At 63, Pamela Quayle is convinced that the gym is no longer for her. She walks a little, watches what she eats, but nothing regular. When her daughter offers her video strengthening sessions, she accepts almost out of politeness.
This simple agreement changes the way he views bodybuilding after 60. A few years later, she described a stronger body, a redesigned silhouette and newfound confidence, even though she especially feared losing her autonomy.
Before age 63, sport was not a priority
Like many women her age, Pamela had long relegated fitness to the background. , she tells the Journal des Femmes.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, her daughter starts a program with a remote coach and offers to train with her. Pamela fears the pace, but accepts and does several weekly sessions with dumbbells, adapting the movements to her abilities.
His beginnings in bodybuilding after 60 years, between aches and pride
The first weeks are tough: fatigue, aches, doubts. Then the signs of progress appear quickly, with slightly heavier loads, fewer breaks and everyday actions which already seem easier.
In two years, the sixty-year-old discovered a passion for strengthening and surrounded herself with a specialized coach to continue gaining muscle while losing weight. , explains Pamela Quayle. She now works out four times a week, adds 30 minutes of cardio and walks nearly 10,000 steps a day.
Starting bodybuilding after 60: advice from coaches
Specialists point out that sarcopenia, the age-related loss of muscle mass, begins in your fifties: up to 1 to 2% per year if you don’t move. To reverse the trend, a coach interviewed by My Jugaad advises: , provided you progress slowly.
Afraid of the gym? The same coach suggests starting at home with a few simple exercises:
- chair-assisted squats
- ground basin surveys
He also emphasizes “anabolic resistance” after age 50 and recommends 30 to 40 g of protein per meal to help the muscle rebuild. As for Pamela, who became a coach herself, she sums up her journey in one sentence:
Is it possible to start bodybuilding after 60?
Yes. Pamela Quayle’s journey, which began at age 63, shows that muscles still respond very well to regular training.
How many bodybuilding sessions after 60 to progress?
A specialized coach recommends two to three sessions of 30 to 45 minutes per week, with slow and careful progression.
What bodybuilding exercises are suitable after 60?
To start, you can focus on assisted squats with a chair, pelvic raises on the floor and an under-table pull-up for the back.
