Let's Get Physical
When your 50-plus body talks, it's time to listen

by Eileen Jenkins (The New London Day, Nov. 10, 2002)

Sharon Keith works out at the Advantage Personal Training II gym in Niantic under the watchful eye of her trainer, Calvin McCoy. (Photo - Jeff Evans/ The Day)

“I have always had in the back of my mind that I would climb Mt. Kilimanjaro,” laughs Sharon Keith. “Actually, I just wanted to feel good.”

That's why she began working with a personal trainer three years ago. Like others in the 50-plus age bracket, Keith says it was the reality of getting older that prompted her to start working out. “You look in the mirror and don't recognize the person you see,” she explains. “I think we just want to be as close as we can physically to the age we feel mentally.”

Keith's trainer, Calvin McCoy, the co-owner of Advantage Personal Training II in East Lyme, says people needn't be afraid that they're too old – or too anything – to get fit.

“I've worked with all different types from all different walks of life,” he says, “people who were athletic when they were younger and some who haven't really done any type of exercise at all. It doesn't matter who it is, there are benefits anyone can receive at any age.”

But, he cautions, don't leap into a fitness program without taking a few steps, the first being clearance from your physician, especially if you haven't been active recently. Then he suggests at least a few sessions with a personal trainer who can customize a program for you.

“All our programs – whether you're aged 25 or 50 – are based on the individual,” he explains, “because every body is different. But to people just starting a program, I suggest that they start slowly. Most people have a particular goal in mind and think they can just go for it, but the body's not ready for it. So start slow and as you feel your body adapting, you can progress from there.”

(When you find a trainer with whom you're comfortable, disclose any medical conditions and medications you are taking.)

A general program is, of course, going to include cardiovascular work, because heart health becomes even more important as we age. The basic suggestion is 20 to 40 minutes of exercise that will increase your breathing and heart rate, done three to five days a week. But another important element of a fitness program that might surprise 50-plusers is strength training.

Formerly known as weight training (a tag that often conjured up an image of a oiled-up, bulging-veined bodybuilder), strength training becomes more important as we age because it improves our balance and stability, which lowers the risk of accidents that take a bigger toll on an aging body. Strength training also slows age-related loss of muscle mass, reduces osteoporosis and arthritis pain and, some believe, alleviates depression.

“Losing balance becomes more of a threat as we age,” says McCoy. “We try to challenge all the different areas for overall strength and the ability to regain balance quickly.” A basic program includes eight to 10 exercises involving all the major muscle groups. (That's the total number, not eight to 10 for each muscle group.) For optimum benefit, strength training should be done two to three times a week.

Flexibility is also an important – but sometimes ignored – part of a 50-plus fitness program. Because flexibility is gained through stretching, some folks don't think it is as important as cardio or strength training. But stretching is vital to helping you move more easily, which helps prevent injuries and also improves posture. It's particularly good for people with weak backs and arthritis or other joint pain.

Warming up and cooling down are musts for exercisers of any age, especially those over 50. “With people who are a little older,“ says McCoy, “we have to be mindful of arthritis, stiffness or past injuries.”

Finally, the foundation of an over-50 fitness program might just be the one thing that takes the least amount of physical effort: commitment. Says McCoy, “Being dedicated and consistent to your program is the most important part of getting fit.”

Perhaps Keith's feelings about her fitness program will help you commit to one of your own. “I have much more energy,” she says. “Stressful situations are now more easily handled. I have more strength. And I have an improved sense of well-being.”