Almost couldn’t be truer than in the gym. The older one gets, the more times he or she is apt to mutter, “I used to be able to do that.” Ugh. If you’re looking to re-hit your max from way back in your late twenties, forget about it. That doesn’t mean you can’t push yourself and incrementally increase the weight you’re pushing, but lifting like you did forty years ago is definitely a pipe dream.
And that’s the danger. There will always be someone younger that makes lifting weights, throwing kettlebells around or doing a HIIT routine look easy. If you’re not careful, you might find yourself saying, “I can do that.” That might be the biggest mistake you make. Essentially, you’ll only be adding injury to insult. There’s no shame in muttering, “I used to be able to do all that.”
Stick to the plan and let reality guide you. The goal for our sixties, seventies and beyond is optimal functional strength with longevity being our target. AIM for that and don’t sweat the past.
First Combo Routine x4 sets: wide grip pull-ups, bent over rows, seated bent over dumbbell shrugs, bent over single arm rows, Russian twists.
Second Combo Routine x3 sets: seated dumbbell curls, close grip easy bar curls, standing concentration curls, crunches.
And, before I forget, yesterday was swim day. 60 laps, 8 mins on the bike, 4 mins on the elliptical and 2 mins on the rower.