than youngest in the nursing home.

I started late. I can now lift a bag of compost onto my shoulder from the car, walk up the path to my garden with it. I enjoy my gym sessions, I love the pool.

Keep up the good work.

Yeah me started doing group personal trainer led boot camps at 55...could quite easily hold a 5 minute plank or push a 110kg sled ...loved it and was fitter and stronger than I ever was in my 20's or 30's .Unfortunately I developed bi lateral frozen shoulders last year so have had to stop for the moment but will definitely go back when able

I’m 52 with dodgy knees and I’ve got pretty fit over the past 18 months. Lost a lot of weight too.

I started in the gym, strength training mostly using machines and cardio. I now mostly walk outside and did a 50km walk a few months ago and have a 43km walk coming up.

I’m still strength training, mostly dumbbells now, squats, lunges, RDL’s, single leg exercises as well. I tried group exercise classes, still hate them and prefer exercising at home now but the gym got me started.

My knees aren’t perfect but they are so much better than they were and I am so grateful for that. I still can’t run which I’m sad about, used to be a runner and injured my knee running. Can walk long distance though, up and down hills which I could not do before!

Hope you enjoy the gym, it really is never too late.

Sort of…I’m 56years old. I started running 3 years ago and I’m doing my 8th marathon soon and have completed 2 ultras. I don’t find it easy and oddly I still don’t consider myself that fit as it’s too easy to compare myself to others women that are 20 years younger, but I’ll keep pushing myself!
Good luck 👍

It is worth it, started last year with swimming and now going to the gym 3-4 times a week after work. I feel so much fitter, sleep better and feel stronger.

Yep.
51 and although I've always done spinning, I've NEVER been able to run, even a few steps.
With some practice, I can now run for an hour without stopping. And I'm asthmatic and anaemic. If I can do it anyone can!

Not me - but my dad is 69 and joined the gym last year ! He joined an over 60s men’s group there where they do classes together a few times a week

ive noticed a huge change in him !

a few years ago he decided he couldn’t paint the outside of their house as he struggled climbing the ladder - this summer he was up and down the ladder in the garden doing jobs and reckons he’d manage to do the painting now himself

also when my 5 year old was small he really struggled to carry her - but I have a 2 year old now and he’s able to carry him no bother - so he must be so much stronger than he was previously

Ive also noticed a big improvement on his energy levels too - and he also came off his blood pressure tablets earlier this month - has been on them for years due to high blood pressure 🤷‍♀️

I went back to the gym at 60 after twenty years of no exercise (busy job but no exercise.) I have been going to classes and the gym plus YouTube videos at home for two years and can’t say I feel any fitter or better in any way. However I tell myself it must be better than not doing anything. I would like to see some progress though and I am probably not doing enough.

A study came out recently about amazing strength gains achieved by some elderly people. 62 is young by comparison! There is a woman on Instagram called Honest Clare who is sharing her elderly parents’ strength journey. It’s amazing and very inspiring. Another account I follow is Train with Joan, she’s in her 80s and super fit, she started in her 70s.

I am 50 and have been exercising increasingly seriously for about 2.5 years. I was always active, but not fit. Age may limit our potential in some ways, but in other ways it’s very freeing. We only get one body, might as well make the most of it.

Oh this is pretty encouraging thank you! I debated just cancelling my membership before I even started but this has given me a boost!

In 57, go about 5 times a week. Lost over 6 stone with the help of mounjaro and took up thr gym , my body is fit and toned and I have visible muscle definition, it’s far from too late.

I'm nearly 59, just bought myself a manual mountain bike. I love whizzing through the woods down to the seafront and a cycle along the prom. I've just joined a gym, it hasn't opened yet, and looking forward to using the machines, free weights and bikes like I used to use in my 20s. It's amazing that a break up of a 12 year relationship can give you a kick up the arse you need and the desire to do something for you for a change..

Never ever too late OP. I wish I'd done it sooner. Feel like im bouncing when I walk legs are that strong.

Go even if you don't feel like it. You never regret going. Be consistent and the rest will fall in naturally. When your shape changes ditch the scales. Use a tape measure.

I am posting to join in, I really should be doing at least one daily walk, possibly a cardio workout video my heart physio team gave me, and something with the weights I asked for for Xmas last year. So easy to -not- 'do the hard thing'. I will reread all the posts.

I'm late 50's and signed up with a PT earlier this year, absolutely love it and so good to be shown how to use all the equipment correctly! Good luck and keep at it x

I'm going to re-read your post when I don't feel like going, because I think that'll be my biggest problem. I've deliberately chosen a gym on my way home from work because I know there's no way I'll go back out again when I get home. Especially if it's dark and cold, so I'm hoping that will help too.

I started running at 44 and it gave me enough of a boost 5 years later to join a gym where I go to classes each week. LOTS of people 50s-80s there. I think it can depend on the gym though. DS goes to our local pure gym and that’s a lot of younger folk. My one has a very different vibe!

I’m 64 and joined my gym 9 years ago. Twice a week for small group personal training. My cardio could be better, but I feel pretty strong and can easily do step ups with dumb bells in my hands and can do 5 assisted chin ups! And I had a dexa scan and my doctor says my bones are magnificent! That alone was worth it for me!

And I’m not even close to being the oldest person there!

Yes, you absolutely can do this at any age. Better news, if you are starting from quite a low level you can make improvement without having to go to the gym every day. In fact the gentle exercise days and rest days are vital.

I did this using a Suunto T4 heart rate monitor. Each morning it gave me a target time and 'training effect', so this could vary from 45 minutes at 1.8 TE, which would be a walk, 25 minutes at 2.8 TE would be more energetic. If you missed a day it just recalibrated and once you found things easy it would promote you and the exercises got longer and harder.

Unfortunately they don't make the T4 anymore, but I have found this Polar Fitspark which is a close match. It might help to realise you don't need to go full out every day (unless you want to) and reassures you that slow days and days off are absolutely fine, which may help keep you going if you feel you aren't doing enough.

Elisabeth Davies's 'This Woman Lifts' and her book Training For My Old Lady Body is interesting too.

https://support.polar.com/uk-en/fitspark-daily-training-guide

I'm late 50s and have signed up to do the Strong Woman Challenge (British Heart Foundation) - it's every day in October - so started TODAY! You could start from tomorrow. There are videos for each day's exercises with different ability levels. It's free although the idea is you do some fundraising.
https://www.bhf.org.uk/how-you-can-help/events/virtual/strong-woman-challenge

im 68. I’ve been running 5k three times a week for 10 years or so but this year swopped out every other run for strength training. Feel like a different woman, bp and resting heart rate have dropped, and my running is so much easier too.

Fifty fitness journey if you are on Instagram.

I did 9 months of strength training in my early 40s. I was 100% consistent 3 x a week. Totally changed my body and my life. That year I swam round the pier, took part in the local run, hit PBs. It is all about consistency.