Are You Too Old to Exercise?

A primary purpose of the Greenwood Men's Group in Seattle is to encourage the physical fitness of its members. As we age, physical fitness is not something we can take for granted. We have to work at it, even if only to slow down physical decline.

Substantial evidence from intervention studies and observational research has demonstrated an array of positive health effects of physical activity in older populations.

However, it's easy for us to find excuses for not exercising on a regular basis. We're too tired. Not enough time. Gotta fix dinner. Run an errand. Fix that leaking faucet. Watch a Seahawks game. My arthritis is bothering me. I need to take a nap. The gym is too far away. Etc., etc.

The worst excuse of all is that we're just too old to exercise. Don't believe it? Keep reading!

The fact is, there is always some sort of exercise we can do regardless of our age or disability.

90-100 Years Old Is NOT Too Old

Research on nonagenarians shows you can get stronger.

• A randomized controlled trial in institutionalized nonagenarians (mean age ~92) showed that 12 weeks of twice‑weekly multicomponent training including muscle power exercises (40–60% 1 rep max) significantly increased midthigh muscle cross‑sectional area and high‑density muscle area versus controls, along with large gains in strength and function and fewer falls. This directly demonstrates that even frail people in their 90s can gain muscle mass and power, not just maintain it, with appropriately designed programs.
  

80-90 Years Old "Very Elderly" Is NOT Too Old

Research on "very elderly" shows you can get stronger.

• A meta‑analysis of resistance training in adults ≥75 years found significant whole‑muscle hypertrophy and strength gains, including in “oldest‑old” (≥80) subgroups.
• In adults >85 years, 12 weeks of whole‑body resistance training 3×/week produced ~10–11% quadriceps cross sectional area increase, ~2% gain in whole‑body lean mass, and ~40–46% strength gains, similar to those aged 65–75.
• Review data show very old (≥85) muscle still retains adaptive capacity, with hypertrophy reported in octogenarians and beyond.

So...Are You Too Old for Exercise to Make a Difference?

Quick answer: NO!

You’re never too old to start exercising -- just ask a 93-year-old Richard Morgan.

Richard Morgan with wife Rita -- Is He Going to Eat That??

Richard is a onetime baker and battery maker with creaky knees who didn’t take up regular exercise until he was 73.  Retired and somewhat at loose ends then, he attended a rowing practice with one of his grandsons, a competitive collegiate rower. The coach invited him to use one of the machines.

He got hooked on rowing and never looked back. Now at age 93, he's as fit as a typical 40-year-old. Since starting rowing, he has rowed the equivalent of almost 10 times around the world and is a four-time world champion in indoor rowing.

Richard Morgan in a rowing competition in 2018

Think about it.

If Richard can transform himself from a couch potato at age 73 to a level of physical fitness of someone half his age, why can't you? It's never too late to set aside the excuses and get started.

Read more about Richard's story here.

Your Physical Fitness Can Inspire Others

Another reason for us older guys to exercise and be more physically fit is to inspire others to do the same, including family members and the younger generation. See the video below for an example.

Hurdling Life's Challenges and Vaulting into his 80s

What do you think of Joe Johnston's attitude towards life and staying fit? What is yours?

After Family Tragedy, Vincent Gully Began Running at Age 56

Vincent's Personal Motto

How do you know what you're capable of...until you give physical activity the best effort of which you are capable?

A distinguishing characteristic all these guys have is that they make exercise a habit. So why not habitually exercise to your capability? 

By doing so, you'll notice these guys have a zest for life and enjoy what they are doing. They have a purpose, experience a sense of satisfaction, have developed new social connections, found new friends, and increased their healthspan and longevity.

Is there anything here not to like?

Level up your physical activity for two weeks and see what happens. You have nothing to lose!

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References

• Cadore, E., Casas-Herrero, Á., Zambom-Ferraresi, F., Idoate, F., Millor, N., Gómez, M., Rodríguez-Mañas, L., & Izquierdo, M. Multicomponent exercises including muscle power training enhance muscle mass, power output, and functional outcomes in institutionalized frail nonagenarians. AGE. 2014; 36.
• Grgic, J., Garofolini, A., Orazem, J., Sabol, F., Schoenfeld, B., & Pedišić, Ž. Effects of Resistance Training on Muscle Size and Strength in Very Elderly Adults: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials. Sports Medicine. 2020; 50.
• Marzuca-Nassr, G., Alegría-Molina, A., SanMartín-Calísto, Y., Artigas-Arias, M., Huard, N., Sapunar, J., Salazar, L., Verdijk, L., & Van Loon, L. Muscle Mass and Strength Gains Following Resistance Exercise Training in Older Adults 65-75 Years and Older Adults Above 85 Years.. International journal of sport nutrition and exercise metabolism. 2023.
• Distéfano, G., & Goodpaster, B. Effects of Exercise and Aging on Skeletal Muscle.. Cold Spring Harbor perspectives in medicine. 2018; 8 3.
• Witard, O., McGlory, C., Hamilton, D., & Phillips, S. Growing older with health and vitality: a nexus of physical activity, exercise and nutrition. Biogerontology. 2016; 17.
• Phillips, B., Williams, J., Greenhaff, P., Smith, K., & Atherton, P. Physiological adaptations to resistance exercise as a function of age. JCI Insight. 2017; 2.
• Voulgaridou, G., Papadopoulou, S., Spanoudaki, M., Kondyli, F., Alexandropoulou, I., Michailidou, S., Zarogoulidis, P., Matthaios, D., Giannakidis, D., Romanidou, M., & Papadopoulou, S. Increasing Muscle Mass in Elders through Diet and Exercise: A Literature Review of Recent RCTs. Foods. 2023; 12.
• Beaudart, C., Dawson, A., Shaw, S., Harvey, N., Kanis, J., Binkley, N., Reginster, J., Chapurlat, R., Chan, D., Bruyère, O., Rizzoli, R., Cooper, C., Dennison, E., Adib, G., Brandi, M., Chevalley, T., Clark, P., Dawson-Hughes, B., Maghraoui, E., Engelke, K., Fielding, R., Foldes, A., Gugliemi, G., Kaufman, J., Larijani, B., Lems, W., Van Loon, L., Lyritis, G., Maggi, S., Masi, L., McCloskey, E., Messina, O., Papaioannou, A., Szulc, P., & Veronese, N. Nutrition and physical activity in the prevention and treatment of sarcopenia: systematic review. Osteoporosis International. 2017; 28.

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