I was recently interviewed on the topic of “Strength Training for the 50+ Group; Why Staying Fit is a Prophylactic for Aging Well” by Joe Casciani on the Living To 100 Club Podcast.
If you haven’t heard of the podcast, it’s really cool. The show’s host, Joe Casciani, worked for 30 + Years as a psychologist with a specialty in geriatric mental health. I’ve listened to several episodes, and I’m a BIG fan.
As Joe says on their website:
The Living to 100 Club is an exciting take on getting older. The Living to 100 Club members turn aging on its head knowing and understanding age is only a number. The Living to 100 Club is for everyone of all ages who wants to maintain a positive outlook about our futures, offering fresh and inspiring perspectives on aging successfully, no matter how much help we may need adapting to growing older. Whether we’re still running marathons or confined to a wheelchair, we can always keep a positive frame of mind, look forward to events in our future, and plan on living to 100. The Living to 100 Club brings together topics on successful aging, overcoming obstacles, staying positive in the face of adversity, healthy lifestyles, starting new chapters and doing what you can’t. The Club podcast guests share their stories, give professional advice on wellness, and offer explanations about living life to its fullest.
This philosophy, of course, matches up perfectly with the Strength After 50 philosophy. So for me it was a perfect fit.
I really enjoyed discussing strength training for over 50 with Joe on the show!
Here’s some of the things we covered:
- The journey that brought me to where I am today
- What I learned from the many patients I worked with during 26 years in the Physical Therapy field
- Why strength training is so important, especially for this age group
- What happens to our muscles as we age (it’s not pretty, but there is hope)
- Is it possible to build muscle after age 50?
- What goes into a typical routine – exercises, setting, time (got lots of good feedback on this one)
- Why the usual routines you see aren’t sustainable – and why motivation drops off
- How to work around and/or rehabilitate almost any injury
- What about Tele-Coaching – is it effective?
- And much, much more.
Here’s the introduction to the episode:
This Living to 100 Club Podcast explores the subject of physical fitness over the age of 50. Our guest is Dave Durell, creator of the Stay Strong Forever Master Course. Dave discusses his strength training programs for people over age 50. These programs help people stay strong, rebuild themselves, and live full, active lives. Why is strength building so important for the senior population? What should be included in good workout routines? What adjustments should the 50+ age group make to ensure workout routines are sustainable? As the owner of Rock Solid Fitness, Dave and his wife work closely with their senior clients to help them stay motivated and engaged in their programs. Tune in to hear how these programs apply to you.
And here’s a couple excerpts from me during our discussion:
Q. What, what were some of the main takeaways from your work as a physical therapist?
A. Well, I’ve worked over that period of time with just about every type of patients, in just about every setting and. One thing was consistent that’s germane to our discussion today. And that is that the people that I worked with, the patients who needed rehabilitation for whatever reason, who came into that situation, fairly fit, fairly strong, not overweight. You know, due to a physically active lifestyle.
These patients invariably recovered better and progressed more easily in rehab than those who had led a more sedentary type of lifestyle leading into it. So, I really learned the importance of staying active and staying strong and fit. You know, kind of prophylactically, just as a regular habit in your life, just in case anything goes wrong.
You’re going to be much better equipped (with strength training for seniors) to get through it.
EXCERPT 2:
And also, the many health benefits for older people. I’ve come to understand that people in the fifty plus age group benefit the most from strength training. It’s really not all about, in my mind anymore, having big biceps or big pecs or “six-pack abs,” it’s really about health and function and strength training. Research has shown more and more and more just how critical it is, how foundational it is for our health.
Here are just a few examples: improving glucose metabolism, you know, diabetes is a big concern for everyone now.
You do strength training by lifting weights. You’re using up blood glucose. You’re releasing it from your muscles where it’s stored as muscle glycogen. It has an insulin mimicking effect. So, it has a beneficial effect on glucose metabolism. It increases your resting metabolic rate, the number of calories you burn at rest.
Click HERE to listen to the podcast, or check it out on your favorite podcast platform –
Then leave a comment below and let me know what you thought of it.
Enjoy!