quote:

Originally posted by ensigmatic:
For the seniors among us that may be interested: I strongly suggest you acquire and read The Barbell Prescription: Strength Training for Life After 40. In it you will find most of what you've been taught to believe about aging and physical ability/fitness has been utterly wrong.

This book caused me to turn my single car garage in to a home gym. Technically, I am not a senior yet but I am well over 50. I was using a treadmill 4x per week and gave it away in favor of a power rack, bar and plates. My only regret is that I didn't get in to lifting 25 years ago. I can't move a lot of weight around but I'm probably physically stronger now than when I was in my 20s.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: cyberiad,

^^^ Good tip, just bought the book. Thanks

I don't pay much credence to online reviews, especially YELP which is full of fucking whiners that must expect to be led around by the hand and patted on the back a lot while paying bargain basement rates.

Most places have a trial membership so you can check it out with little risk.

We are lucky as we have four that are very close and the one I use, CFX, has been great for $16 a month and is open 24/7 and has a decent weight area, a good variety of machines, clean enough, and friendly staff.

We have quite a few dumbells and bands but I like going to the gym, which is right by local supermarket and Lowes, and some of the machines are a staple for me including resistance bike, assisted pullups, pec deck, hamstring curl, smith machine for barbell hip thrusts, seated cable row, cable pull for lat pulldowns and such, and squat rack (though not really a machine).

Good luck!

Let me start by saying that I am 75 years old, so my "heavy" workout days are all in the rear view mirror. I am on a Dr. ordered workout plan that is all done on a treadmill. I have three gyms within 5 miles of me. A Life Time Fitness, well covered above, another gym I don't recall the name but it is geared toward bodybuilders, and Planet Fitness. Since my needs are few (treadmill), you can't go wrong for $10 a month. PF is open 24/7, has plenty of treadmills, friendly staff, clean, and no one has ever said is that all the weight you can lift or why are you not running on the treadmill. Every one pretty much does their own thing and doesn't worry about what I'm doing or not doing. Did I mention it's $10 a month. PF will NOT meet every ones needs, but if all you are looking for is a general workout, PF is GTO.
Rod

Is there a YMCA by you? That might be an option if there's one by you.

I'm considerably younger than most here, I work in a military facility where I have basically solo use of the gym during work hours. It's been great. At 44, I have been lifting more than I ever have in my life and it's benefitted me so much in daily life and especially in my Brazilian Jiu Jitsu.