Article

Exercise intelligently: What does that mean?

July 29, 2025 by Andrew Fisher

Vintage Fitness client over 55 smiling after swimming workout at indoor pool

As I was swimming laps the other day, I found myself pondering something I’d heard recently from Professor John Brewer from St Mary’s University in London (and the FA’s first sports scientist). He was talking about the importance of “exercising intelligently”. That phrase stuck with me. What does it really mean to exercise intelligently, especially when you’re over 50 and wanting to age well?

I started thinking about my own training routine. Do I train smart? Or do I just do what’s convenient, familiar, or easy on the day? I reckon if I’m asking these questions, you might be too.

So, let’s explore what it really means to train with purpose, and how you can design an exercise routine that helps you age well, stay strong, and actually enjoy the process along the way.

My weekly exercise routine (at age 50+)

Here’s what my week usually looks like:

2 to 3 resistance circuit workouts in the home gym
Rower and stationary bike for cardio and lower leg strength (both great for my dodgy knee!)
Maybe a swim on the weekend.

Not bad, I thought but why do I do it this way? Well, the low impact swimming is great for my cardio. The resistance training in the gym – using dumbbells, kettlebells and my body weight – helps me maintain lean muscle, which keeps the metabolism humming and helps with healthy ageing. The bike and rower work well for my knee rehab.

Since I’m not training for a specific event or competition, I think it’s a fairly well-rounded program for someone exercising for health, longevity and wellbeing.

Ask yourself: why are you exercising?

One of the most useful sayings I’ve come across is this: “train how you want to gain“, meaning that if you want to be a runner then you will need to do some running. Or if you want to bulk or tone up then you will have to lift some weights.

Too often, people fall into the trap of copying what others are doing at the gym, or defaulting to the easiest option: walking the same block, lifting the same weights, or skipping strength training entirely.

Basically, there’s no one-size-fits-all workout plan. Your exercise program should reflect your goals, your needs, and your body.

A balanced approach for ageing well through exercise

If (like me) your exercise goal is general health and fitness, then I recommend having a general training program that looks something like this:

Cardio – swimming, walking, running, rowing or bike riding for a healthy heart.
Weights or resistance training – to maintain muscle mass and core strength and balance. Crucial for injury prevention.
Yoga or Pilates – although not traditionally under the fitness banner, I recommend adding some yoga and perhaps some Pilates into your weekly regime for flexibility and strength.

This kind of variety supports healthy ageing and keeps it fresh and interesting to prevent boredom and make sure you stick to it in the long term!

Got specific goals? Then get specific with your training

If you have specific goals, like improving your golf swing or playing better tennis, I highly recommend working with a qualified fitness trainer who can design a program for you. They’ll help identify weak areas and design a program tailored to your needs.

For example, if you want to play golf then you should identify any weak areas in your body and address those, such as poor core strength and flexibility. If you continually get lower back injuries, then no amount of cardio is going to make your golf better. You need to address this first.

Remember: train how you want to gain. Focus your workouts where they count – and exercise intelligently.

Be kind to your body to age well (you only get one!)

A reminder to look after your body. None of us are 21 anymore. If you think you need a day off from exercise, take one. Recovery is just as important as the workouts themselves. Fitness is a long game and taking care of your body as you get older is crucial part of ageing well. Take care of your joints, eat well, get enough sleep, and modify your workouts if something’s not feeling right. Don’t be afraid to be kind to yourself.

You’re twice as likely to stick with it in a group

Research shows you’re twice as likely to reach your fitness goals when you train with others. Group classes bring motivation, accountability, and fun into your week, and these things really matter as we are trying to stay on the fitness wagon!

If you’re in Sydney’s North Shore, come check out one of our Vintage Fitness classes. They’re designed specifically for adults over 55, and we focus on strength, balance, mobility, and community. You don’t have to do it alone.

Join us for a class and we’ll help you start exercising intelligently – for your future and meet a few lovely people along the way. Let’s age well together!

By Andrew Fisher
Owner of Vintage Fitness (Over 55 and training smart!)

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Can I turn it around and get fit over 50?

March 25, 2025 by Andrew Fisher

A lady getting fit over 50 bends down to do up her shoe.

Can I turn around and get fit over 50? It’s a question we hear often at Vintage Fitness, and the answer is a resounding YES! Achieving and maintaining fitness over 50 (and 60, 70, 80 even 90) is absolutely possible.

While the peak of competitive sports might be behind us, improving and sustaining our fitness (and with it our health and well-being) is within reach. In this article we explore the key fitness areas – muscle mass, bone density, VO2 max, and flexibility – to show you how to thrive and stay fit over 50.

1. Building Muscle Mass

The loss of skeletal muscle mass associated with ageing is called sarcopenia. After the age of 50, the rate of loss of lean muscle mass is about 1%. A reduction in muscle mass leads to:

Reduction in strength and power,
Increased joint instability,
Increased risk of injury,
Lowering of your base metabolic rate.

But don’t give up hope. We can combat this!

Aim for 2-3 training sessions a week

With as little as two x 45 minute resistance training sessions a week it is possible to not only stop the decline in muscle mass, but also to increase it. Build to 3 sessions weekly, incorporating 4-5 sets of 6-12 repetitions per exercise for optimal results.

You also need to focus on eating well, in particular consuming enough protein.

For some real-life inspiration on why it’s never too late to start getting fit read “The ninety somethings who revolutionised the way we think about strength training“, a recent article in The Guardian.

2. Maintaining Bone Density

Bone density decreases naturally with age. However, because bones are constantly changing and growing it is possible to halt the decline.

Exercise is crucial to ageing well

Strength training not only builds muscle but also strengthens bones. Two birds with one stone! Also make sure you include weight bearing exercises – things like walking and running. And if you want to mix it up a bit, try playing tennis or dancing. Both are great for improving your bone density.

A diet rich in vegetables, protein, calcium, and vitamins D and K is also essential for bone health.

3. Boosting VO2 Max

What is VO2 max? It’s a measure of aerobic capacity. A measure of the overall power of your heart, the higher the score, the greater the ability of your body to do endurance activities. VO2 stands for the maximum volume of oxygen your body can use in exercise. Simply, the higher the number, the better exercise performance you can have. The Average female VO2 max is 30 and for men is around 40.

So if VO2 is an indicator of aerobic fitness, can VO2 it be increased?

Sadly, VO2 normally decreases at the rate of 10% per decade in an untrained person, due to muscle loss and increased body fat. This is because muscle cells use oxygen at higher rates than fat cells.

It is possible to stop the decline of the VO2 by about half as we get older if we exercise regularly. Again, we need to develop lean muscle mass and continue with our cardio activities to ensure the heart’s functional ability to pump blood to the body.

Find out more about VO2 max at www.peakendurancesport.com.

4. Maintaining flexibility

Flexibility is crucial for daily activities and preventing injuries. Thankfully, despite the creaking joints, and the onset of arthritis it is possible to not only maintain, but also improve your flexibility as you age.

There is no one measure of flexibility but the ability for you to carry out your daily activities (getting in and out of chairs, the bath etc) and your ability for your body to have a complete range of motion is a good start. If you are struggling with any of these, it’s time to start stretching. Regular injuries are also an indicator of a lack of flexibility.

Luckily, with a regular program of stretches, it is possible to increase your flexibility as you age.

You are never too old to improve your fitness

Now they say “Use it or lose it”, but let’s add “Lost it, get back on it” (Not so catchy I admit).

Getting and staying fit over 50, is 100% possible. It takes work, but it is achievable. Take heart and take stock. Get to know your body again and reassess your fitness program. If you don’t have a fitness program, create one. Focus on strength training, balanced nutrition and flexibility – you can reclaim a healthier, more active life.

A little about Vintage Fitness

We are specialists in getting and staying fit over 55. We run classes in multiple locations in Sydney that are suitable for all levels of fitness, and if you have any concerns or questions about getting started, we’d love to help, just get in touch.

With a little work, your best may be yet to come!

Why lifting weights matters for the over-55s

December 16, 2024 by Andrew Fisher

Strength training, health, and a bit of fun!

A part of fitness that’s crucial for staying active, independent, and healthy as you age, but that often gets overlooked, is strength training.

At Vintage Fitness, we’re big fans of encouraging you to lift weights or do resistance exercises, even if the heaviest thing you’re used to lifting is a shopping bag. But why? What’s the big deal about strength training for older adults?

1. Slows muscle loss

As we age, we naturally start to lose muscle mass, called sarcopenia. By the time we hit our 50s and 60s, this loss can become more noticeable, affecting our mobility, balance, and strength. Weight lifting (even with light weights) helps to slow down or even reverse this muscle loss. This doesn’t mean you need to become a bodybuilder, but keeping your muscles in good shape can make everyday activities feel easier, from lifting grandchildren to carrying groceries.

Falls are one of the biggest health concerns for older adults, but did you know that strength training can help? When you lift weights, you’re not just strengthening your muscles; you’re also improving your balance, stability, and coordination. This means fewer falls and more confidence when moving around—whether that’s navigating a flight of stairs or walking across a grassy field.

2. Keeps bones strong

As we age, our bones also naturally lose density, increasing the risk of osteoporosis. Weight-bearing exercises, like lifting weights, are excellent for bone health because they encourage your body to build and maintain bone density. In other words, lifting weights can literally make your bones stronger!

3. Boosts mood

Exercise, especially strength training, releases endorphins, those feel-good chemicals in your brain. It’s a natural mood booster and can also help you sleep better. Plus, building a little extra strength can make the daily activities feel easier and give you the confidence to try new things. (Perhaps that paddle-boarding class is calling your name?)

So, if you’re looking to stay strong, independent, and active, consider giving strength training a try. It’s not about being the strongest in the room; it’s about building a stronger, healthier you, one lift at a time!

Getting started is easy

One of the best parts of strength training is that it’s suitable for all fitness levels. All our Sydney exercise classes incorporate strength training. Why not book a class today?

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The power of walking: why taking steps matters at every age

December 3, 2024 by Andrew Fisher

It’s easy to underestimate walking. After all, it’s something most of us do every day without much thought. But for anyone over 55 (or really, anyone at all), walking is one of the best things you can do for your health, fitness, and overall well-being.

Here’s why walking is so important, along with some of the surprising benefits it brings, no matter your fitness level.

1. Walking is low impact

As we age, our joints can become more sensitive, and high-impact activities might start to feel uncomfortable or even painful. Walking, however, is a low-impact activity that’s easy on the joints but still delivers plenty of health benefits. It keeps your muscles and joints moving without putting undue stress on them, making it a perfect choice for anyone looking to stay active without discomfort.

2. Walking is great for the heart

Walking is a form of aerobic exercise, which means it’s great for the heart. A regular walking routine can improve blood circulation, lower blood pressure, and even reduce the risk of heart disease.

3. Walking keeps your bones strong

Weight-bearing activities like walking, or lifting weights are excellent for bone health. As we walk, our bones experience gentle stress, which encourages them to stay strong and dense. This is particularly important for older adults, as we naturally lose some bone density as we age. Walking can help keep your bones strong, reducing the risk of osteoporosis and fractures.

4. Walking works your core muscles

Walking works multiple muscle groups, including the core, legs, and back, which are essential for balance and stability. Regular walking helps strengthen these muscles, which can improve your balance and reduce the risk of falls. Over time, you’ll notice increased coordination and stability, making other activities feel easier too. Walking also keeps you flexible and mobile, supporting your independence as you age.

Walking doesn’t have to be a solo activity. Joining a walking group, taking a stroll with friends, or joining Vintage Fitness for one of our Urban Walks can turn exercise into a social event. Connecting with others is one of the best ways to stay motivated and adds an extra layer of enjoyment.

Begin with 10-15 minutes and gradually increase your time as you feel comfortable. Aiming for 30 minutes a day is a great goal.

So grab a friend, lace up your shoes, and head out for a stroll. You’re not just taking steps—you’re investing in a healthier, happier you.

Balance is key to senior fitness

August 29, 2024 by Andrew Fisher

The key to good balance is complex.

Good balance is an easy thing to take for granted, especially when you’re young. The complex processes by which you stay upright and move through space—which involve the brain and spinal cord, inner ear, eyes, peripheral nerves, muscles and bones are barely noticeable when functioning properly.

Why is balance important?

I think it can be summed up by sharing that 95% of hip fractures happen when an older person slips and falls. That is an alarming statistic!

Balance is critical for many aspects in life. We need good balance to perform everyday activities such as going up or down stairs or reaching for a high shelf or picking up things from the floor.

Preventing falls is more important as we get older. When you have good balance, you have a better ability to quickly adapt to changes in body position and react to unexpected variations. For example, stepping on a rock or pebble that you didn’t see while out for a walk and being able to centre yourself without falling.

What can we do to help our balance?

Balance issues can arise from a range of areas:

Changes to medications
Injury
Illnesses especially ones that affect the inner ear and
Nerve damage.

But the most common reason is physical deterioration. It is so important to make sure that you continue to exercise. As such, it is so important to make sure that you continue to exercise. And this is one area we can help you! Focus on exercises like the ones below:

Standing on one leg with your eyes open and shut
Sanding on unstable surfaces such as a balance pillow or mat
Step ups
Side steps
Squats and lunges
Exercises that strengthen the legs, ankles and knees.

How can you tell whether your balance is getting better?

Balance can be measured using a balance mat. These are used to measure the postural sway that a person has whilst standing in several positions such as single leg stance and tandem stance. The mat measures the sway electrically.

Vintage Fitness is delighted to be able to offer a balance test to benchmark you balance levels and then track improvement.

The great news is balance is a trainable skill, like riding a bike, The more you practice, the better your balance will get.

Fun Fitness for Over 55s: Superfit 60s and Beyond: Embracing a New Era of Fitness

November 2, 2023 by Andrew Fisher

Are you a sexagenarian who thinks age is just a number when it comes to staying fit and active? Looking for classes that cater for over 55s?

Well, you’re in great company! In this modern age, 60-somethings are defying the odds and proving that retirement doesn’t mean it’s time to hang up your trainers.

Today, we’re diving into the exciting world of fitness for those in their 60s and beyond, and how Vintage Fitness is leading the charge to keep you strong, healthy, and feeling more alive than ever.

The Ageless Warriors

A decade ago, you might have believed that your fifties were a time to slow down. But fast forward to 2019 and beyond, and you’ll discover a new generation of ageless warriors who are redefining the boundaries of what’s possible. Age is no longer a deterrent to achieving your fitness goals; in fact, it’s an invitation to embrace a new level of vitality and strength.

The Superfit 60-plus Movement

Superfit 60-plus individuals are setting new records by spending more time at the gym than any other age group. According to World Health.Net, they average an impressive eight gym visits per month, proving that dedication to fitness knows no age limit. Even at 60 and beyond, you can be stronger, healthier, and more energetic than ever before.

It’s Not Just Gentle Workouts

But what’s drawing these remarkable individuals to the gym isn’t the leisurely strolls or gentle stretches. It’s the high-intensity workouts and tough training regimens that are piquing their interest. Superfit 60-somethings are challenging themselves with vigorous exercises and pushing their boundaries.

Benefits of Joining the Vintage Fitness Community

So, what’s the secret to staying superfit in your 60s and beyond? It’s about embracing the power of community, challenging yourself, and staying motivated. Vintage Fitness has created a welcoming space where playful yet effective fitness programs are tailored to the unique needs and desires of those aged 55 and over.

Here are some hard-hitting benefits of joining our Vintage Fitness community:

1. Longevity is the New Black

Embrace the idea that staying fit can add years to your life. While we might add a playful twist, the message is clear: staying fit can help you live longer, healthier, and happier.

2. Unleash Your Inner Athlete

Think of your workout as a fun challenge rather than a chore. Our high-intensity workouts and training regimens will have you feeling like a real athlete, regardless of your age.

3. Companionship and Support

At Vintage Fitness, we’re all about creating a vibrant community. Share your fitness journey with like-minded individuals who understand the importance of staying active.

4. Functional Strength for Daily Life

Our programs focus on building functional strength that will help you stay active and independent in your daily life, from carrying groceries to playing with your grandkids.

5. Personalised Workouts

We understand that everyone’s fitness journey is unique. Our trainers work with you to create a personalised plan that suits your goals, abilities, and interests.

6. Fun and Playful Motivation

We’ll keep you motivated with our playful yet effective approach. Remember, if you don’t stay fit, you might not be able to keep up with your active grandkids or enjoy your retirement to the fullest!

Don’t let your age define your limits; join Vintage Fitness and be part of the superfit 60-plus movement. Your best years are yet to come!

Principles of training

April 26, 2021 by Andrew Fisher

Mature people running on machine treadmill at fitness gym club

This article goes out to all the fitness nerds. Because today we are going to be looking at the back end of what makes a fitness program, and the principles that are utilised to improve performance.

The principles are:

Progressive overload
Specificity
Reversibility
Variety
Training thresholds
Warm up cool down

Progressive overload

Known as the godfather of fitness principles, progressive overload is when the workload progressively increases as the person adapts to training. This is done to maintain intensity of training after adaptations have occurred, i.e. muscle growth or fitness gains. This can be achieved in a number of ways, namely by:

increasing the frequency of training, workload, weight lifted, or
utilising more difficult exercises that work the same muscles.

Specificity

This is when the training you are doing is specific to the sport you are playing. For example, a runner would have a fitness based running program. The gym work she would be doing may be leg strengthening exercises rather than working arms, or doing a lot of bench press. Basically, replicating the movements done in the person’s sport to provide the best specific adaptations.

Reversibility

The basic law of use it or lose it! Reversibility means if the training stops the adaptations you’ve made are lost or begin to decrease overtime. They are typically lost at a similar rate that they were gained. Here’s a general idea of how long it takes to see the effects of reversibility – or fitness, it takes about 2-3 weeks to see a decrease and for strength about 1-2 weeks.

Variety

This is ensuring training sessions use multiple training types methods and exercises. It not only prevents boredom, but also ensures a complete and full development of fitness. By training with a range of exercises, the whole athlete is trained with a better focus on fully strengthening muscle and joints. Take for example a rugby player, by including swimming into their program they not only improve their overall fitness, but they also work their muscle groups in unfamiliar ways ensuring its full development.

Training thresholds

Training thresholds refer to the level of intensity needed to stress your body enough for the specific type of fitness or strength you are trying to achieve. For long endurance fitness you’ll want to be training at a heart rate of about 70-80% for an hour. For shorter fast pace work over 80% heart rate for no longer than 30mins. In terms of strength gains, strength and power is 1-6 rep max, strength 8-12 rep max and muscle endurance 12-15 rep max

Warm up, cool down

A warm up is the process of getting your body read for exercise. Typically this moves from low intensity to high intensity specific movements for the exercise, preparing the body for physical activity by increasing the heart rate which leads to move blood flow to the muscles. Cool downs are essentially the opposite of a warm up. Taking the body from high intensity to low intensity, slowly reducing heart rate and getting the body’s recovery systems to begin functioning.

Busting some gym myths

April 6, 2021 by Andrew Fisher

Most beginners going to the gym in pursuit of a better and healthier body enthusiastically become sponges, they try and soak up as much fitness knowledge and teachings as they can. Religiously listening to every word of those with bigger biceps and smaller waists like gospel. Although most of the time this is incredibly useful information that has worked for them. Sometimes however some of what is soaked up turns out to be toilet water. That’s why this article is aimed at busting some of those toilet water myths.

Myth #1 – Building muscle can make you look fatter

This couldn’t be further from the truth, the idea that if you have a layer of fat and if you build muscle underneath, that you will just look fatter is plain wrong. Like, very wrong. Muscle building is actually one of the most effective forms of fat loss (just as or even better than cardio). This is because for your body to function it needs to burn fat into glycogen and your body uses that glycogen as the fuel to move your muscles.

The more muscle you build the more glycogen it naturally needs and therefore the more fat is burned and slimmer you look. This only doesn’t work if you dramatically increase your eating while you’re building the muscle.

Myth #2 – You can target your fat burn

Your fat storing is one holistic system, meaning your body doesn’t store or burn body fat based on independent segments of your body i.e., arms, legs, belly. You can’t burn just ‘belly fat’ by doing crunches because to your body its all the same fat. That’s why it’s important to just do the exercise you enjoy doing, eat healthy and all the fat will burn away.

Myth #3 – You should stretch before you work out

I want to make this very clear, warming up is vital before exercise. But static long hold stretches is not what you should be doing beforehand. The idea for static stretching is to increase your range of motion, not prepare you for exercise. To prepare for exercise you need to be moving and getting warm.

Strange Myth – Eating raw eggs

Just don’t.

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