You first visited Body Mentors via the Injury Clinic, was strength training a natural progression of your rehab, or something you had considered before?
Yes, originally with a painful hip, which Jonathan diagnosed straight away as tendinopathy, he gave me some exercises and thankfully it healed super fast. This led onto rehab for my shoulder following rotator cuff surgery, which was healed but had no strength. I couldn’t even lift a tin of beans above my head! Ultimately my work with Jonathan progressed to strength training, something that I’d never even thought of. Fast forward to today, and I’m so happy I can bench 27kg and press 18kg.
You’ve overcome more than your fair share of challenges, if you’re happy to, can you tell us a little about your injury history?
Yes, in my 77 years I’ve undergone a few surgeries – two knee replacements, large abdominal hernia, hysterectomy, breast cancer, a rotator cuff op and joy of joys the latest addition of a hiatus hernia!
All history though, it’s the future that’s important. And, I’m happy to add I’ve never been injured strength training!
Your doctor advised you to never lift anything ‘too heavy’, with this in mind how does it feel to have recently achieved a 100kg deadlift?
Indeed! After each of the above surgeries I was advised by doctors to “take things easy”, do some “keep fit” (whatever that means?) and gentle walking, but don’t lift anything “too heavy”.
Body Mentors has proved that this outdated, ridiculous advice is complete and utter balderdash! She says as she deadlifts 100kg and squats 63kg (in old money that’s 10 stone across my shoulders).
Haha! I think you can probably tell how I feel!! And it’s certainly NOT feeling like a frail old lady!!!
Progressing from a 45kg deadlift to 100kg is an incredible achievement, was there a moment when it clicked and you thought, ‘I can do this’?
I began training with Jonathan in October 2022, at 74, and he set me my first goal – to deadlift 75kg by age 75. I remember my reaction, ‘What?? Dream on… I’ll never do that!’
But, I had such faith in Jonathan right from the start of my lifting journey, he really did make anything seem possible.
And I did it, two weeks before my 75th birthday I deadlifted 75kg! Maybe that’s when it really clicked?!
How has strength training changed how you feel day-to-day?
Oh my gosh! Strength training has changed me so much… not just physical strength but mental strength too.
I’ve found my ‘happy place’, I’ve never been competitive but the joy of getting a PB and beating your own record is sooo empowering. I don’t feel my age, I’m strong, and if I can do this, I can do anything!
It makes me ridiculously happy and more than a little proud, when I say “no thank you, I can manage” to the strapping young lad at the garden centre, who asks if I need help lifting the big bag of potting compost into the boot of the car.
What has surprised you most about what your body has been capable of?
Although I was always reasonably aerobically fit, as I hiked regularly, being able to shift the amount of weight I do never even featured on my radar and still never ceases to amaze me. I cannot imagine my life without it now.
Do you have any training goals that you’re working towards?
To lift heavier and to carry on carrying on, I still expect to be lifting when I’m 100 and still getting those PB’s!
Also there’s the little matter of 110kg deadlift for a one rep max on the horizon!
And, finally, what advice would you give to someone who thinks it’s too late to start strength training? Or perhaps they have past injuries which may hinder them?
The first thing I would say is it isn’t too late.
I began at 74, with knee replacements, a dodgy shoulder, twingey back and advice from both doctors and internet research that there could be dire consequences if I did lifting, of any kind.
And here we are, nearly three years later and I’m stronger and fitter both mentally and physically than I ever thought possible.
Hand on heart, I can say that I love my life and finding Jonathan and Body Mentors is part of that renewed zest I have for new challenges and new adventures.
No matter what past injuries you have (and if you’re a little older you’re very lucky if you don’t have any niggles) there is a way to adapt your training to accommodate them. Go chat to Body Mentors, you won’t regret it… go on!
