The Never Too Old to Lift Podcast

This episode is a bit different, it's the audio from a free live session I ran called Getting Started with Strength Training After 60. Most of it translates well to audio, and there's a short section partway through where I'm demonstrating exercises on screen, I describe what I'm doing as I go, but if you'd like to see the video, it's linked below.
In this session I cover:
Why strength training matters more as we get older, not less, and how few of us are actually meeting the guidelines
The most common objections to getting started, and how to work through them
How Phil, a patient of mine, started strength training at 76 with no gym background and no formal exercise history
How Jan found what strength training gave her that yoga and tennis couldn't
What muscle strength actually is, and how to know if an exercise is building it
How to choose exercises, stay consistent, and progress safely over time
Live listener questions, answered as they came in

Full episode with the video demonstration: https://nevertoooldtolift.com/podcast057
Hear more from Jan and Phil in their own words:
Jan, on what strength training gave her that yoga and cardio couldn't: https://nevertoooldtolift.com/podcast028
Phil, on starting strength training at 76 with no gym background: https://nevertoooldtolift.com/podcast048

Free strength training guide: https://nevertoooldtolift.com/ebook
Stronger for Life community: https://www.skool.com/stronger-for-life-8673
Simply reply or email chris@nevertoooldtolift.com with any questions; I'm happy to help.

Strength training is one of the most powerful things you can do to reduce your risk of falling. But it's only one part of the picture.
In this episode, I'm joined by Dr. Shawn Waller, a Doctor of Physical Therapy from the US who has spent his career working out exactly why falls happen. He explains that fall prevention isn't just about strength.
Your body relies on four systems to keep you balanced: strength, vision, sensation, and your inner ear. If any one of those is weak, your balance suffers, no matter how strong you are.
We cover:
Why falls aren't an inevitable part of ageing, and can be prevented
The four systems your body needs for balance, and how to test each one at home
Why strength is your body armour, and which muscles matter most
The hidden balance system most people have never heard of
What orthostatic hypotension is and why hydration affects your risk of falling
How to make your home safer
Why being prepared for a fall matters as much as preventing one

Shawn's fall prevention courses, Fall Proof Body and Fall Proof Home, are available with 25% off using the code NTOTL at checkout.
Fall Proof Body course: https://yourptguy.com/fallproofbody/?affiliate=christiley
Fall Proof Home course: https://yourptguy.com/fallproofhome/?affiliate=christiley
Fall Proof Life Bundle (best value): https://yourptguy.com/fallprooflife/?affiliate=christiley

The links above are affiliate links, meaning I may earn a small commission if you make a purchase. This doesn't cost you anything extra, and it helps support the podcast.
Links mentioned:
Shawn's website: https://yourptguy.com
Shawn's YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@yourPTguy
Don't Fall (Shawn's book): https://geni.us/zsWYA

Balance tests mentioned:
30-second sit-to-stand test: https://www.physio-pedia.com/30_Seconds_Sit_To_Stand_Test
Timed Up and Go (TUG) test: https://www.physio-pedia.com/Timed_Up_and_Go_Test_(TUG)
Romberg test: https://www.physio-pedia.com/Romberg_Test
Sit-to-rise test: https://www.discovermagazine.com/simple-sitting-test-predicts-how-long-youll-live-12
Full show notes: https://nevertoooldtolift.com/podcast056

Finishing a programme and not knowing what comes next is one of the most common reasons people stop training altogether. Not because they want to, but because without a clear next step, life fills the gap very quickly.
In this episode, Chris Tiley takes the three principles from last week, progressive overload, variation and periodisation, and turns them into a practical framework you can use straight away, whatever stage you are at.
Whether you have just finished a programme, been doing the same thing for months, or feel like your progress has stalled, by the end of this episode, you will have three clear questions to ask yourself and know exactly what to do next.
Shownotes:
For the full show notes page, go to:
https://nevertoooldtolift.com/podcast055/
This episode builds directly on the last episode. If you haven't listened to that yet, start there first: https://nevertoooldtolift.com/podcast054
Topics covered:
How to know whether you actually need a new programme or just need to keep going
The honest question most people avoid asking themselves
How to use exercise variation without losing your progress
Why dropping the weight back down is not going backwards
What periodisation looks like in practice and when to start thinking about it
The three questions to ask when your programme ends or stops working

🔗 Links
Free strength training guide: https://nevertoooldtolift.com/ebook
Stronger for Life: https://nevertoooldtolift.com/course
Email Chris: chris@nevertoooldtolift.com

Ever finished a program and had no idea what to do next? Or followed a plan without really understanding why it was built the way it was?
You're not alone. A lot of people are great at following programs but feel completely lost the moment the plan runs out, or when something needs to change. And the reason is almost always the same: nobody ever explained the principles behind the program in the first place.
In this episode, Chris breaks down the three core principles that underpin every well-designed strength training program:
Progressive overload: Why the body adapts to whatever you give it, and why that means you have to keep increasing the demands over time. It's not about more weight for the sake of it. It's about staying slightly ahead of what your body has already figured out.
Variation: Why doing the same exercises indefinitely will eventually stop working, and how to change things strategically without losing the consistency that builds strength in the first place.
Periodisation: Why well-designed programs move through different phases and rep ranges intentionally, and why that's actually protective for your joints as well as effective for your progress.
This is part one of a two-part series. Next week, Chris takes these three principles and shows you exactly how to apply them in practice, including what to do when a program ends, how to know when it's time to change things, and what the next phase of your training should look like.
Whether you're someone who's just finished their first program and isn't sure where to go next, or you've been training for a while and feel like your progress has stalled, this episode gives you the framework to start making decisions with confidence.
This episode references Episode 2: How to Build Muscle Strength: https://nevertoooldtolift.com/podcast002
Shownotes:
For the full show notes page, go to:
https://nevertoooldtolift.com/podcast054/

📧 Questions? chris@nevertoooldtolift.com
📖 Free eBook: https://nevertoooldtolift.com/ebook
💪 Stronger for Life course: https://nevertoooldtolift.com/course

"I do go to the gym, but I don't do deadlifts, I know they're bad for my back." Chris hears this in the clinic regularly, and in this episode, he wants to challenge it.
The fear around deadlifts is completely understandable, but the belief that they're dangerous might actually be leaving your back more vulnerable, not less.
In this episode, Chris covers:
Why the fear around deadlifts is so common, and where it usually comes from
Why pain after a deadlift doesn't necessarily mean you've caused damage
The concept of load tolerance, and why it changes everything
Why avoiding the movement might be creating a bigger risk down the line
How to introduce deadlifts safely, step by step, even if you've had a bad experience in the past
When to seek professional guidance before getting started

Whether you've been avoiding deadlifts for years or you're just nervous about starting, this episode will give you a clearer, more confident picture of what the evidence actually says.
Shownotes:
For the full show notes page, go to:
https://nevertoooldtolift.com/podcast053/
Links and resources:
Free strength training guide: nevertoooldtolift.com/ebook
Show notes: nevertoooldtolift.com/podcast053