I’m right there with you. Continuing to do the same thing and expect different results would be crazy. Continuing to do the same thing with a body that isn’t the same as a decade or two ago is insane!

So here’s what I’m doing, to help you identify where you may want to shift too!

The Basic Workout Changes I’ve Made at 59

Prioritizing strength time vs cardio

The difference between the WAY I prioritize strength. I’ve known since I began training for marathons even and more so since I began doing triathlon at 40, that strength was key to success in the event and successfully avoiding injury.

What’s different now is that it is the first place I put my energy. It’s not an extra for complimenting the activity or for supplementing it. My activity is built around optimizing:

The readiness for the workouts
The recovery for the workouts

Readiness:

I’m not going to go for a 3 or more hour hike the day before a key weight workout.

I definitely didn’t do a strength workout for 3 days following the Grand Canyon Rim-to-River-to-Rim hike.

There is always fuel (protein) in my system and sometimes there’s also a little caffeine right before a workout to optimize fat during the workout.

Recovery:

I am consciously taking more rest between hard workouts. Hard being there are multiple sets of low rep ranges and the purpose is true muscle fatigue. It causes more microtearing, more stress to joints. So there’s no guilt over waiting at least 72 hours, and if I miss a workout then, if I’m otherwise active, I accept that this delay is warranted and positive, not negative.

More Age-Related Post Menopause Workout Changes I’ve Made at 59

Workout I and II are not exactly the same

Weight load
Sequence of exercise
Type of workout in tune with recovery status

Taking Creatine Monohydrate Near My Workout

I will take it either before or after a workout, depending on the day. My workload might dictate a workout has to happen a little later, meaning I’ve got to have had a good solid meal before so it will happen in a robust smoothie bowl 2 hours before. If I’m able to pull away from some tasks and workout with just a bit of fuel prior to exercise.

Then I will have a post workout smoothie bowl after a workout about an hour. That bowl is loaded with a little fruit, healthy fat, high in protein (40+ grams) and the creatine goes in that.

Creatine questions?

Avoid Halting the Body’s Inflammatory Response

I don’t overdo inflammatory foods or activity directly after workouts.

During the pandemic so much of the discussion of health experts was about the immune-boosting effects of .. well, everything. Interestingly, it seems that a huge consumption of antioxidant-rich berries or omega 3 fats too soon post exercise blunts your body’s own immune system from response to the inflammation caused by exercise.

You don’t want to prevent some of these good changes from occurring. They will increase your resilience and immunity and ability to self-regulate. So if you’re doing sauna or ice baths, or ingesting omega 3 supplements, you might wait on some of those until later in the day.

Ability-Related Workout Changes I’ve Made at 59

Eliminated the high rep low weight workouts

There are fewer workouts with 15-20 or 25 repetitions. While they show up (say in this YouTube video for plateaus with arm definition progress https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YMowolNJb1w)

And for work that might support sport performance or gait improvement, those high reps are often reserved for a single set (drop set or monster set) or for recovery week to reduce stress over all yet provide neural patterning.

I often do 5-8 repetitions during the first 3 weeks of a cycle and recovery happens on week 4. Most Strength & Conditioning Coaches observe periodization carefully for programming. It’s how they, and the athletes or clients they serve stay injury-free while at peak performance. The majority of us don’t have a sport in season/off season. Then again you do: more golf or walking in summer months, more indoor training in winter. Possibly more skiing or snowshoeing or for you maybe just a greater focus on strength training, new skills or activities.

Changing It Up

Having to do a workout with someone else and follow their program, their sequence, their thinking can be a real challenge for someone used to being in control. It is often we who need it most!

Have you seen those guys who seem to have been members at your gym forever, they’re always there, yet their bodies never change, and they don’t actually look all that good?

I don’t want to be one of those! So whether it’s writing myself a new program or swapping ideas with another fitness pro, (like recently with Helen Fritsch or Natalie Jill who both live nearby) to get out of the routine, is a good idea.

Workout Changes I’ve Made at 59 Recap:

Make it #1 in my schedule
Certainty I’m recovered or I change the workout
Enhancing recovery
Ditched high reps for no purpose

Other Episodes You Might Like:

What to know about CREATINE Supplementation Over 50

https://www.flippingfifty.com/creatine-supplementation/

20 Reasons Strength Training Should Be Mandatory for Everyone Over 29 https://www.flippingfifty.com/strength-training/

Resources:

Stronger: Tone & Define: https://www.flippingfifty.com/get-stronger-2023/

The Flipping 50 Cafe: https://www.flippingfifty.com/cafe/

FREE EXERCISE PLANNING over 40:

https://www.flippingfifty.com/exercise-planning

Steve James Interviewed by Anna Rova