It's not too late. What every client in their 80s tells me

I work with many clients in their 70s and 80s, many of whom are doing some of their first workouts ever. Think about that. For them, it's the first time they're picking up a weight and doing some form of training.

You might ask, what can they hope to accomplish at that age?

I'll let their direct quotes explain.

One client, who recently celebrated her 84th birthday, said, "I wish I had started earlier."

Another, who is 82, said, "I'm the only one of my friends living at my house and not in a retirement home."

They, above all people younger than them, realize what it’s like when you start to lose your everyday function. When being able to walk and climb stairs without a second thought becomes the goal, not something you take for granted. When pain holds you back not only from the things you love, but activities of daily living.

People who start training earlier often do it for aesthetic or confidence-related goals, and as they get older, quickly realize what continuing to move and train does for their daily function, ability to stay pain-free, and thereby, their quality of life.

The question you may have is, can someone at that age still receive the same benefits as someone 30 years younger? Can their body still adapt as well? Thankfully, we have conclusive research on this.

Pictured is the difference between a trained person, aged 40 and 70, versus a sedentary individual. You'll notice that there isn't much difference between the 40 and 70 year old, because they both train, but the sedentary individual has significantly more fat mass and less muscle mass.

In other words, while we do lose muscle mass as we age, it's less because of age and more because we tend to stop moving as we age. Lack of activity is the problem, not father time.

And like the clients mentioned above, while it's better to start earlier because you reap the benefits for longer, there's no bad time to start training.

"The best time to plant a tree was 20 years ago, the second-best time is now."

To your good health,

Coach Stephen

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Thanks for reading.

P.S.

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