6 Myths About Training Past 60

(Listening to these will keep you weaker, slower less mobile than you really SHOULD be)

Stop Listening To People Who Tell You That You Need To Slow Down...

...There's A LOT More In The Tank Than You Think!

When it comes to exercise after 60, there's no shortage of advice—some of it great, some of it misleading, and some of it completely outdated.

While most people now know that "you're too old to lift weights" is a myth, there are plenty of other misconceptions that still hold many back from getting the results they want.

Here are 6 lesser-known training myths for people over 60—and the truth behind them.

MYTH #1

You SHOULDN'T SQUAT Because
It’s Bad for Your Knees

While it’s true that squatting with poor form or excessive weight can be tough on the knees, avoiding squats entirely is a mistake... particularly if you're over 60 and want to remain strong, stable and agile.

The truth is that in terms of maintaining mobility and function as we age there are few exercises that even come close to squats. They strengthen the muscles around the knee joint, improve balance, and support mobility, improve hip function and keep the lower back both strong and supple.

Honestly, there's NOTHING even remotely negative about squatting over 60. The key is to do it safely by adjusting the depth, stance, and load to match your body’s needs.

Use your own common sense. If squats feel painful then avoid the ranges, angles and foot spacings that hurt but don't avoid them just because they're uncomfortable or unfamiliar. Just ask for help from someone who knows how to adapt them to fit your personal posture and strength profile.

MYTH #2

Walking Is Enough For Strength And Longevity

Listen to some people and they'll have you believe that walking alone is enough to keep you fit, strong and healthy in your later years.

Unfortunately, they're not telling the whole story.

Walking is great for heart health and joint mobility, but unless you're walking for miles every day over challenging terrain and at varying speeds it simply doesn't provide the resistance needed to maintain muscle mass, bone density, or metabolic health.

Don't get me wrong, doing SOME walking is better than doing NO walking and walking on a treadmill at a steady pace is better than not walking at all but in terms of maintaining strength, mobility, balance and agility (all vitally important markers in the aging process) it's simply not enough to rely on walking.

Strength training is crucial for preventing sarcopenia (age-related muscle loss), which impacts everything from posture to daily function.

A mix of walking, strength training, bodyweight exercise, impact and mobility work is ideal.

MYTH #3

If You Have Arthritis You Should Avoid Strength Training

The 'itis' part of arthritis (or ANY condition) simply means 'inflammation'.

As far as arthritis is concerned, inflammation is occurring within the joint structures themselves which is often used as the basis for the argument for slowing down, limiting ranges of motion and reducing loads on the joints and muscles.

Unfortunately, that's just about the worst advice for someone who suffers with joint inflammation.

Why?

Because when the muscles surrounding a joint get weaker, the joints end up taking on more of the load which, in turn, leads to more of the direct bone-to-bone contact that caused the arthritis in the first place.

The REAL key to managing joint inflammation is to make the muscles surrounding the affected joints stronger by focusing on controlled, lower-impact movements, avoiding excessive loads, and ensuring proper warm-ups and mobility routines.

In other words, by making the muscles around inflamed joints stronger we REDUCE the CAUSES of arthritis.

MYTH #4

Older People Need To Do High Reps With Light Weights In Order To Stay Safe

It’s often said that older adults should only lift very light weights for high reps to avoid injury.

Almost as if by passing a certain age they've become a different species of human where the rules of physiology work differently for them compared to when they were, say, 59.

I know, it's silly but that's what many people believe.

The reality is that you have the exact same muscles at 60 as you had at 6, 16, 26, 36 and beyond (even if they don't look or feel like it). They operate the same way, work on the. same joints and respond to the same stimuli as they always did.

Namely, if you challenge them with something that overloads them, they adapt and become stronger.

No if's, no but's.

It doesn't matter if you're 60, 70, 80 or beyond.

You CAN and WILL get stronger if you ask your body to do just a little bit more than it's become accustomed to.

And that the key; a little bit more.

If you can lift 5kg comfortably for 7 reps and you push for 8 then your body will adapt. If next time you push for 9, the time after that for 10 and the time after that for 11 then yes, you KEEP ON getting stronger.

Similarly, if when you get to 12 reps you increase the weight to 6kg and start over, your body will adapt and gift you with extra strength.

But not just that, you'll benefit from increased bone density too as the muscles pull on the bones and and ask THEM to adapt to the extra load.

So don't be scared of a little challenge.

Don't limit yourself to the tiny loads for super-high repetitions. They're not doing anything but wasting your time, effort and energy.

Your goal should be moderate reps (6–12) with a challenging but safe weight

MYTH #5

It's Too Late To
Build Muscle After 60

I said it above but I'll say it again...

...it's NEVER too late to benefit from strength training.

Simply put, there ISN'T some magical set-point where doing resistance training stops working. It's not like your body sees 60 candles on your birthday cake and suddenly decides 'that's it, time to get weak!'.

That means that there ISN'T a time when putting a challenge on your body in the form of strength based exercise isn't going to deliver results.

The human body works on a use-it-or-lose-it basis. As long as you're using it, the body will maintain it. If you STOP using it, it'll de-prioritise it but the good news?

No matter how long you've deprioritised strength, as soon as you start demanding more of your body, it starts adapting and improving again.

Yes, at 60.
And 70.
And 80.
And 90.
And there's even evidence that it still holds true at 100-plus.

Use-it-or-lose it is a universal principle,

It ALWAYS works... as long as you work the principle.

MYTH #6

You Need LONG Workouts In Order

To See Results

Nope!

Not at all.

In fact, this is one area where it's beneficial to over 60's to break from what's normal for younger exercisers.

Because of hormonal differences as we age (testosterone drops in men and estrogen in women), longer exercise sessions can prove more stressful and create more stress hormones and inflammation and so it's often better to keep training 'short and sweet; rather than engaging in long-duration 'marathon' sessions in the gym.

For most older exercisers (and especially those just getting back into exercise) it's far better to do frequent (daily) exercise for 20-30 minutes than to do the more common 60-90 minutes that most engage in.

The benefits are that you can train harder, recover faster and realise your gains in strength, fat burning and overall conditioning much quicker than 2-3 hour-plus sessions a week.

And if you can't (or don't want to) go to the gym daily ?

30-45 mins 2-3 times a week is all you need if you use your time wisely.

Get in, get what your body needs, get out.

No need to hang around just to hit a time target.

Final Thoughts...

A lot of well-meaning people seem to think that once you get 60 candles on your cake that the rules of how your body works suddenly change.

That you're automatically weaker.
That you're automatically less mobile.
That you're automatically more fragile.

And that you should automatically accept the idea that you should slow down and start 'accepting your age' as though physical decline is something that you can't do anything about.

The truth is there's PLENTY you can do.

The human body (regardless of its age) is a miracle of evolution.

And it works on a simple principle of use-it-or-lose-it.

All YOU have to do is USE that principle to gain the benefits that have always been available to you.

Fitter, faster, stronger, more mobile and agile... ask just a LITTLE bit more of your body in these areas and it'll give you a little bit more.

Keep on asking, and it'll keep on giving.

My advice?

Keep asking!

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Disclaimer: This article is for interest and education purposes only and is in no way intended to replace the advice of a qualified medical practitioner. Some conditions and some medications are adversely affected by supplementation with magnesium and so you should always consult with a qualified healthcare provider before making any changes to your diet, supplements, or health routine.

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