Pilates & Fitness in Your 50s

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I received an interesting question this morning that I thought I would share with you.

Hi Lynda

I am a 50 year old guy. In spite of lifting weights and running, I am starting to sag. Is this genetic? I see guys older than me in the locker room that look pretty young (from the neck down!)

Is Pilates the way to go?

I am kind of old school macho so I cant see myself in a class full of gals. Any videos you would recommend?

Also, I am thinking about playing recreational sports this winter, maybe indoor soccer or ice hockey.

Would Pilates benefit this or should I do something else. I know from having played as a younger guy that after having good 'wind', flexibilty and agility is important.

Thanks!

Dear Van,

It sounds like your main concern is "sagging". You say that you are lifting weights and running but I wonder at what intensity and how your form and program are. Are you doing any agility training? Core work? Flexibility training?

While there can be a genetic predisposition to some sag, good diet and exercise can usually counter that. How is your diet?

Pilates is great and will definitely help your flexibility and core strength, but I recommend a class or private instead of a video to make sure you are doing the exercises correctly. Look, there are lots of men taking Pilates now and many studios/gyms are even offering pilates classes for men. This is something to get over and just try!

That said, let me know what your current routine is and I can help tweak it for you.

Best,

Lynda

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Tags: Pilates, Fitness, Health, Fat Loss