We had some really good goal reviews this week, and helping people get through some mental roadblocks and get on a good track for continued success at the gym is very rewarding in and of itself. That said, I am mauling over a couple of these conversations, and I think this topic in particular deserves its own post.
When I first started in the fitness industry I did not know much. Full transparency: I barely knew my elbow from my kneecap.
As I practiced more and more, figured it out, and got some really good schooling under my belt, I was able to work with a much broader population. That population is still going strong at JDFit today, where the bulk of our clients are going to be in that middle-age-plus realm.
And when you work with this demographic, at some point people start attaching their age to everything that feels difficult.
“My knees aren’t what they used to be.”
“I’m too old to lift weights.”
“I probably just need to take it easy.”
Your knees may feel like Velcro, and you might be wanting to tell yourself you need to take it easy, but I do not agree with any of the sentiments I hear on a regular basis above.
Take that 15 years of practice, coupled with the main demographic that we see, and below are timeless training techniques that we use with every client to make sure they are progressing without breaking down.
Volume instead of intensity
To keep things simple, volume is how much of something we do, and intensity is how heavy it is. We do not want to think of intensity as something being difficult or, for lack of a better term, “intense.”
When someone first starts at the gym, or if we’re working with someone who is getting a little bit older chronologically, you would be shocked at how many people stall out or get hurt just making 5 lb. jumps with a dumbbell.
However, anyone can go from 1 set to 2 to 3.
Or from 6 to 8 reps, or 8 to 10 reps
We want to build strength and work capacity by layering in volume over time, quietly and safely.
Range of motion for progressive overload
Most people in that 60+ range are tighter than a banjo string.
We want to make sure that form is at the forefront of everything we do because it matters, and the better we do something, the more effective it’s going to be. That said, a lot of times we will let range of motion be the progression for this type of individual.
If you are someone who has a hard time squatting to the appropriate depth. Start with squatting to a high box, then lower the box, then get rid of the box, and then try to get yourself to 90° with body weight and then with a load.
The biggest confirmation we get from new clients is how increasing their range of motion and then gradually adding weight makes them feel better within weeks of starting a training program. If you stack a couple of days a week over a year of implementing this strategy, you will feel like you’re moving 20 years younger.
Tempo for the win
You should start noticing a theme by now.
We want to think of being under tension. Under tension = more adaptation without having to keep stacking weights on the bar for our clients. We’ll add longer pauses, slower eccentrics, and controlled transitions to help with this.
What I’ve noticed over the years is that this builds control, resilience, and, most importantly, confidence, especially for people who are apprehensive about being in the gym or feel fragile.
Glutes, Hamstring, Core First. Then do everything else
I can sum up an advanced degree in biomechanics with this one sentence: If you train the above musculature regularly first, you will get rid of a vast majority of your movement issues.
Why?
Because most of our clients come in with knees that feel like they have several fragments floating in them and with lower backs that feel as pliable as a 2×4
Depending on the client, a good cadence for us to start would be:
- Banded glute bridges
- Cable pull-throughs
- RDLs
- Trap bar deadlifts
- Squats
We then pair every movement with some isometric ab work to control the pelvis and build true trunk control.
Work with your body, not against it
Mentally, you may be ready to back squat or do a barbell bench, but far more times than that, your body will not be very happy.
Push-ups, landmines, bands.
Basically, anything that lets that shoulder blade move and lets your body find its own rhythm is going to work.
Once we have the perfect push-up down, we can talk about dumbbells and barbells. This allows clients to progress in a more natural manner and significantly reduces shoulder flare-ups and other issues that are going to keep them from training.
Build a Program You Can Continue
You do not need to prove everything in your first month.
You need enough challenge to make progress, enough recovery to keep training, and a schedule you can maintain.
That balance will look different from person to person. It will also change as your circumstances change.
At JDFit, we work with you to establish an appropriate starting point and build your program from there. You do not have to arrive already fit or already comfortable with lifting weights.
You do have to be willing to start.
If you have been putting off training because you think your age has closed that door, schedule a No Sweat Intro with JDFit. We’ll discuss what you want to do, where you are starting, and how we can help you move forward.
