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

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.

Go to Main Exercise Page

The mission of SeattleSeniorMen.com is to provide a supportive environment where men from diverse backgrounds can foster camaraderie, develop friendships, share wisdom, enrich one another's lives -- and contribute to all Seattle communities, including Greenwood, Ballard, Crown Hill, Fremont, Green Lake, Greenwood, Licton Springs, Loyal Heights, Phinney Ridge, Ravenna, Sunset Hill, Wallingford, Wedgwood, Whittier Heights and beyond.