104-year-old woman reveals secrets to strength training
By the age of 50, most of us are losing muscle mass but older people who lift weights can slow or reverse that descent – typically gaining strength and better mobility.
NSW
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Nola Harris is doing her weekly weight training, which she says is nothing remarkable — except Nola is 104.
She suffered a stroke a few years back and has been attending Balmain Hospital’s STRONG clinic since 2019, which helps seniors turn back the clock.
On the triceps pull-down she is expertly pulling 15kg, and on the leg raise she is actively building muscle.
“I’ll be a touch sore tomorrow,” she said.
Under the watchful eye of manager and exercise physiologist Dr Nathan Da Vos, 12 patients all aged 88 or over, attend the clinic two to three times a week for strength and resistance training aimed at treating conditions associated with ageing.
As Dr Da Vos explains, healthy ageing is not for the weak.
“There is a 1-2 per cent decline in strength per year after the age of 50, so you can lose 30 to 60 per cent of your strength just by ageing,” he said.
“Most of our patients present with osteoporosis and falls, so we are working on muscle mass that declines with age. Conditions associated with ageing cannot be fixed I six weeks, it is something that needs to be sustained.
“The ageing of muscles can be reversed with regular strength training.
“You can get 20 per cent gains I the first month and over six to nine months you can gain 50 per cent in strength.”
Marion McGregor is 96 and has been attending the clinic for 10 years. When she first started, she could only leg lift 7kg but now can lift 27kg — an impressive improvement of 177 per cent.
“I do all the machines twice a week,” the Balmain great-grandmother said.
“I think it has kept me walking.”
Dr Francis Burns, a former Royal Prince Alfred physician, is also 96. His motivation is his wife, who at 92 has Alzheimer’s and is blind. Dr Burns is her full-time carer.
“I know it’s good for me and as I am my wife’s care, I have to keep myself upright,” he said.
Bill Leis is 100 and has been coming to the clinic for 17 years. On the tricep pull-down, he easily peels off 18 reps with good technique. His wife died 20 years ago but he still lives on his own and is independent, one of the key aims of the clinic.
“It keeps me going,” he said.
During the lockdown, the clinic had to close for several months and has only just started back.
“My mobility really dropped off, now I’m back I’m hoping to get it back,” he said.
After class, they are all served a protein drink to help assist in muscle development.
Sipping on his, he quipped: “I’m a body builder.”
Star pupil Nola Harris, a former sergeant and court reporter in the army, was born in October 1917 and was based in Darwin in World War II.
She could easily pass for being 80 and jokes she reads the obituaries every day to make sure she’s still here.
“Well, what else would I read,” she laughed.
The lockdown closure of the clinic affected her and she felt the decline.
“We had the break and I thought I didn’t want to come back but when you live alone, you need something so I have just started back and I know it’s a good thing,” she said.
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