Hacker News Reader

Comment by evo_9 | Hacker News Reader

Agree - I’m 58 and still do the same workout I did in my 30s and 40s including 3 sets of 15 to 20 pull-ups depending on the day. I also still skate (hockey) 2 -3 times a week with a bunch of retired pros (echl, nhl, etc) and typically put up a bunch of points every skate (possibly slightly more assists now but I attribute that more toward enjoying that more these days and not needing to be so flashy)

View on HN

>"3 sets of 15 to 20 pull-ups depending on the day"

It is always 20 for me. 4 sets. I am 64. I used to do 30 when I was a teen but I was much lighter then. also lots of swimming, cycling, hiking canoeing etc. etc

That’s awesome. I’m 60 and find pull ups are getting harder. I’d be delighted to get 20 in a set.

Prolly because I was doing those all my life. Funny that even after more than a year long break at 50+yo due to trauma it only took me a 1.5 month to recover from 5 to back to 20. I guess once you do something long enough body just gets accustomed.

You are reaping the benefits of having an active fitness regime in your 30s . The average 50 year old who starts exercising today will never get to your fitness level .

Rowing machines seem to be one of the best approaches to attempt it, though.

What about the relative fitness of the average 50 year old who starts exercising today vs the one who doesn't when they both turn 65?

I don’t think I’m convinced of that. Most fitness measures saturate as you approach a limit. For example, you can build muscle mass rapidly in the first couple of years but it slows dramatically as you approach your genetic limit. It only takes a few years of consistent training to get to that asymptotic level. So on that measure, you can basically “catch up” to your hypothetical “always trained” self.

While you might not be able to get to the exact same level of fitness as if you had trained for years, I think you can get fairly close. And without a doubt, you can drastically improve from wherever you’re starting.

Ah, interesting that explains why my gains are way slower this year, which is my third year of being consistently 5 days/week in the gym.

I do have a question: is there benefits in pushing harder if my goal is just health, or should I keep my training as is to limit injuries?

I'm 36, so not related to the article yet.

https://startingstrength.com/contentimg/figure1te.jpg

Are you still taking rapamycin and if so what are your observations from taking it for the past few years?

Reply on news.ycombinator.com