Still Working Out At 90

The variations of the Stability Ball Squat that Bill performed in this video are:

a) Deep Squat
b) Weight Resistance Dumbbell Squat
c) Squat Pause

Here are the priceless lessons that I’ve learned from Bill…

1) It’s Never To Late To Start Working Out

Bill hired me 10 years ago at the age of 80. At that point he had never touched a weight or performed a workout routine… ever! Many people questioned why he would start now and some even thought he was crazy. It’s so much easier to just sit back in a recliner and watch The Price Is Right or become fixated on soap operas. Bill chose the road less traveled and has been rewarded generously!

2) Working Out Enhances All Of Your Life Experiences

At 80 years young Bill was shuffle stepping and was really hunched over. He also lacked strength, which made it difficult to perform certain tasks. Now at 90 years young Bill can do anything that he wishes. He and his wife Patricia love to travel the world. Frankly, they are non-stop!!! I can’t keep up with all their travel arrangements

Most of their trips require a great deal of walking and one trip in particular had Bill jumping for joy upon his return home. It was a trip that they took to Japan last Spring. One of Bill’s goals was to climb to up to the old temples of previous Emperors. Hundreds of steps lead the way to the top and Bill was able to climb all of them and see these temples up close rather than from the base of the steps.

10 years ago before Bill began working out it would have been doubtful that he would have climbed up those steps. Imagine how different that experience would have been. Because Bill has his strength and endurance he was able to experience that vacation to the absolute fullest.

That’s a powerful lesson. Working out is much more than a means of losing weight or building muscle. It’s about living the best life possible. Becoming the best that you can be. Making the absolute most out of every experience. It’s about joy, happiness, and pride.

3) Fear Should Be Embraced

I have really challenged Bill during the past decade. There have been many exercises that he was afraid to perform, but he stepped up to the challenge and did the exercises in spite of his fear.

The greatest sense of satisfaction and pride comes after a moment when you do something that you didn’t think that you would be able to do. It has been incredibly rewarding for me to share in these experiences with Bill, to celebrate these victories, and to see him step outside of his comfort zone and continue to improve his fitness and health with each passing year.

Bill could have listened to his doctor and stuck to lifting soup cans and performing light exercise, but he wanted more than that. He has embraced every challenge because he understands that it’s the best way to improve.

4) Know Why You Want To Workout

For Bill, it’s all about quality of life. This is more than making the most out of the big experiences that I’ve mentioned above, such as climbing hundreds of steps to a Japanese Temple. It’s about the little things, like having the strength to pick himself up out of a deep sofa or low toilet. It’s about having the confidence in his balance while walking and having no fear of falling or worrying about breaking a hip. It’s about independence and freedom!

5) You’re Never Too Old To Have Role Models

Bill is pretty darn proud of himself and his accomplishments during the past decade, but he’s always looking for a reason to improve, which is why he loves to hear stories of other people his age or older who are achieving great things.

A few weeks ago I let Bill know that an 89 year old local man completed a triathlon. That certainly peaked his interest. And just yesterday I shared a great blog post with him that my buddy Tom Venuto wrote, which included a video of a 95 Year Old Still Pumping Iron.

I see that fire of desire burning in Bill’s eyes. It’s this passion for continuous growth that makes me feel confident that I will witness Bill continue to improve his health and fitness for years to come.

Fitness is a continuous journey made up of hundreds of short term and long term milestones. Transforming your body over a 12 week period is just one milestone in the big picture. That’s why it’s so important to focus on continuous growth and self-improvement. Reach a goal and discover new ways to improve your fitness, health, and physique. Set new goals and milestones to achieve. Celebrate your victories and look forward to more successes in the near and distant future. Most important… enjoy the journey and soak up every moment. The journey of health and self-improvement is a gift to be cherished and shared. Be proud of yourself and keep on ROCK’n!

To achieving your limitless potential,

Scott Tousignant

PS You can see Bill Performing another workout by visiting the post, “Your Never Too Old For A Quickie”

PPS Has this post eliminated some of your excuses for avoiding exercise?