Started Lifting After 60. Some of What I Learned.
Context: I am a beginner masters athlete who started lifting after age 60. I am not a coach and am fully aware there is more I don’t know about lifting than I do know. I’ve seen several posts asking if it’s too late to start lifting and I wanted to share some of my journey as an old lady to hopefully encourage other masters athletes to explore lifting. There are a lot of posts of super strong folks here doing great things, but I suspect there are also lurkers here wondering if it’s too late to lift.
I have a rare autoimmune disorder that causes muscle atrophy, limit ROM, neuropathy, proprioception issues, limited blood flow to the muscle, thickened fascia, etc. If it affects the muscle, joints, and nerves, I have it. Weightlifting has allowed me to build muscle and improve ROM that shouldn’t be possible, and my bone density has improved approximately 20% over the last year.
A year ago, I didn’t trust my legs enough to squat even with a support. I now back squat 80kg and front squat 50kg with full range of motion. Those numbers have been hard won for me. A year ago, I set a goal to compete at the USA Masters Nationals in Little Rock. It was my first comp, and I totaled enough to qualify for IMWA Worlds.
If you’re wondering if it’s too late to start lifting, it’s not about age. Maybe not even about what your body is currently capable of doing. Here are some of the things I’d suggest for you:
Get a Coach: Find a local Olympic WL coach experienced with masters lifters. As nice as your neighbor or the guy at the gym might be, they’re not the best choice to assess your needs as a masters athlete. I would not be where I am without an engaged coach.
Communicate with Your Coach: Be honest about every little ache and pain. Maybe it doesn’t matter, but your coach should be the one to provide context.
Set Realistic Goals: Work with your coach to assess whether your goals are realistic. I was outlifted by a W70 lifter and an M90 lifter at Nationals. They’re amazingly strong and fit and where I hope to be at that age. I’ll never be as strong as I want to be or as strong as the other athletes in my age group, but I’ve far surpassed what medical experts would say is possible.
Understand Weightlifting is not a straight line: You’re not going to keep increasing the weight. I’ve had to stay at the same weight for a couple of months or more. It can be frustrating to think I’m not improving, but it’s an opportunity to improve form, speed, and technique.
You Have to Want It: WL is incredibly technical and requires precision that doesn’t just happen on day one. You need to be willing to drop the bar, a lot. I lift in a large box gym where there are only a dozen or so lifters. I had to get used to people watching and get over having people see me miss lifts or end up on my ass.
Track Your Progress: As athletes, frustration comes from focusing on where we want to be and we forget to remember where we started. When I end up not being able to lift or squat what I could the previous week, I remind myself that I couldn’t squat at all a year ago. Perspective.
This is just my experience. The path has been full of twists and turns and the journey has looked different than I expected but it’s well worth it. Has anyone else picked up a barbell for the first time as an older masters lifter? What was your experience? Coaches, do you have thoughts about the masters lifters you work with?