Harold, 63 – Three Keys to Mobility and Muscle – Senior Planet from AARP

Welcome back to this special series featuring the stories of the Senior Planet Sponsored Athletes as they pursue their fitness goals in 2024. You can find all of our Sponsored Athletes’ stories here. Interested in becoming a member of our 2025 team? Applications are open until December 15, 2024! Click here to learn more and apply.

Harold, age 63, has been an athlete and trainer for most of his life, but a series of emergency back surgeries threatened to end his career and active lifestyle. Along with patience and support from his community, Harold’s maintained levels of mobility and muscular strength helped him fully recover and return to form. Now he’s ready to share his fitness knowledge and tips with other older adults.

Some people think strength and mobility are at opposite ends of the spectrum, but this isn’t the case. Both can and should be trained at the same time. Improving mobility also reduces injury risk. Maintaining muscle should be high on your list because strong muscles can have a major impact on how well you age. Your muscles enable you to carry groceries, hoist suitcases into cars, climb stairs, get off a chair, swing a golf club, or just dance! The stronger and more powerful your muscles are, the easier all of the these activities and others will be.

When you neglect your muscles it will certainly complicate your life. Weak muscles turn seemingly simple tasks like walking into a chore. Muscle weakness is also a primary reason that people lose their independence as they age. The best way to improve mobility and strength is by picking exercises that take a joint through a large range of motion. This costs almost no training and is the simplest way — especially when you are new — to improving your mobility or adding strength.

Need some ideas for exercises you can do at home? Watch my first Senior Planet presentation here:

Key Tips

#1 – Start with less weight than you need.

Once you are comfortable performing an exercise, choose a weight that allows you to do only 8 to 12 repetitions. The last one or two reps should be difficult. If you can’t lift the weight at least eight times, use a lighter weight. You can adjust the amount of weight you are lifting for sets based on how you feel.

#2 – Use a slower tempo to reduce injury risk.

The speed, or tempo, at which you perform the exercises will vary depending upon the type of exercise you are doing. Strength training exercises should be done at a seven-second tempo. That means three second lift, and three second lower. Don’t forget to exhale!

#3 – Explore a deeper range of motion rather than adding more weight.

As you become more comfortable with the weight, you can improve your form of aligning your head, shoulders, spine, hips, knees, and ankles with more extended levers. Maintaining good balance and moving smoothly through the exercises, you can perform with more extended arms and lower squats and lunges.

Let’s move!

Remember: A strong body is the cornerstone of a robust life. Life is an unpredictable symphony of highs and lows. I’m still progressing and have my challenges, but I have learned to celebrate every small victory and keep pushing to reach my goals.

If you’re ready to take the next step on your journey of increasing flexibility and strength, join me online on Wednesday, December 11 at 1:30pm EDT for “Mobility & Muscle.” During this session, I will be demonstrating six essential movement patterns designed to improve your range of motion and strength. We’ve got this, Senior Planet!

In need of a little motivation to get moving? Join our daily health and wellness programs, stay tuned to the latest news and articles from SeniorPlanet.org by signing up for The Orbit weekly newsletter, and follow us on social media (Facebook | Instagram | X) to get to know these awe-inspiring athletes. Plus, check out past Senior Planet Sponsored Athlete programs on our YouTube channel. You might just find a new love for fitness along the way!

Please consult your physician or other health care professional before starting a fitness program to determine if it is right for your needs. The advice and information presented in this article are in no way intended as a substitute for medical consultation.