"People tell me what I'm doing in the gym, and I ask, when did you start this? 'Oh, 15 years ago and they haven't changed the weight or the exercise since. So, I think if you're doing the same thing over and over, it's better than nothing. But you've probably missed an opportunity with a bit of variation.'"
"I think between a squat and a deadlift, if you do that, we're going to tick so many boxes. Number one, they're both functional. A deadlift is picking something off the floor. If I want to pick up my grandchild, go on holidays and pick up my suitcase, pick up a pot in the garden, we can start that with a four kilo (weight), and we can progress to a 200 kilo one. Not that anyone will get there."
Many gym-goers keep the same exercises and weights for years, which is better than inactivity but misses the benefits of variation. Introducing varied movements provides opportunities for broader strength, resilience, and functional capacity. As people age, performing a range of movements that mirror everyday tasks becomes especially important for mobility and independence. Squats and deadlifts cover numerous functional demands and directly translate to real-life actions such as lifting children, suitcases, or garden items. Starting with very light loads, such as four kilos, allows skill acquisition and safe progression toward heavier, more challenging loads.
Read at Irish Independent
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