How to Work out in the Gym After 60

Just because you're no longer a spring chicken doesn't mean you don't have to take steps to care for your body. In fact, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services recommends all healthy adults -- whether you're 18 or 68 -- get at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity cardiovascular exercise each week, as well as doing some type of strength training two days a week, working all major muscle groups. You can do many beneficial exercises right in your own living room, but using a gym after 60 can also be a way to fulfill the guidelines and live a healthy, active life.

Instructions

    • 1

      Visit your doctor and get her permission to work out at the gym. Women over age 55 and men over age 45 should always get their doctor's okay before starting a new exercise program, suggests the American Council on Exercise. Your doctor will screen for cardiovascular risk factors and talk to you about appropriate exercises for any conditions you may have.

    • 2

      Peruse the gym's offerings and try out any low-impact cardio machines it may have to offer, including stationary and recumbent cycles, elliptical trainers, rowing machines and treadmills. Try each one out for five to 10 minutes over the course of several visits and choose one or two that you enjoy doing the most. If you're shopping around to find the gym you want to join, this is a good way to find one that will provide equipment that works for you.

    • 3

      Try out any classes the gym offers for active older adults, such as water aerobics, Zumba Gold, yoga, Pilates or low-impact aerobics. Much of the battle in sticking to an exercise routine is finding activities that you enjoy doing and will keep you interested enough to keep coming back. Give all the options a try at least once so you'll be familiar with what's out there and who regularly attends. Take it easy the first time and don't do more than you think you can handle. It's okay to step out of a class or to stop a machine before the target amount of time you may have entered into the machine's computer.

    • 4

      Hire a trainer for a few strength training sessions, if you're new to resistance workouts. Gyms routinely have personal trainers and exercise experts on staff who are willing and able to help you develop an exercise program that works for you and takes into account any limitations you might have. Trainers can also help you become acquainted with the machines and equipment so you'll be able to use them safely and effectively.

    • 5

      Develop two total-body strength-training workouts you can switch between every month or so, either with the help of a trainer or on your own. For people who have very little experience with weights, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends starting with bodyweight exercises such as chair squats, wall pushups and standing up on tip toe. If you're already familiar with strength training, you might use a relatively light set of dumbbells, such as a 1- or 2-lb. weight, and do squats, lunges, triceps kickbacks, chest presses, overhead presses and bicep curls. Do one set of 12 to 15 repetitions of each exercise. For those with even more prior experience, you might also go through the circuit training machines at your gym, using a weight that pushes your muscles to fatigue toward the end of the set. This could include the chest press, leg extension, sled press, biceps curl and triceps curl.

    • 6

      Keep a schedule that ideally has you going to the gym four to five days a week for roughly one hour. Spend about 30 minutes on cardio, which includes machines or classes, and then another 20 minutes on your strength training routine. Warm up before each workout by walking for about five minutes, and do the same for a cool-down following your workout.