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Training in my mid-60s
A number of people have emailed me asking about how I am training now in my mid-60’s.
I appreciate your interest.
I’ve summarized points about training from a much longer piece that appears in the August, 2010 issue of Master Trainer.
It’s an update of sorts on what I’ve been doing and a good fit for what is known about effective resistance training. I also believe that I cannot train any more consistently, and realistically, nor with any greater focus or effort than I have been doing during the last several years. For the record, I’ve performed almost 850 workouts in the way that is described here and with no real injuries or any down time, or loss of enthusiasm or joy with training.
Here are the major points....
I Do Not Use Heavy Resistance
I do not know what percent of my one rep maximum I use for each exercise, nor is that really important. I primarily define my use of ‘moderate’ resistance as a resistance in any exercise where the set takes at least 60-75 seconds time under tension, and sometimes quite a bit longer, up to 120 seconds. But, a better definition of moderate resistance is any resistance that does not result in any joint pain the next day, excessive muscle soreness, or quite simply anything that I can’t recover from in one day or at most two. With great hindsight, I can see that over so many decades trying to use more and more resistance was a major pitfall, though thankfully, not a truly fatal flaw.
I Use Controlled Repetitions
I use repetition durations of between about three to four seconds for the concentric (positive) part of the repetition and the same for the eccentric (negative) part of the repetition. I also at times use longer duration repetitions (8,4; 10, 5; 10,10). But, the main point is that I focus on smooth repetitions and transitions between the parts of the repetition. I do not use ‘forced reps’, ‘breakdowns’ or anything like that. I believe once you have done the last repetition with good effort and great form in a set, you have done whatever is required to produce a good degree of results. And, once form deteriorates in any way, it’s only a matter of when you are going to get hurt.
I Use A Reasonable Training Volume And Frequency
On average, I use several exercises per muscle group for one set per exercise for each exercise. When you consider how exercises affect multiple muscle groups, the number of exercises per muscle group can be considered higher than several. For example, dips affect chest, shoulders, and triceps so dips can be counted as an exercise for each of those muscle groups. I believe if there is any requisite volume threshold to produce any favorable outcome, I’m likely at or beyond that threshold. Because I am using moderate resistance and can recover quite easily, I regularly can train four or sometimes five times per week on a lower-body, upper-body split routine. I believe I’ve reached whatever frequency of training threshold may exist to produce any positive results.
I Focus On My Degree Of Effort And The Targeted Muscle Group
I believe that a good, high degree of effort, though a level of effort well within the capability of most everyone, is a key to effective resistance training. While I can’t say ‘never’, I try not to perform any workout or any exercise where I’m just ‘going through the motions’. I also pay a great deal of attention to making sure when I perform an exercise that the feedback (feelings, sensations) from a muscle group tells me I am properly exercising that muscle group. I’m much less concerned with how much resistance I’m using, or for that matter, how many repetitions I’m performing. It’s almost all about effort, form, and proper targeting of a muscle group.
I’ve also demonstrated to myself over and over that I can use the same or at times less resistance in an exercise and through better focus (concentration), form, and effort, apparently get more out of the exercise. In fact, I often come up with ways to make an exercise a bit harder or more precise in its targeting with, as noted, the same or even less resistance. To use Dr. Ralph Carpinelli’s term, this is true intrinsic training and not the conventional extrinsic training which is fixated on resistance and repetitions and essentially is weightlifting.
I’ve become convinced that focus and concentration, targeted effort, and paying attention to form and feedback Ð all important attention control, self-regulation strategies Ð can enhance the outcomes of resistance training. As noted in recent articles in Master Trainer, the approach is consistent with research on the proper interpretation of the size principle of motor unit activation. And, it is consistent with research showing that effort at the end of an exercise set and not a particular amount of resistance or repetitions is a central part of the stimulus for muscle protein synthesis and muscular hypertrophy.
I Consider My Purpose, Age, And Ability To Function
I consider resistance training a very enjoyable, challenging, and healthful activity. But, I also know and accept that I’m older and that I can’t do anything that can decrease functioning. This ‘insight’ has led to decreasing resistance and the range of motion on a few exercises to protect my knees. If your knees are sore a lot, this will surely reduce your functional ability. But, this focus on functional ability also has led to a better notion of how to preserve different ranges of motion.
I Don’t Undermine Resistance Training With Very Hard Or Long Aerobic Training
I believe that engaging in very hard and sometimes longer aerobic training along with the use of heavy resistance were the two major mistakes I made with training over decades. I also used some aerobic training pieces such as the Versa Climber and the Concept 2 Rower that at times respectively hurt my knees and elbows. I have found simple aerobic exercises that do not hurt anything. They are walking outside up hills or performing the Graded Exercise Protocol (GXP) on the recumbent bike. I used to think that anyone using a recumbent bike was a geriatric, not very serious trainee. But, I’ve found it to be perfect for the major goal of maintaining my cardiorespiratory fitness level. I also have no musculoskeletal problems from the recumbent bike and no issues with interference with resistance training or problems with overall recovery while performing the GXP on the recumbent bike.
I make the 5-minute workpart of the GXP interesting and possibly more effective by increasing the intensity over the 5-minutes. But, I do not go to an all-out, very high intensity level, I do not consider what I am doing as interval training, and I do not perform the GXP or something similar more than twice per week. I believe that at a minimum over the many years when I performed harder aerobic training, particularly hard interval training, my strength was somewhat compromised, and my overall ability to recover was greatly compromised. I do not follow those practices any more and now my overall recovery ability is very good.
I also walk 2-4 miles at a comfortable pace every day, mostly with our dog, Jeter. Training is great but then just being sedentary the rest of the time is not a good prescription for health.
I Don’t Get ‘Hung Up’ With Varying My Routine
What is in vogue is the idea of constantly changing a training routine to avoid adaptation and presumably getting stale (bored would be a better description) and quickly reaching a plateau. In a number of commercial training programs, there is change beyond and more frequent than in periodization programs.
Of course, we adapt to different exercises, the stimulus each one provides, and we adapt to an overall routine. In fact, if we’re reasonably good at resistance training, we may readily adapt to any exercise and workout format.
But, the idea that we need to constantly ‘mix things up’ and ‘confuse’ our muscles is not true.
Consider this point. Some exercises are so effective that it is hard to understand how people believe that they have completely adapted to squats of any form, chins, leg presses, dips, or deadlifts, or for that matter, a number of other exercises, especially when those exercises are performed with good focus, form, and effort.
Here are personal examples. I’ve been performing squats with high repetitions since the late 1960’s. In recent years, I’ve been squatting with less resistance, but with better focus, form, a greater range of motion, more controlled effort at the end of a set, and with a time under tension between 80-120 seconds. I have never really ‘adapted’ to squatting in this way. It’s always hard but seems to have a great effect. I perform chins now with no added resistance and dips while seated. Both are great exercises and with very slight variations in performance over workouts, I do not feel I have ‘adapted’ to them either. These simple variations include repetition duration, small changes in resistance and number of repetitions, and the order of an exercise in my routine.
Perhaps, why people believe that they must change exercises and routines often isn’t because they have adapted, but because resistance training is hard. So, if a new routine is then begun, it’s often started in an easier, break-in way.
But, the point is that resistance training is supposed to be an effortful, high focus activity. That’s how results are produced Ð effort and not constant change.
I Still Strive For Some Challenge And Improvement
Getting older and having performed resistance training for decades doesn’t mean that training will become boring, not interesting, and simply a chore. It also doesn’t mean that there’s no way to improve. One way I’m improving is that my ability to focus and my form are better than ever. I’ve also improved my ability to simply go from one exercise to another without that much time between exercises. But, perhaps most important, my overall satisfaction with training is great. Here I am in my mid-60’s still going strong!
A number of people have emailed me asking about how I am training now in my mid-60’s.
I appreciate your interest.
I’ve summarized points about training from a much longer piece that appears in the August, 2010 issue of Master Trainer.
It’s an update of sorts on what I’ve been doing and a good fit for what is known about effective resistance training. I also believe that I cannot train any more consistently, and realistically, nor with any greater focus or effort than I have been doing during the last several years. For the record, I’ve performed almost 850 workouts in the way that is described here and with no real injuries or any down time, or loss of enthusiasm or joy with training.
Here are the major points....
I Do Not Use Heavy Resistance
I do not know what percent of my one rep maximum I use for each exercise, nor is that really important. I primarily define my use of ‘moderate’ resistance as a resistance in any exercise where the set takes at least 60-75 seconds time under tension, and sometimes quite a bit longer, up to 120 seconds. But, a better definition of moderate resistance is any resistance that does not result in any joint pain the next day, excessive muscle soreness, or quite simply anything that I can’t recover from in one day or at most two. With great hindsight, I can see that over so many decades trying to use more and more resistance was a major pitfall, though thankfully, not a truly fatal flaw.
I Use Controlled Repetitions
I use repetition durations of between about three to four seconds for the concentric (positive) part of the repetition and the same for the eccentric (negative) part of the repetition. I also at times use longer duration repetitions (8,4; 10, 5; 10,10). But, the main point is that I focus on smooth repetitions and transitions between the parts of the repetition. I do not use ‘forced reps’, ‘breakdowns’ or anything like that. I believe once you have done the last repetition with good effort and great form in a set, you have done whatever is required to produce a good degree of results. And, once form deteriorates in any way, it’s only a matter of when you are going to get hurt.
I Use A Reasonable Training Volume And Frequency
On average, I use several exercises per muscle group for one set per exercise for each exercise. When you consider how exercises affect multiple muscle groups, the number of exercises per muscle group can be considered higher than several. For example, dips affect chest, shoulders, and triceps so dips can be counted as an exercise for each of those muscle groups. I believe if there is any requisite volume threshold to produce any favorable outcome, I’m likely at or beyond that threshold. Because I am using moderate resistance and can recover quite easily, I regularly can train four or sometimes five times per week on a lower-body, upper-body split routine. I believe I’ve reached whatever frequency of training threshold may exist to produce any positive results.
I Focus On My Degree Of Effort And The Targeted Muscle Group
I believe that a good, high degree of effort, though a level of effort well within the capability of most everyone, is a key to effective resistance training. While I can’t say ‘never’, I try not to perform any workout or any exercise where I’m just ‘going through the motions’. I also pay a great deal of attention to making sure when I perform an exercise that the feedback (feelings, sensations) from a muscle group tells me I am properly exercising that muscle group. I’m much less concerned with how much resistance I’m using, or for that matter, how many repetitions I’m performing. It’s almost all about effort, form, and proper targeting of a muscle group.
I’ve also demonstrated to myself over and over that I can use the same or at times less resistance in an exercise and through better focus (concentration), form, and effort, apparently get more out of the exercise. In fact, I often come up with ways to make an exercise a bit harder or more precise in its targeting with, as noted, the same or even less resistance. To use Dr. Ralph Carpinelli’s term, this is true intrinsic training and not the conventional extrinsic training which is fixated on resistance and repetitions and essentially is weightlifting.
I’ve become convinced that focus and concentration, targeted effort, and paying attention to form and feedback Ð all important attention control, self-regulation strategies Ð can enhance the outcomes of resistance training. As noted in recent articles in Master Trainer, the approach is consistent with research on the proper interpretation of the size principle of motor unit activation. And, it is consistent with research showing that effort at the end of an exercise set and not a particular amount of resistance or repetitions is a central part of the stimulus for muscle protein synthesis and muscular hypertrophy.
I Consider My Purpose, Age, And Ability To Function
I consider resistance training a very enjoyable, challenging, and healthful activity. But, I also know and accept that I’m older and that I can’t do anything that can decrease functioning. This ‘insight’ has led to decreasing resistance and the range of motion on a few exercises to protect my knees. If your knees are sore a lot, this will surely reduce your functional ability. But, this focus on functional ability also has led to a better notion of how to preserve different ranges of motion.
I Don’t Undermine Resistance Training With Very Hard Or Long Aerobic Training
I believe that engaging in very hard and sometimes longer aerobic training along with the use of heavy resistance were the two major mistakes I made with training over decades. I also used some aerobic training pieces such as the Versa Climber and the Concept 2 Rower that at times respectively hurt my knees and elbows. I have found simple aerobic exercises that do not hurt anything. They are walking outside up hills or performing the Graded Exercise Protocol (GXP) on the recumbent bike. I used to think that anyone using a recumbent bike was a geriatric, not very serious trainee. But, I’ve found it to be perfect for the major goal of maintaining my cardiorespiratory fitness level. I also have no musculoskeletal problems from the recumbent bike and no issues with interference with resistance training or problems with overall recovery while performing the GXP on the recumbent bike.
I make the 5-minute workpart of the GXP interesting and possibly more effective by increasing the intensity over the 5-minutes. But, I do not go to an all-out, very high intensity level, I do not consider what I am doing as interval training, and I do not perform the GXP or something similar more than twice per week. I believe that at a minimum over the many years when I performed harder aerobic training, particularly hard interval training, my strength was somewhat compromised, and my overall ability to recover was greatly compromised. I do not follow those practices any more and now my overall recovery ability is very good.
I also walk 2-4 miles at a comfortable pace every day, mostly with our dog, Jeter. Training is great but then just being sedentary the rest of the time is not a good prescription for health.
I Don’t Get ‘Hung Up’ With Varying My Routine
What is in vogue is the idea of constantly changing a training routine to avoid adaptation and presumably getting stale (bored would be a better description) and quickly reaching a plateau. In a number of commercial training programs, there is change beyond and more frequent than in periodization programs.
Of course, we adapt to different exercises, the stimulus each one provides, and we adapt to an overall routine. In fact, if we’re reasonably good at resistance training, we may readily adapt to any exercise and workout format.
But, the idea that we need to constantly ‘mix things up’ and ‘confuse’ our muscles is not true.
Consider this point. Some exercises are so effective that it is hard to understand how people believe that they have completely adapted to squats of any form, chins, leg presses, dips, or deadlifts, or for that matter, a number of other exercises, especially when those exercises are performed with good focus, form, and effort.
Here are personal examples. I’ve been performing squats with high repetitions since the late 1960’s. In recent years, I’ve been squatting with less resistance, but with better focus, form, a greater range of motion, more controlled effort at the end of a set, and with a time under tension between 80-120 seconds. I have never really ‘adapted’ to squatting in this way. It’s always hard but seems to have a great effect. I perform chins now with no added resistance and dips while seated. Both are great exercises and with very slight variations in performance over workouts, I do not feel I have ‘adapted’ to them either. These simple variations include repetition duration, small changes in resistance and number of repetitions, and the order of an exercise in my routine.
Perhaps, why people believe that they must change exercises and routines often isn’t because they have adapted, but because resistance training is hard. So, if a new routine is then begun, it’s often started in an easier, break-in way.
But, the point is that resistance training is supposed to be an effortful, high focus activity. That’s how results are produced Ð effort and not constant change.
I Still Strive For Some Challenge And Improvement
Getting older and having performed resistance training for decades doesn’t mean that training will become boring, not interesting, and simply a chore. It also doesn’t mean that there’s no way to improve. One way I’m improving is that my ability to focus and my form are better than ever. I’ve also improved my ability to simply go from one exercise to another without that much time between exercises. But, perhaps most important, my overall satisfaction with training is great. Here I am in my mid-60’s still going strong!
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