Dr Darden,
This excellent T Nation article was recently reposted. A great read from a motivational aspect, though I miss your opinions on the matter. Please share your thoughts on this.
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I would actually loved to see a pamphlet or an article of how Dr. Darden trains seniors (60 and up), experienced lifters and newbies, diet recommendations for the seniors, list of various routines he has used when training them, frequency, failure or not, negatives and cadence…i think it would be a great article, a video or two would be cool, kinda like the 5 minute video…love that video
bias here as i am entering that era, 
My answer relates to what I call indifferent transfer.
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Indifferent Transfer???
Excerpt from “Rebirth of HIT” article/interview with Dr Darden here on Tnation:
"There are three types of transfer: positive, negative and indifferent. Positive transfer occurs when the activities of practice and competition are identical. Negative transfer occurs when the activities of practice are almost the same as those in competition. Indifferent transfer occurs when the activities of practice are totally unrelated to what happens in competition.
Indifferent transfer is where strength training and bodybuilding belong. You should build muscular size and strength generally, in the best-possible way with little regard to your sport. Then, you should apply that strength specifically by practicing your sport identically to the way you compete. Doing so produces the most positive transfer and the least negative transfer."
Not exactly sure how this corresponds to my original question though. Probably in response to @fitafter40 statement, which had little to do with my intent with this thread.
Thanks! Perhaps it is meant in the following sense: Build your strength generally, then use it to live a better life.
I looked at the article you posted, and there were some good ideas there.
Interesting that at least 2 people mentioned having a home gym. I might have said to figure out ways to train that don’t require too much specialized equipment, or figure out how to adapt your training to a variety of circumstances and equipment limitations. But that is a tactic, and doesn’t really address motivation, which is the core problem for most.
When I started exercising and lifting weights as a teenager, I suppose I was motivated by dreams of becoming exceptionally muscular or strong. Or at least I hoped to look like Robert Conrad (The Wild Wild West) or one of the actors portraying Tarzan. Alas, I quickly figured out that I was never going to be that big or that strong, and those actors were born for the screen.
But I discovered something else: I enjoyed exercising. Something about pushing myself harder than I had to, and maybe improving in some aspect of the training just felt satisfying. And I liked how it made me feel, both the immediate relaxed feeling after a hard workout, and the longer term effects of feeling better physically and mentally on a day to day basis. So that is basically my answer: I like how it makes me feel. I feel a little sorry for people that see exercise as a disagreeable chore. If I felt that way about it, I’d probably have given up years ago.
A side benefit now that I am 70: I look around and see that I am in better shape and more active than the majority of the people my age. That helps keep me going too…
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Sorry…misinterpreted your intent
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Build strength generally, in the best way possible. Then, use it specifically in any activity that involves those muscles.
It’s just that simple. But simple can actually be complex.
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It probably deserves its own thread. Do seniors need to train differently, or just scale things back a bit?
There doesn’t seem to be a huge amount of research on what kinds of training or exercise protocols work best for mitigating the effects of sarcopenia and dynopenia, particularly when you get into your 60’s or 70’s or 80’s. From my reading, the consensus right now seems to be that you use the same approaches that work with younger folks, but with adjustments:
- More individualization is required to deal with mobility issues from joint injuries, wear and tear.
- Some overall reduction in intensity and/or volume is needed to accommodate reduced work capacity and recovery ability. But does this mean very brief and intense less frequently or less intense and less volume, but more frequently? Hard to say. I’ve seen both positions pushed for older subjects.
- Greater awareness that injuries are more consequential for an older person. Get hurt, and not only will you take longer to recover, you will lose more muscle mass during an extended layoff. So you need to be a lot more cautious about fast or ballistic movements, even if they are valuable for preserving useful life skills (being able to recover from trips or balance upsets).
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You’ve noted the major points for training seniors. What you have suggested are fine guides.
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I started training at 18 and turned 51 last month. That’s not forever, but it’s most of my life and I never plan on stopping.
I think the keys to training longevity (aside from health, both physical and mental) has been getting results at a young age and trying to maintain them as I get older. Other things: trying and experimenting with different training ideas and methods. Staying curious and making the process enjoyable. Everything I do is also sustainable; any kind of training (or diet for that matter) I do is something I can keep doing. Any sort of “unrealistic” training will cause one to drop out whether it’s something with very high effort and/or too much volume and frequency. It’s one thing to try something for a couple of weeks, but attempt to do that when it’s something you’re not going to be able to sustain doesn’t make sense to me as a non-pro. I think for a number of people who quit, they are doing something not sustainable in that regard.
About 19 years ago, I started training at home and love it. I save so much time and have a variety of different equipment in my basement gym (Powertec multi-station, leverage leg press, and free weights). When Covid first hit, I know the massive inconvenience for many who trained in gyms during lockdowns and/or the fear of catching the virus (especially the stronger original strains). Training at home was a real blessing.
For me, training three days a week for 20-30 minutes is the sweet spot for weight training. Once in a while, I might do it only twice a week. I also incorporate short rest periods and lighter weights compared to my younger years. I train closer to 70-90% effort with multiple sets. I also do power walking and/or biking three days a week for 25 min on non-weight training days.
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“Dr Darden: The Secret To Lifting Forever?”
Even when you are dead?