At 57, She Began Lifting. At 64, She Trains Six Days a Week

A woman who spent most of her life focused on running, aerobics and gym cardio began weight training during the summer she was 57. She started with a trainer twice weekly, using free weights and machines while continuing cardio on other days. The early focus was learning technique, working different muscle groups and gradually making sessions more challenging.

Within weeks, the exercises felt more natural, and she began noticing greater strength and muscle definition. She eventually trained with her coach four times weekly and largely moved away from traditional cardio. When that trainer relocated in early 2025, she began planning her own routines and enrolled in a personal-training course.

At 64, she exercises six days each week in a home gym. Her sessions generally include five or six exercises, three sets of 10 to 15 repetitions, and a combination of dumbbells, barbells and cables. She changes exercises about every six weeks, walks 10,000 to 12,000 steps daily, and stretches for 30 minutes three or four times weekly. She says the payoff is practical: playing sports with her grandchildren, using a jungle gym and standing up from the floor with ease.