Hey Old Man, If you Don't Move Well, You Will Never Move Well....

I have been working out in gyms since 1983.  In that 30+ year period I have made a pretty consistent observation.  Young guys tend to heave heavy weights with questionable form but the worst offenders in terms of poor movement are the old guys.  They may not be lifting heavy, but they are moving poorly with light weights!  The most common problem is performing half reps or worse.  Full range of motion is rare.  Of course there are exceptions but the exceptions are .....well....exceptional.  Young people move well.  They can scoop things up off the floor, roll and pop back up with no issues.  They can run, jump, do cartwheels and climb trees.  They can move freely.  We lose some of that as we age.  By the time we hit our prime (20s - 30s), we have lost some of that movement ability but have gained strength.  This is probably the leading cause of recreational sports injuries.  20 and 30 somethings are strong enough but don't move as well as they did 10 years ago, so they get injured.  Most middle aged guys are losing both movement competency and strength.  Old guys have lost a considerable amount of both qualities.  The loss can be enough to seriously impair quality of life.  For an old guy, movement competency simply must be addressed.  It makes sense to work on mobility and movement competency throughout your lifespan.

Young guys can sprinkle in some mobility and movement competency as part of strength training program.

Middle aged guys can sprinkle in some strength training as part of a mobility and movement competency training program.  See the difference?

For old guys, mobility and movement competency is the strength training program!  For an old guy, getting up off the floor, or getting out of a chair with no hands can be very effective strength training.  How about loaded carries?  For old guys this means full range of motion exercises.  Preserving the ability to move the joints through a full range of motion, pain free, is the ultimate goal.  You will never get there by half repping!   As a trainer working with older clients you need to constantly ask yourself, "How can I restore strength and mobility through a full range of motion?"  You are not going to get there with machines and half reps.  You might start there but the goal is to move past that point.  You might have to sacrifice some loading for mobility but if done correctly, it will be temporary.