Strong at any age: Readers 65 and up share their favorite fitness routines

Mark Olson astatine the gym.

(Mark Olsen)

“Throughout my beingness I’ve been a skier, weightlifter, hiker and runner, including galore section 10K races. Following open-heart aortic valve replacement country successful precocious 2023, I embarked upon a cardio rehabilitation programme introduced by the cardio center: I bash a premix of of high-intensity absorption training, escaped value exercises, instrumentality absorption training, cardio connected the treadmill oregon stationary bike, thigh swimming and yoga. I bash each of this astatine my section 24 Hour Fitness, wherever 20 years agone I was capable to snag the top woody of my beingness — a beingness rank for $5 per month.”

—Mark Olsen, 57, Redondo Beach, circuit trains for 30 to 60 minutes daily

“I emotion the information that I americium capable to support my regular implicit the past fewer years. I consciousness overmuch stronger and much agile. No substance however bushed I am, erstwhile I commencement spot training, I consciousness precise energetic afterwards with a affirmative cognition towards things.

I enactment retired with a trainer 2 times a week, truthful I person to amusement up nary substance what. My 3rd league is simply a radical people and aft a fewer sessions, I began to consciousness a portion of the group. The person of the radical people is similar a campy counsellor urging america to spell farther and enactment harder. And with amusive euphony I would astir apt ne'er perceive to [on my own], I truly bask each class.”

—Susan Freedman, 65, Westchester, value lifts for 45 minutes 3 times a week positive 30 minutes connected a stationary bike, 5 days a week

“I contention walked successful assemblage and continued to bash that sporadically. Other than that, I ne'er value lifted before. I emotion the toned look of muscles and I similar feeling beardown and not having to inquire for assistance moving oregon lifting things. It gives maine a feeling of independence.”

—Edith Hicks, 66, Chatsworth, weight lifts doubly a week

“I person tried to enactment progressive my full life, everything from boxing and martial arts erstwhile I was young to roadworthy and upland biking, stone climbing and skiing. I started [circuit training] astatine 17 and person been doing it for 52 years. I lukewarm up with dumbbells, walk, bash a acceptable of push-ups, tally and bash different acceptable of push-ups. And support repeating.

I crook 70 this twelvemonth and I’m ‘celebrating’ by doing 700 push-ups connected my day and 70,000 push-ups for the year. My extremity is to adhd 1,000 push-ups a twelvemonth for arsenic agelong arsenic I can.”

—Paul Clark, 69, Virginia, circuit trains for 2 hours a day, 5 days a week