Karl Versteeg

Karl has introduced me to the idea of smarter training for stronger living.

I never thought at 77 I would or could lift a 50 kg deadlift after a few months of training.

The idea of ageing well, becoming stronger, building muscle mass and hopefully staying mobile longer, was appealing and what I was looking for.

I love weightlifting. It’s hard to believe that in all the previous decades of my interest in keeping fit I didn’t turn to weights

Exercise is really the best medicine for us at any age. The older we get the more important it is to keep our bones strong by putting them under pressure – lifting weights is the way to go  – at least three times a week

By visiting the gym regularly I feel much stronger and definitely making progress along the way. Although I was very sceptical about lifting weights, at my age, 64 and with little experience it has been a great learning curve for me. I feel stronger and I have better balance.

I think some older people feel that if they haven’t been active or gym bunnies while younger it is now too late, some people think we are only capable of lifting tiny weights ( like a can of beans) or that weight work is only for 30 year old men.

We need a few safeguards but not cotton wool, we need to be appropriately challenged and supervised to prevent errors.