Also, for the OP who's having a tough time working out at the "older" ages...try this.

1. Run outside for 15-20 minutes. Even pace. Not too fast and not too slow. You should break a sweat for the second half of your run.

2. Stretch.

3. Do in a circuit the following.
- 15 jumping jacks.
- 10 push ups (knee or toes, whichever works).
- 10 ab reps (whatever you like, just use proper technique).

Do #3 for as many sets as you can. What you'll see is the more you do it, each day you'll be able to do more sets. There is no weight by your body weight and it keeps the heart pumping which burns calories. Also, these items work your entire body if proper technique is used.

Anonymous wrote:Um, I get pretty damn excited when I'm sore after a work out. I'm thrilled if I have to take advil to sit on the toilet after a heavy dose of lunges and squats. The only way I can shape and maintain this body is via muscle soreness.

You don't stop exercise becasue you get old. You get old because you stop exercise.

My mom is 70 and lifts weights. She still looks great in a short dress. I would need a catastrophic event not to exercise. Most middle aged women I see at the gym are wasting their time prancercising.

You should never generalize. I was a professional fireman for nine years, in the later portion I ended up with two very poor knees and a slip disc in my back. I retired from the department. I used to be in excellent shape, was a sprinter for eight years, worked out everyday, etc etc... Now, I run and workout maybe 1-2 times a week at most due to my work and physical condition.

I don't think I'm getting old because I stopped exercising. I'm getting old because I'm getting old. Many people simply don't have the time. Yes, there are people who are too busy to work out. My mom is in great shape and health, but she's been retired for over 20 years and has time to workout every morning. I do not.

Anonymous wrote:Um, I get pretty damn excited when I'm sore after a work out. I'm thrilled if I have to take advil to sit on the toilet after a heavy dose of lunges and squats. The only way I can shape and maintain this body is via muscle soreness.

You don't stop exercise becasue you get old. You get old because you stop exercise.

My mom is 70 and lifts weights. She still looks great in a short dress. I would need a catastrophic event not to exercise. Most middle aged women I see at the gym are wasting their time prancercising.

Not if they're happy.

Seriously, I see a lot of women who are either exercise addicts or borderline anorexics. None of them seem happy on a daily basis.

Sure, once in a while, having to take advil after a hard workout is one thing. But daily or even weekly having to take advil because you are that sore is not what I view as a healthy, happy life. If the point of not getting "old" or "out of shape" is to avoid conditions that cause pain and discomfort, it seems to me sort of ridiculous and pointless to try to combat that with a regime/routine that causes just as much pain and discomfort.

I'm a fan of moderation, and that includes exercise. It's good to be active. But I don't think it's good to on any kind of regular basis be in so much pain that it's hard to sit on a toilet.

And frankly, I hope when I'm 70, I don't obsess over my body and how I look in a short dress. That doesn't fit my definition of happiness. I want to be able to be active and to get around, but I don't think you have to kill yourself at the gym every day to achieve that. And in fact, there are a lot of fitness nuts who end up with pretty serious chronic conditions when they're older because they over did it too much and too often.

Sore is the new sexy... it means you are doing something right! Get moving and keep moving to stay strong, flexible not matter what age!

Pain is bad - it points to injury.

Soreness means you worked something harder than usual or in a different way, which is good. I exercise every single day and like it that I can still be sore after an especially intense yoga class. (like last night. my power yoga teacher worked us so hard I wanted to curl up in the fetal position, whimpering. Instead I just sneered at her while I held plank for 3 freaking minutes.)

Keep at it and the soreness will stop. At least you won't get as sore, as often.

Um, I get pretty damn excited when I'm sore after a work out. I'm thrilled if I have to take advil to sit on the toilet after a heavy dose of lunges and squats. The only way I can shape and maintain this body is via muscle soreness.

You don't stop exercise becasue you get old. You get old because you stop exercise.

My mom is 70 and lifts weights. She still looks great in a short dress. I would need a catastrophic event not to exercise. Most middle aged women I see at the gym are wasting their time prancercising.

Soreness is not some horrible thing. If you work out hard and are challenging yourself, it happens whether you're 50 or 15. You're doing it right.

Anonymous wrote:This is ridiculous -40 is hardly old and neither is 45. if you continue to only do one type of exercise you will see no significant gains in health or fitness - soreness is a sign that you are working out muscles you haven't previously (or lately) used. It's a good thing - keep going and stop blaming things on your age. Go look around the gym and see all the much, much older people who are in phenomenal shape and use them as your inspiration. Also, if you haven't consulted a certified trainer than you should do so to ensure that you are actually doing whatever you're doing the right way. Soreness doesn't mean you are overdoing it!

There are two women in my 'hood who walk every single - rain, snow or shine.

They are in their mid to late 40s and look great!

there's a difference between soreness and injury. The first is fine, the second is not. I suggest a few sessions with a trainer to make sure you're working out with good form and to help you formulate a plan. The ideal workout schedule--for me--would be yoga 2x/week (ashtanga, which varies by isntructor), spinning once, hiking once, and swimming once.

"soreness" is vague. Sure, it can be a sign that you are working your muscles.

It can also be a sign of arthritis. It can also be a sign that you are overworking.

If you have been working out for a while, varying your routine, and your still getting significant soreness, then there's a problem.

for the PP who references "bad pain," that is very hard for a person to determine. For example, sometimes leg pain has to do with a back issue.

Not to mention, most people feel pain sensations and can't really pinpoint where it is coming from.

If what you are doing to exercise ultimately makes you feel worse MOST of the time, then there is a problem. Sure, it should feel intense while you are doing it, and sometimes there's a little residual soreness.

But I disagree with the others that regular, persistent soreness is a good thing.

Maybe develop a regular routine, and one week a month mix it up a little bit with something else that is low-impact. My guess is that the things you are doing to "vary" your workout is high impact, and that is the source of the pain. Just a guess.

Well, muscle soreness is a sign that you're working your muscles. If you don't have some soreness, you're not working hard enough. You should not be aiming to avoid soreness; soreness is good and you should embrace it, unless the pain you're talking about is "bad" pain, like joint pain or back sprain.

This is ridiculous -40 is hardly old and neither is 45. if you continue to only do one type of exercise you will see no significant gains in health or fitness - soreness is a sign that you are working out muscles you haven't previously (or lately) used. It's a good thing - keep going and stop blaming things on your age. Go look around the gym and see all the much, much older people who are in phenomenal shape and use them as your inspiration. Also, if you haven't consulted a certified trainer than you should do so to ensure that you are actually doing whatever you're doing the right way. Soreness doesn't mean you are overdoing it!

Getting old sucks. I agree with you. I'm in the same boat and about to turn 45. The aches and pains just keep on coming.

Maybe it's me. I read you are supposed to vary the type of exercising you do so you work all the different muscles and blah blah blah. Well I'm 40 and I'm varying and Tylenol and Alleve are my friends. When I don't vary and I just say do stairmaster and a few other things 3 times a week-no pain. When I mix it up and never do the same thing twice in a week-pain and soreness follow even with the old standar exercises.

I'm trying to do the right thing to avoid soreness. I listen to my body and try not to overdo it. I'm getting new orthotics because mine are really old and worn. I'm trying to use good form. Yet, as I type I'm thinking I need to finally surrender and take my first dose of Tylenol for today.