Older and fitter

indesisiv

trailingspouse wrote: »

I was in conversation with the woman who runs the gym that I go to, and we're concerned that older people, for a variety of reasons, either don't get themselves to a gym at all, or if they manage to go they don't stay. They do one or two sessions, then give up.



So - 2 questions for you.
1) Why do you think this is? What are the barriers to success?
2) If there was a gym session designed solely for older absolute beginners, run by someone who was of 'more mature' years, would that make a difference?

I would be interested in what the % drop out rate is for older people vs younger people because in my experience most people don't keep going to the gym after they have started.

Although I can't give any further thoughts as I have never been in a gym.

maddiemay

trailingspouse wrote: »

OK, I may be asking the wrong people here (as you're all already doing loads of fitness stuff) - but I'm going to ask anyway.


I was in conversation with the woman who runs the gym that I go to, and we're concerned that older people, for a variety of reasons, either don't get themselves to a gym at all, or if they manage to go they don't stay. They do one or two sessions, then give up.



So - 2 questions for you.
1) Why do you think this is? What are the barriers to success?
2) If there was a gym session designed solely for older absolute beginners, run by someone who was of 'more mature' years, would that make a difference?


As I say, I'm probably asking the wrong people here - but maybe you could ask around amongst the people you know who haven't yet caught the fitness bug? It would be very much appreciated.

I am soon to be 70, never sporty, but always active, dog walking, holidays and weekends spent walking rurally, coastal paths, fells, moors, dales etc. At about 50 I literally ground to a halt, diagnosed Pernicious anaemia, treated and eventually made a good recovery and got back my fitness, but lacked some stamina. Fast forward another 10/12 years developed several more serious and chronic conditions, lost all muscle tone and strength and had chronic symptoms of fatigue.

I live in a small town in a rural area, visited the local health centre, was shown around and quite honestly found it terrifying and felt that I would not cope there and would not get enough assistance. No sessions for older people and none for women only.

Fortunately was told of a private gym and have visited weekly for 4 years now, my PT is a great guy who pushes me gently, but always takes care of my painful joints or strains, expensive- very, but worth it to keep my poor old body working:rotfl:

In comparison to you guys my level of fitness is poor, a great day for me would be 8-9,000 steps, but it is a long way from where I began.

ETA My craft group comprises approx 20 females from 50 -80, 1 who was a competitive walker when young walks and cycles, 1 plays tennis all year and skis, 1 enjoys country walking, none of the others although active and garden, do their own housework etc do any formal exercise.

MallyGirl

I have reached the end of another week and I did go to run club again - and really enjoyed it. I have now signed on the dotted line and become a proper member.
According to Strava at some point in this week's session I managed a 34:50 5k which is a whole 5 mins quicker than I managed out on my own. I am sure being on a track helps but it is also bound to be spurred along by so many people whizzing past me as I plod along. There are some amazing people there of all ages and abilities - one member recently completed his thousandth marathon!!!! Another is almost blind, got to be in his 90s and carries a stick these days but still shows up in kit each week and walks round the track at his own pace.
I am not making much progress towards being able to do a press up but there is time yet.

chucknorris

trailingspouse wrote: »

I agree MallyGirl - I have a savoury tooth too. If I'm out for a meal, I always have the starter but not the sweet!! I guess it could mean I'm less likely to fancy a piece of fruit if I'm a bit peckish.



Tonight - I will have fruit.



chucknorris - I'm having a cheeky glass of wine right now!!

Alcohol is my one healthy living flaw/vice, wine (far too much) and much more rarely whisky.

MallyGirl

I was always a dry cider girl but have discovered a liking for golden ales in the last few years. I only ever drank red wine but have shifted to white- I think this is because cheap red wine was always better than cheap white wine but these days I pay somewhat more! Calorifically, wine is less bad than ales /cider but sometimes it is just not what I fancy

chucknorris

MallyGirl wrote: »

I was always a dry cider girl but have discovered a liking for golden ales in the last few years. I only ever drank red wine but have shifted to white- I think this is because cheap red wine was always better than cheap white wine but these days I pay somewhat more! Calorifically, wine is less bad than ales /cider but sometimes it is just not what I fancy

Agree about the calories, but I tend to drink less alcoholic units with beer/cider. But I still prefer wine.

EdSwippet

trailingspouse wrote: »

I was in conversation with the woman who runs the gym that I go to, and we're concerned that older people, for a variety of reasons, either don't get themselves to a gym at all, or if they manage to go they don't stay. They do one or two sessions, then give up.

I can't say I've noticed this specifically among 'older' people. As noted already by indesisiv upthread, it seems to me to be an age-agnostic effect. Not that 'seems to me' is any type scientific study offering statistical significance, of course ... :-)

I'm in my late fifties. In the harder classes I go to -- body pump, spin -- I am generally one of the oldest in the class, if not the oldest. In pilates and yoga, though, I am at the other end of the range and one of the youngest.

As for drop-out rates ... my gym is oversubscribed, and if you don't book your class two weeks in advance you may well not get in. The result of this is that nearly every class is populated entirely by 'regulars'. No beginner can get a look in, never mind drop out after a few weeks! The one class that I do attend that tends not to book up can be half regulars and half new faces, but I'd say that every new face I've seen and who fails to turn up more than half a dozen times is well below my age.

Perhaps it is your gym's selection of classes that is putting off older attendees (to the extent that it happens more frequently than with younger ones at all, that is)? Or maybe just a branding thing? Every flyer I have ever seen for a gym class shows only folk in their twenties. It takes a degree of nerve in your fifties to walk for the first time into a class populated by people all of whom are around twenty years younger. I'm over that now that I know I can more than keep up with them, but getting over that first hurdle is the tricky part.

Also, time of day will be a factor. Retired people might generally prefer daytime classes to evening and weekend. I know I do, although that's mostly to reduce the contention for evening and weekend classes for other members who still have jobs (poor devils!).

It may also help that my gym, being part local authority run, is also the first port of call for rehabilitation for people recovering from strokes and similar. Not in classes, but there could be two or three in the exercise room at any one time. That probably helps a little to dispel any temptation to view this gym as for young people only.

Anyway, I'll ask around and see if anyone at my gym feels that it is somehow off-putting for the older demographic. Given that at least half the people I talk to there are older than me, I suspect they don't feel that way. (Perhaps younger people feel it's not for them based on the older demographic they see in there!) It'll be interesting to ask, anyway.

Nebulous2

trailingspouse wrote: »

OK, I may be asking the wrong people here (as you're all already doing loads of fitness stuff) - but I'm going to ask anyway.


I was in conversation with the woman who runs the gym that I go to, and we're concerned that older people, for a variety of reasons, either don't get themselves to a gym at all, or if they manage to go they don't stay. They do one or two sessions, then give up.



So - 2 questions for you.
1) Why do you think this is? What are the barriers to success?
2) If there was a gym session designed solely for older absolute beginners, run by someone who was of 'more mature' years, would that make a difference?


As I say, I'm probably asking the wrong people here - but maybe you could ask around amongst the people you know who haven't yet caught the fitness bug? It would be very much appreciated.

Human behaviour is very hard to change, unless the person is very motivated. That's why so many people will yo-yo in weight for instance. They can do it for a while, but then drift back into old comfortable familiar habits.

In the past when I tried and then gave up it was often associated with a break. I'd go to the gym regularly, take a two week break at Christmas, and just somehow not go back.

To keep it up it needs to become a natural part of your routine - like eating or going to the toilet. Don't let your mind / body think it is optional, or an extra of some sort.

One of the things that did help me was preparation. If I packed my gym bag the night before and left it at the bedroom door it was likely to happen. If it wasn't there I was far more likely to turn over and go back to sleep.

It's very easy to forget just how hard it is for an outsider to join anything new. Gyms are strange alien worlds with fit people being very active and purposeful. People unsure, worried about body image, worried about whether they will be accepted or not and most of all not knowing what to do, where to change, whether to shower, how to use the equipment, what to wear - its surprising so many people continue, rather than dropping out.

On a different note, I've been averaging over 200 km a week for the last 4-5 weeks, mainly indoors on my turbo trainer. A day to go, but this week could be slightly more than that, possibly around 230 km with about 50% outside. My first audax is 4 weeks today, so I need to build up outdoor miles in preparation.

trailingspouse

Nebulous2 wrote: »

It's very easy to forget just how hard it is for an outsider to join anything new. Gyms are strange alien worlds with fit people being very active and purposeful. People unsure, worried about body image, worried about whether they will be accepted or not and most of all not knowing what to do, where to change, whether to shower, how to use the equipment, what to wear - its surprising so many people continue, rather than dropping out.

I think you've hit the nail on the head there neb. And EdSwippet you're absolutely right, we haven't looked at the stats in detail - but it doesn't take a genius to work out that 99% of the people in the gym at any given moment are on the young side of 40. And although they have a good conversion rate, those older people are just not turning up to be converted!! Which is such a shame.



Other barriers to people either sticking with it, or not coming at all (I haven't just been asking you guys!!) - wobbly bits that wobble far more than you expected, not being able to jog/lift etc like you could when you were young (or trying to do it and nearly killing yourself...), stress incontinence, worry that working out will make existing joint pain worse, feeling so stiff the day after the first work out that you vow never to do it again, not wanting to sweat ('not ladylike').

As you say, it's a wonder so many people keep going!!

I'm beginning to be quite evangelical about the benefits of exercise for older people. From my own experience, my back no longer bothers me, my hip (which used to keep me awake at night) simply doesn't hurt any more, my plantar fasciitis has only twinged once in the last 3 months, my strength and stamina have improved, and I have a huge feeling of achievement that I can do stuff that I couldn't do 6 months ago. Also, studies have shown that exercise helps with osteoporosis, joint pain, the symptoms of the menopause, weight control, mood, increased energy levels, balance (so avoiding falls), and general tickety-boo-ness. We just need to get them through the door.

Kantankrus_Mare

I SO agree with your last paragraph Trailingspouse!! But try telling that to people of my age who dont exercise and arent interested. You can see the glazed look come over their faces.

I've only made 2 classes this week. Was intending on going to step this morning but I cant believe how hard yoga was on Friday! :eek: Thought it was just me, but my husband who also does it, agreed.

We both woke up following day aching all over. Not very often yoga does that to me.

At the gym where we go, it tends to be mostly over 40's in the classes during the daytime and I can understand if it was mainly youngsters, it would put me off.

I got my dad 5 passes to the gym to try it out. He is 70 and did lots of sport and running up to his early forties. He had triple heart op early December last year and I want to encourage him to make the most of his second chance. I'm hoping it will be a good social thing for him as well. He did his induction yesterday so we will see if he makes it into a habit or gives up. :rotfl: