I like the idea of bouldering and we have one in Gloucester which is quite close.

Most of my work and research these days is helping clients successfully age – from both health and fitness/performance perspectives. Resistance training (not necessarily gym work – personally I avoid traditional gym exercises) is imperative 1 – 2 times per week to avoid sarcopenia. Also mobility is better than flexibility. Cycling really screws up the posture. Digestion and breathing also need attention as we age. We don’t bounce back like we used to, but the good news is that with a little more attention we can lessen the rate of decline and be healthy and maintain high levels of fitness well in to old age.

So… interesting… what would you class as resistance training?

I’ve been trying to avoid cakes but resistance is futile!

I mentioned it earlier, but Fast After 50 by Joe Friel is a proper in-depth look at how to adapt your training as you age. Even if you don’t get into the minutae of creating your own detailed programme, it’s still excellent on the general principles of how you alter physiologically as you get older and what you can do to counteract it.

Also his blog summary of the book.

Thanks for the recommendation – I’ve ordered the book

I boulder a couple of times a week. Great for core and flexibility, though you wouldn’t know it to look at me. The only caveat is that your muscles get stronger a lot quicker than your tendons etc when you start out, so finger/elbow injuries are a big risk if you progress too quickly.

I’m over 50 and do quite a lot in the gym to stay fit for biking and skiing.

I cycle twice a week usually, and go to the gym between 5 or six times. Some work in the gym is on the stationary bike, some on the stepper and the cross country thing, but mostly it’s free weights.

The free weight thing varies between the usual back/chest, shoulder, arms etc, but mostly it’s a circuit type session with kettle bells, tyres, sledges etc.

I also make sure I stretch quite a lot, especially back and legs.

I’m pretty sure it helps with the bike; certainly my arms never feel “pumped” after big descents. I work on the basis that any fitness work is better than none.

https://www.instagram.com/jhharrison92/

James Harrison turns 40 next 4th May. Making him 18 days older than me.

Inspiring and Depressing in equal measure.

51, lighter, 11 1/2st and dropping, and fitter than i’ve ever been.

just read joe friel’s ‘faster after 50’ and it is excellent.

@Bushwacked most dudes in their 40s cannot move correctly. Years of poor posture and sporadic sport and/or prolonged inactivity has left them tight, in pain and with very poor mobility – loading these poor movement patterns with weights in the gym is asking for trouble. A correctly designed body weight programme will restore mobility and increase strength and muscle hypertrophy. Use body weight as resistance – your joints will thank you for it!

Increasing muscle at our age, I’m talking mid to late 40’s is probably more important than cardiovascular fitness. I’ve got an old tunturi puch rowing machine. It’s a torture machine. I do 20-30 minutes 2 times a week spring to Autumn. Ride 2-3 times a week. In the winter it’s reversed. I really notice if I miss a few sessions. Make sure you have recovery time scheduled in and get plenty of good quality protein in your diet.

I’m 42 now and probably fitter and healthier than I’ve been for years. I do a 15 minute yoga flexibility thing in the mornings and it’s great. I used to have a really sore lower back but the yoga and a couple of core exercises (bird dog and dead bug) have sorted it right out and it only takes 20-ish minutes in total.

I cycle twice a week usually, and go to the gym between 5 or six times. Some work in the gym is on the stationary bike, some on the stepper and the cross country thing,

How do you fit this around a working week especially as shifts are of 12 hour duration ie 9 till 9 with 1 n 1/2 hour drive either side usually 4 days a week

It’s surprising what you can do through the working day if you have a relatively sedentary job, say a desk job.
I used to do the gym stuff, spin classes, even tried yoga through my late 40s early 50s but now I’m just too lazy to bother! I do a series of stretches every morning (takes about 10 minutes) to centre my knees and lower back. Every time I go for a pee at work I do a dozen press-ups (not at exactly the same time obviously!). I silent-run up the stairs (try running up stairs silently) at every opportunity (added bonus – it scares the wotsits out of the staff upstairs as you suddenly appear without warning!), I’ll stand one-legged if I’m standing, I’ll do calf stretches on the metal feet of the desks when stood at someone else’s desk. Luckily, no-one seems to bat an eye at the old guy who cycles 11 miles each way to work a couple of times a week doing strange exercises around the place.

I’ve always done some form of strength building exercises for as long as I can remember. I used to do the BMF thing (military fitness /PT sessions) up until about ten yrs ago but got injured and switched to yoga. I had my first introduction in 2008 and was surprised at how hard it was and never looked back. The sort of yoga I do these days is pretty much a free flow form that involves continuously moving from one position to another. I make most of it up myself combining the different styles I’ve tried over the years and go to a class once a week to prevent slipping into bad habits. Focus tends to be on strength and balance rather than flexibility although a certain amount of flexibility is obviously required, and the muscles get used through a much wider range of movement than any gym or circuit training will do for you.

Ha, ha! One advantage of getting old is that you don’t give a **** about what people think about you any more. It’s far too late for that! (Unless you are Peter Stringfellow)

Malcolm Elliot

“I regret that I didn’t train like I did in my 40s earlier in my career” (video)

I use my local free outdoor gym,this has built up some muscle and provided me with a new set of aches.I then walk to the local shopping centre and use the massage chairs.We should have a thread about Britain’s outdoor gyms.Mine seems criminally underused,unless you count it’s usefulness as seating for the living dead.

https://www.britishcycling.org.uk/knowledge/training/off-the-bike

wilburt, 50, suffolk

I’ve done c4k kms a year on the road bike and a couple of hours mtb each week, run 5k’s just often enough that it doesnt hurt too much for the last decade.

I started doing some strengh training two yrs ago just following online vids and zwifting over winter as i no longer ride in poor conditions.

So far so good but I am begining to think I may get into swimming. The roads are getting busier, running is getting a bit more jarring and swimming is a bit more all round.

Gyms dont really appeal, theres a few of those fitness groups (that work out as groups often outside) around here perhaps there better.

I did used to get back injuries and aches in my thirties but nothing since becoming generally more active or perhaps its because I no longer lift stuff for a living?

Weight training is good for you without a doubt.

As for flexibility? As long as everything is in balance you’ll be fine.

I’m not a fan of yoga as it contributed to bicep tendinitis for me I’m sure. The quality of the teacher is everything. A large class will reduce the teachers ability to correct bad posture, stick to the smaller ones if you can..