Well over five years ago I read an article in, I believe, the NYT magazine that stated emphatically that after 76 a person’s body mass declines no matter what one does to maintain it. That set me on a course to see if that is right.
The author said she told her students that that is just human physiology of aging and cited a man who was in great shape in his 60s and worked out regularly. As he aged, he maintained the same level of work-outs but she showed the students before and after photos and he clearly had lost body mass at 76.
I am 79 and 4 months and not only have I not lost body mass, I have gained muscle and strength. My workouts are not quite as regular as I would like; in fact, I just came off a two-day lapse. I went to the gym Saturday but could get in only 3 exercises. Fortunately, they were the hardest ones, the ones on the rack: pull-ups, dips, and a one-arm chin-up. Nevertheless, I usually work in something but went two straight days with nothing. So when I went to the gym yesterday, I determined to do two sets of everything for the first time. I went extremely well.
I find that my push-ups and one-legged squats suffer if I don’t do them regularly and it bothers me when I fall short of my goal (one full minute hold on the squats and 50 push-ups).
At any rate, I can say I am looking forward to some relief from householder tasks and should be able to maintain a steady schedule of gym work, core work, and rope work. I just reviewed an instruction tape on rope climbing and the kid was adamant that you can hurt yourself if you cannot hold onto the rope with one hand without letting your body drop, i.e. holding the rope as you climb. I am a long ways from that but the progressive/conditioning exercises are great.
Sept. 1, 2022 I turned 81 on the 29th of August and am in better shape than ever.