Dear Bob:
The timing of this question couldn’t be more perfect. This past weekend I went to the Delaware Senior Olympic Power lifting contest. Senior citizens from all over the state met in Georgetown to test their strength in the bench press and deadlift. A client of mine, Bob Vastine entered the contest. Bob will be turning sixty-eight years old in November. He won his division by bench pressing 320 lbs. Oh, I forgot to mention Bob did all of this while recovering from double knee surgery. I also witnessed an eighty-one year old man bench pressing 135 lbs. Do you need any more proof?

Obviously most people over the age of sixty wouldn’t be interested in power lifting but I think it’s a good example of what we are capable of. I don’t believe you can be too old to start lifting weights. There are so many benefits. Maybe you don’t want to be a power lifter but weight training can improve your health in so many ways. As we get older we loose muscle mass. Lifting weight can reverse this process.

Dear Kim,
The good news is it sounds like you have good genetics. Your body should respond fast. However as you have become older your metabolism has begun to slow down. You can speed it back up by starting a work out program that includes weightlifting, cardiovascular training and a sensible diet .Don't worry you won't get bulky from lifting weights unless you eat like a power lifter. Remember bigger muscles burn more fat because they need more calories to function. Therefore you will loose inches while your body gets tighter. I would suggest a program that includes three days of weight training and 3-4 days of cardio. If your not getting the results you desire you may want to add 1-2 days of cardio vascular training to your program.