Steven, 72 – Start Low to Reach High!

Meet Steven Berkowitz. He’s one of the 2025 Senior Planet Sponsored Athletes, and he’ll be sharing updates on his health and wellness journey through the rest of this year. Steven, age 72, didn’t always put a priority on fitness. However, after challenging himself and seeing what he could accomplish, he’s put it back into focus for more than 40 years now. Steven has been dedicated to exercising nearly every day and showing that it doesn’t take much to get started and keep going.

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Whenever I begin or enhance a physical fitness program, the key for me is to know why I want to do it. What I found is – like many others – I want to live independently and be healthy for as long as possible. Therefore, it’s important to be smart how I go about exercising.

Going Near to Go Far

My fitness journey began when I was 30 years old and not in the best physical condition. I had a 2-year-old daughter and a desk job, which made finding time to exercise difficult. Yet, I knew I had to start somehow. So, on January 1, 1983, I began by jogging a half mile around my neighborhood after I returned home from work. It was January in Virginia, so it was dark and cold, but it still felt good. The next night, I jogged a half mile again. Then again on the next night, and the next night…

After three weeks of nightly jogging, I increased my distance to one mile. After another three weeks of jogging one mile nightly, I increased it to one-and-a-half miles. I continued this pattern of increasing my distance by half a mile every three weeks until I was jogging six miles a night consistently.

Eventually, I began training … to complete the Marine Corps Marathon.

To increase the challenge to myself, I began racing. Using the same philosophy, I built up from racing 5k to 10k and then 10-mile races. Eventually, I began training that entailed several week-end runs of 15 miles. It allowed me to complete the Marine Corps Marathon, which runs through the many historic monuments of Washington, D.C.

From Light to Heavy

After a few years, I realized something was missing. On any given day, we push, pull, bend, lift, twist, step up, step down, reach up, reach down, and move in ways that require muscle power and agility. We lose strength and muscle mass as we age, and I was not doing anything to counter this loss.

Thus, I began a resistance training program. Whether using body weight, resistance bands, free weights, or machine weights, resistance training helps maintain or build muscle strength – a critical component to living independently and being healthy.

I never compared myself to what others were doing; instead, I competed against myself by trying to improve…

Similar to how I began running, I started with extremely low weights. In my view, this is very important if you are just starting or are re-engaging in a resistance training program. The last thing you want to do is hurt yourself trying to be healthy. I gradually increased the weight and number of repetitions and sets I did. More importantly, I never compared myself to what others were doing; instead, I competed against myself by trying to improve on my prior month’s accomplishments.

Keeping in the Know

As I aged, I listened to my body and adapted to avoid injuries. Today, I do aerobics every day, but I do it on a stationary bike or cross trainer. I use lower weights for resistance training to avoid injury but still build and maintain muscle mass and power to support day to day activities. I also obtain a DEXA (Dual-energy X-ray Absorptiometry) scan, also known as a bone density scan, twice a year to help me chart my progress and am happy with the results.

Nutrition and flexibility are other critical elements in my fitness program, but I will save those for another blog.

It is never too late to invest in your health and wellbeing. Regular fitness exercises will boost your energy, improve mobility, and help you look and feel younger every day. Start small, stay consistent, and enjoy a stronger, more powerful version of yourself.

Save the Date

I look forward to connecting more with the Senior Planet community at my upcoming virtual presentation on Wednesday, May 21 at 1:30pm EDT. Save the date and stay tuned for more information as the date draws near!

In need of a little motivation to get moving? Join our daily health and wellness programs, stay tuned to the latest news and articles from SeniorPlanet.org by signing up for The Orbit weekly newsletter, and follow us on social media (Facebook | YouTube | Instagram) to get to know these awe-inspiring athletes. You might just find a new love for fitness along the way!

 

Images courtesy of Steven Berkowitz