I'm 54 years old and have been lifting for about 3 years now. I've been primarily using leverge machines but I think it's time for a change. My goals are pretty simple. Look good, feel good, for real living!
I seem to make progress in the amount of weight I can lift but it doesn't last if that makes any sense.
The real question for those of you using the NROL programs and are over fifty is how does it work for you?
Is this a good approach for the older crowd. Thanks for your input.
I'm not quite 50 yet, but very close, but here is my 2 cents.
Strength training is excellent for seniors, even those in their 80's. Studies have shown that older people who strength train have stronger bones and fewer falls and fewer fractures from falls. Look at Jack LaLanne for an example of someone who continues strength training into their 90's. You might say he's a genetic freak, but he has devoted his life to fitness and diet and it shows.
As far as "it doesn't last", that's true for anyone of any age. If you stop lifting you will lose strength.
It seems that as people age they look for more and more gentle forms of exercise. If you are severely out of shape or have cardiac problems that's probably a good idea and doing some gentle yoga, walking, or easy swimming is better than doing nothing. However, as we age we can maintain good endurance but tend to lose strength and speed, so I think that it is better to do more speed work and strength training if your body can handle it and your doctor says it's okay.
Compared to the machines you've been using, lifting with free weights will build more functional strength for real life activities like lifting things, moving furniture, carrying firewood, holding grandchildren, etc. Take it easy at first and use light weights until you get your balance and form down.
Thanks for the replies. Which author Lou? Is this protocol what you use for fitness?
As far as this books approach goes I'm just wondering if it's a better or more productive approach than a more typical weight lifting routine?
JBB
I hear what you're saying. I always laugh when I post a question like this because though I'm 54, and I know that's supposed to mean you're a senior, I'm not in that category mentally or physically.
I do have 9 grand children but I also have two adopted children from Romania and my Son Daniel is 13 so I have a lot to keep in shape for.
We hike, bike, camp, play football, etc. I do sit at the office but try to keep moving otherwise.
BTW What I meant by the strength doesn't seem to last isn't when I stop lifting because I haven't stopped. It seems as though my strength varies from wo to wo. Maybe it's energy that's creating what feels like a strength deficit. Sometimes I can squat 210 and it feels good and other times 150 is pushing hard.
I'm not looking for a magic pill or routine because I know it doesn't exist. I like to know what's working for other folks my age. Is a different type routine better than others for older guys? Are free weights going to yield better results for me than the leverage machines I'm using? Heavy weights or lighter weights? Full body routine or split?
Currently I've been using two different full body routines and lifting 2x per week alternating the wo's. I then do some type of cardio 3x per week. Ellypical, bike, walk or something else.
That's where I'm at and it feels like it's time to change it up.
after 37 years of regular exercise i found NROL at age 60. i don't exactly follow the routines, as you might expect from a child of the 60's, but i have changed my workout for the better as a result of reading the book and incorporating some of its principles. my sense is that free weights, pull-ups and push-ups are better than machines. for similar reasons, running outdoors is better than any machine i've used except the concept 2 ergometer rowing machine. i'm running 4 days per week and lifting 3 days per week unless life interferes with working out.
i started by following the workouts as written and suggest you do the same. it's difficult to predict what works best for whom often because subjective responses can effect how hard we work and, therefore, what kind of results we get. get started, figure out what you like doing, and get Daniel working out with you. when my boys were that age, we'd go to the gym together before work and school in the springtime when they weren't playing football or on the swim team. it was great til they got to be 16 and 17 and started worrying about the old man hurting himself on the bench.
It's what I used when I was writing this book, in 2004 and 2005. Before that I used Westside-type routines, and after that I did a lot of Chad Waterbury's programs.
Currently, I'm wrestling with a couple of injuries -- hernia and shoulder impingement -- so I'm using lighter weights and spending more time on mobility and core strength. I do all total-body workouts, starting with a lower-body exercise 99% of the time. Currently I'm toying with timed sets -- 30 seconds of work, 30 seconds of rest. It's all kinds of fun.
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What I meant by the strength doesn't seem to last isn't when I stop lifting because I haven't stopped. It seems as though my strength varies from wo to wo. Maybe it's energy that's creating what feels like a strength deficit. Sometimes I can squat 210 and it feels good and other times 150 is pushing hard.
A drop in strength of 29% is pretty extreme.
You said you do two different workouts each week, so I take that to mean you're getting at least 7 days' rest between squat workouts. That should be enough time to at least approximate your last workout. Falling that far short suggests that something else is mitigating your recovery.
I'd guess it's the cardio routines you're doing 3x a week. But it doesn't sound like you're out running all three days. Walking or riding a bike shouldn't interfere with recovery from strength training -- if anything, I'd expect them to help.
Whether you do NROL or any other routine, can you try not running on the days before and after you do squats?
Hi Lou,
When I say I go from 210 to 150 in the squat it's probably more of an energy thing. I just don't feel like I can muster the energy to lift heavy sometimes. It' probably why folks do periodization I guess. I've never purposely followed that system of lifting but I suppose our bodies tell us it's time for a break.
Last night I switched to a full body wo using quite a few exercises but I lowered the weight and did 3 sets with short rests between sets. It was a great wo and harder than doing heavy work. I'm going to do this for a while and see how I progress. For me progression really is keeping the fat off, staying strong which is relative, and staying healthy. If I never reach a 300# bench I really don't care! That's probably blasphemy to a lot of folks! Thanks for the interaction.
Well, I'm not over 50, but at 47 it's coming quickly
Visited my Mom and Dad just before Xmas last year. My Dad is 84. Although he was never overweight, he never engaged in any exercise program. Watching him get out of a chair is just painful. It just shouldn't be that hard.
So when I was in the book store in January I picked up the book. Glanced through it and 2 things struck me. One was the passage about curls being a waste of time, the other was squats being useful for getting out of a chair. Bingo, book sold.
I started in February. I'm making progress, but it's been slow. I read about gaining 20 pounds in a year and just laugh. But then, I'm older now, and I've always been a 'hard gainer'.
I like the program, but I've had some problems. I get confused with the hyperT workouts. With all the jumping around from 6 sets of 3 to 2 sets of 25 etc, I'm never sure if I'm using the right weight from workout to workout. I've also had some concerns with my back. Specifically, the barbell shoulder press seems to place too much stress on my lower back. But that's me, not the program.
Overall, I like it. It's a great way to get full workout with a minimum of sets and exercises. I just wish I was making better progress
Over 50 crowd?
when I post a question like this because though I'm 54, and I know that's supposed to mean you're a senior, I'm not in that category mentally or physically. 
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