National Powerlifting Champion Over the Age of 60

It's never too late to pursue your dreams and I know because last October I became a National Powerlifting Champion over the age of 60.  I compete as a Masters III in the 105kg class in an organization called USA Powerlifting (USAPL).

USAPL is the leading powerlifting organization in the United States. USAPL is a member of the International Powerlifting Federation (IPF), the governing body of powerlifting internationally. The IPF is comprised of member federations from eighty-three countries on six continents.
Distinct from weightlifting, a sport made up of two lifts: the Snatch and the Clean-and-Jerk, where the weight is lifted above the head, powerlifting comprises three lifts: the Squat, Bench Press and Deadlift. Powerlifting competitions may be comprised of one, two or all three of the lifting disciplines.

As I mentioned above I compete as a Masters III, which is ages 60 - 69 in the 105Kg class (231 lbs).  Last October I competed in the 2018 USAPL Raw Nationals and won my class with a squat of 445 lbs, a bench press of 308 lbs, and a deadlift of 513 lbs for a grand total of 1266 lbs.  More excitingly, my win gave me a place on the USA Team to compete internationally at the IPF World Classic competition this June in Sweden.

I could not imagine two years ago when I entered my first powerlifting competition that I would be a national champion representing my country in Sweden in a international event at the age of 60.  I plan to bring back a World Championship because it's never too late to make my dreams come true.

Here's a video of my final deadlift that gave me the National Championship:

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Resistance Weight Training is the Fountain of Youth

I’m not exactly sure who coined the phrase “fountain of youth”, but he or she may have very well been referring to the benefits associated with resistance weight training. Resistance weight training has a host of positive effects for the aging individual. The numerous studies conducted to evaluate the effects of weight training in the aging have shown weight training to be extremely beneficial to individuals well into their 90’s. One such study, published in the New England Journal of Medicine, involved 100 frail men and women in their 80’s and 90’s, all of whom had generalized arthritis, some degree of heart disease, and at least one chronic illness. After 10 weeks of weight training the mean strength increase of this group was near 120%. This and other studies have dissipated the belief that age may preclude one from lifting weights and has brought to our attention the importance of weight training for all ages, especially those over 40.  See more...

Health and Strength Over 50, Cardiovascular Exercise

Cardiovascular exercise known as cardio by most in the fitness profession is associated with numerous health benefits; therefore, it is an invaluable part of any fitness program. Cardio exercise is any activity that increases the work of the heart and lungs. Activities such as brisk walking, running, training on the elliptical machine, biking, and working on the Stairmaster, are some of the more well-known forms of cardio. 

During cardio exercise you repeatedly move large muscles in the upper and lower parts of your body. Your body responds by breathing faster and more deeply providing increased blood flow to these muscles and back to your lungs. Your small blood vessels widen to deliver more oxygen to your muscles and carry away waste products, such as carbon dioxide and lactic acid. Your body also releases endorphins which are natural pain killers that promote an increased sense of well-being.

Regardless of your age, cardio exercise is good for you. As your body adapts to a cardio routine your heart and lungs will become stronger and more efficient in performing their activities. The following are additional benefits of cardiovascular exercise:[1]

·        Helps to lose and maintain a healthy weight. Combined with strength training and a healthy diet cardio helps you to lose weight and to keep it off.

·        Increase your stamina. Cardio may make you tired in the short term, but over the long term, you will enjoy increased stamina and reduced fatigue.

·        Ward off viral illnesses. Cardio activates your immune system, thus making you less susceptible to minor viral illnesses such as colds and flu.

·        Reduce health risks. Cardio, combined with strength training, reduces the risk of many conditions including obesity, heart disease, high blood pressure, type 2 diabetes, stroke, osteoporosis, and certain types of cancer.

·        Manage chronic conditions. Cardio, combined with strength training, helps to lower blood pressure and to control blood sugar.

·        Strengthen your heart. A stronger heart doesn’t need to beat as fast and pumps blood more efficiently. Consequently, blood flow is improved to all parts of your body.

·        Keeps your arteries clear. Cardio boosts your high-density lipoprotein (HDL) or “good” cholesterol and lowers your low-density lipoprotein (LDL) or “bad” cholesterol, which results  in less plaque build-up in your arteries.

·        Boost your mood. Cardio can ease the gloominess of depression, reduce the tension associated with anxiety and promote relaxation.

·        Stay active and independent as you get older. Cardio, in conjunction with strength training, keeps your muscles strong, helping you maintain mobility as you get older. Cardio also keeps your mind sharp. At least 30 minutes of cardio three days a week seems to reduce cognitive decline in older adults.

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[1] MayoClinic.org

Strength Training Over 50, You Must Lift Weights

As you age strength training is the best thing you can do to improve your health and fitness level. Strength training is important because around age 40 you start to experience muscle loss. “If you don’t do anything to replace the lean muscle you lose, you’ll increase the percentage of fat in your body,” says Dr. Edward Laskowski, a physical medicine and rehabilitation specialist at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota. Left unabated, you can lose up to 10 pounds of muscle each decade starting at age 40.

 

Losing muscle is detrimental to your fitness because muscle is the component of your body that burns the majority of the calories you consume each day. Therefore, when you lose muscle your body requires fewer calories to function. Consequently, those extra calories you consume are stored as fat around your waist, hips, and other places.

Your body constantly burns calories, even when doing nothing. This resting metabolic rate is much higher in people with more muscle. Every pound of muscle uses about six calories a day to sustain itself, while each pound of fat burns only two calories daily. This small difference can add up over time. In addition, after a bout of resistance training, muscles are activated all over your body, increasing your average daily metabolic rate.

Increasing your metabolism isn’t the only benefit of strength training. It also helps: [1]

·        Develop strong bones. By stressing your bones, strength training increases bone density and reduces the risk of osteoporosis.

·        Control your weight. As you gain muscle, your body burns  calories more efficiently which can result in weight loss. The more toned your muscles, the easier it is to control your weight.

·        Reduce your risk of injury. Building muscle protects your joints from injury. It also helps maintain flexibility and balance which are crucial to remaining independent as you age.

·        Boost your stamina. Building muscle helps to increase your energy level while improving your sense of well-being. Strength training can boost self-confidence, improve body image, and reduce the risk of depression.

·        Sleep better. People who strength train on a regular basis are less likely to have insomnia.

·        Manage chronic conditions. Strength training can reduce the signs and symptoms of many chronic conditions, including arthritis, back pain, depression, diabetes, obesity, and osteoporosis.

A good strength training program should consist of exercises that target all the major muscle groups and should be performed two to four times each week.  I suggest you have a certified fitness profession design a customized program for you.

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[1] MayoClinic.org

Strength Training Over 50, Age is Only a State of Mind

Many people believe that once you reach the age of 50 your health and fitness start to decline.  That's an urban myth and here's why.  People who perceive themselves as old and feeble are more likely to stop participating in the activities that keep them healthy and fit, such as regular exercise.  On the other hand, people who have a positive attitude about aging tend to do the things that lead to life-long health and fitness.

Here's the truth, regardless of age every worn-out cell in your body is replaced every 11 months of your life.  So, every year your body is completely renewed.  Thus, your body is doing all it can to help you stay healthy by replacing old cells with new ones.  Now the question is do you have the right mental attitude to additionally aide your body in it's life-long effort to keep you healthy and fit?

The right mental attitude about aging leads you to do the things that help you stay healthy and strong your whole life, such as exercising on a regular basis, and having a healthy diet.  These are the things that help you thrive and not merely survive as you age.

The benefits of regular exercise as you age are many.  Here's some of the most important. (1)

• Exercise helps older adults maintain or lose weight. As metabolism naturally slows with age, maintaining a healthy weight is a challenge. Exercise helps increase metabolism and builds muscle mass, helping to burn more calories. When your body reaches a healthy weight, your overall wellness will improve.
• Exercise reduces the impact of illness and chronic disease. Among the many benefits of exercise for adults over 50 include improved immune function, better heart health and blood pressure, better bone density, and better digestive functioning. People who exercise also have a lowered risk of several chronic conditions including Alzheimer’s disease, diabetes, obesity, heart disease, osteoporosis, and certain cancers.
• Exercise enhances mobility, flexibility, and balance in older adults. Exercise improves your strength, flexibility and posture, which in turn will help with balance, coordination, and reducing the risk of falls. Strength training also helps alleviate the symptoms of chronic conditions such as arthritis.
• Exercise improves your sleep. Poor sleep is not an inevitable consequence of aging and quality sleep is important for your overall health. Exercise often improves sleep, helping you fall asleep more quickly and sleep more deeply.
• Exercise boosts mood and self-confidence. Exercise is a huge stress reliever and the endorphins produced can actually help reduce feelings of sadness, depression, or anxiety. Being active and feeling strong naturally helps you feel more self-confident and sure of yourself.
• Exercise is amazingly good for the brain. Activities like Sudoku or crossword puzzles can help keep your brain active, but little comes close to the beneficial effects of exercise on the brain. Exercise benefits brain functions as diverse as multitasking and creativity and can help prevent memory loss, cognitive decline, and dementia. Exercise may even help slow the progression of brain disorders such as Alzheimer’s disease.

I can personally attest to the fact that age is only a state of mind.  I'm in my late 50s and I've been weight lifting on a regularly most of my adult life.  I'm still stronger than I was in my twenties.  Here's the key, I never let any negative thoughts about age linger and take root in my mind, and neither should you.

(1) HelpGuide.org, Exercise and Fitness as You Age

Competed In My First Powerlifting Competition

I just competed in my first powerlifting competition last Saturday, the 2016 USA North Carolina Powerlifting Championships.  It was a really big show with over 100 of the state's best lifters competing.  When I checked-in and I saw all those competitors, I thought to myself "wow I maybe in over my head!"

The hardest thing about the competition was learning all the rules to each lift.  There are three lifts you have to complete in the competition; a squat, a bench press, and a deadlift.  Every competitor gets three attemps for each lift and your best score of the three lifts is used as a part of your overall total score.  The competitor with the highest overall score of the three lifts wins.  Simple enough?  However, there's a strategy as I learned involved as to how much weight you pick for each of the three attempts.

There are three judges who decides whether or not you perform each lift properly, and you want to choose a weight for your initial lift that's not too easy, but you're sure you complete.  Then on your next lift  attempt you want to increase your weight to where you are nearly at your limit, and on your last attempt you want to go all out.

On my very first attempt I failed to complete my lift properly which meant I couldn't use that score, and as a consequence, I was immediately behind the eight ball, so to speak.  I knew I needed a score in that lift so I did my second and third attempts at a weight that I was sure I could complete properly.  The good news is I made my mistake early and the rest of the competition was smooth sailing.

My best lifts were: a 353 lb squat, a 303 lb bench press, and a 452 lb deadlift for a grand total of 1108 lbs.  Not bad considering it was my first powerlifting competition and I had only nine weeks to train for it.  One of the funniest things about the day was that I was mistakenly put in the 40 to 49 nine year old class and I held my own (maybe I still look that young, least I can hope so).  Well. I've got the bug now an this won't be my last show!