Fit At Any Age

50... 60... Even 70: Be Fit At Any Age

By Raphael Calzadilla, BA, CPT, ACE
eDiets Chief Fitness Pro.

A few years ago a wonderful woman asked me if I would personally train her. She was a little concerned because she was in her 60s and, although very active, never had a formal exercise program. The woman Im referring to is my mom. So how could I possibly refuse

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With my mom I focused on the same things that I do with everyone I train:

Making sure I completely understood her goals and health conditions (including any medications she takes). Making sure she had a physical within the last year. Focusing on slow and natural progression -- the key to success. Creating balanced strength in the entire body. Structuring just the right amount of cardiovascular exercise to increase energy and burn fat. Performing stretching exercises to improve flexibility.

Training my mom was actually a wonderful experience because I had the pleasure of watching her get strong and fit. And the day she flexed her biceps muscle and said “feel how hard this is,” I knew she was hooked on exercise.

The fact of the matter is that we are an ageing population. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, adults age 55 and older number 59,266,437 or 21.06 percent of the U.S. population. By the year 2030 this number is expected to grow to 107.6 million (31 percent of the population). Americans over age 65 comprise 12.4 percent of the population at 34,991,753. This number is expected to double to 70.3 million by 2030.

With rising health-care costs related to cancer, osteoporosis, diabetes, obesity, cardiovascular disease, etc., we simply must take personal accountability for improving our health and well-being no matter what our age.

Let's move on to the fun stuff.

I'm providing the exact workout I gave my mom. I know it may not be applicable to everyone based on injuries, health conditions and other factors, but it's certainly a very good and safe starting point. This workout is applicable to men and women. Only the poundage used will be different based on strength levels.

If you're under age 55, you may be thinking that this article isn't for you, but I'm sure there is someone in your life who can benefit from it. Please pass it along.

Exercise Notes:

Perform 12 to 15 repetitions with a moderate weight for each exercise. You'll need to experiment a bit to find the best starting weight. Beginners should perform one set of each exercise. Everyone else can perform two sets per exercise. After completing one exercise, move to the next, but try to take no more than 90 seconds between exercises. The routine is to be performed on two alternate days per week. All exercises are to be performed with correct form.

Concerning the cardiovascular recommendation, I recommend three to four days per week for 20 to 40 minutes depending on your fitness level. Don't worry, it will improve! If you need to do less, that's OK.

The exercises are comprised of strength training, cardiovascular and stretching. You may perform the cardiovascular exercise on non-strength training days or on the same day as strength training.

Begin with a five- to 10-minute comfortable warm-up on the treadmill before starting the strength training workout.

1. Strength Training

2. Cardiovascular Exercise

Walking

Beginners -- walk for 20 minutes three days per week.

All others -- walk for 30 to 40 minutes three to four days per week.
Movement: Standing straight with a relaxed stance is important. Avoid unnatural arches that may occur in the lower back. Make sure that the buttocks are not protruding out of alignment with the spine. The buttocks should be in line with the spine, or tucked under the body. Your head should be centered between the shoulders and your chest should be up with your shoulders back. Bend your arms at the elbows until they are 90 degrees. While walking, your arms should swing back and forth.

Key Points:

• The New England Journal of Medicine presented a "prospective study of walking as compared with vigorous exercise in the prevention of coronary heart disease in women." This 1986 study was conducted on 72,488 female nurses ages 40 to 65. The study indicated that, "brisk walking and vigorous exercise are associated with substantial and similar reductions in the incidence of coronary events among women." (New England Journal of Medicine, August 26, 1999 -- Vol. 341. No. 9)
• Anyone with the approval of their physician can incorporate walking into a fitness regimen.
• Walking comes more from the hips than the thighs.
• Your hips should be loose and relaxed.
• Strides should be short and fast.
• You will later naturally develop a longer stride.

3. Stretching: Click here for live demos of Stretching Exercises

More Exercises:
Machine Chest Press
Compound Row
Two Arm Lateral Raise
Alternating Biceps Curl
One Arm Triceps Kickback
Chair Squat
Ab crunch
Even more live exercise demos -> click here

Looking for more information? Join eDiets and visit Raphael's support group (Fitness For You) for interactive support! We all know fitness is a vital part of living a healthy lifestyle -- let Raphael and eDiets help you on your way!

A drug-free competitive bodybuilder and 2005 winner of the prestigious WNBF (World Natural Bodybuilding Federation) Pro Card, Raphael Calzadilla is a veteran of the health-and-fitness industry. He specializes in a holistic approach to body transformation, nutrition programs and personal training. He earned his B.A. in communications from Southern Connecticut State University and is certified as a personal trainer with ACE and APEX. In addition, he successfully completed the RTS1 program based on biomechanics.