“You’re Too Old For That” is a regular series that explores inspiring activities being pursued by those over 50 years old who feel you’re never too old to do what lights you up.

As an older adult, “strength and fitness” has a different meaning for me now, compared to my youth. I wasn’t strong or fit as a kid. I vividly remember failing a pull-up attempt during middle school, legs flailing while my 7th-grade crush watched and laughed. In high school I joined the cross-country team, thinking running could be my sport. I quit after two seasons’ worth of last-place finishes.

Decades later, at age 55, I’m enjoying my second career — as a personal trainer. I help clients enjoy their best lives through fitness. I’m grateful for, and even proud of, my past failures. They helped me become the person and coach I am today. The kid who couldn’t achieve a single pull-up in middle school became the grey-haired adult who knocks out 100 pull-ups (in sets of 5) every Sunday. I coach others how to do the same. My teenage cross- country shortcomings are motivational: I’ve gotten progressively faster with age and, I recently added “Cross-Country Coach” to my repertoire.

In her book Secrets of Giants: A Journey to Uncover the True Meaning of Strength, the author Alyssa Ages explores the question: “What if strength isn’t about how much we can lift, but how we manage life’s struggles?”

Secrets of Giants is one of my favorite books, because it resonates. Becoming a personal trainer later in life helped me overcome my struggles of being a wimpy, slow kid. Equally important, it showed me a path to serving others. By guiding clients along their fitness journeys, I’m able to help them achieve healthier, happier, and longer lives.

It took me 11 years to make the leap into this new career. It only took a few months to glimpse the impact that I could have.

Lesson #1: Humility

My first “job” as a personal trainer was a humble one. I led free, twice-weekly workouts for low-income seniors. Our workouts were held in the common room of their apartment complex. We shared space with two community computers and one TV, which was routinely tuned to “The Price Is Right”. Our “gym equipment” consisted of some chairs, the students’ own bodyweight, plus hand weights and bands that I lugged around in my Jeep.

One of my regulars “Helen,” a woman in her 70’s, stopped showing up for class. No one said what happened to her. I wasn’t comfortable to ask.

Helen returned about a month later. To my surprise, she wanted me to know what happened. Her adult son, who lived out of state, was experiencing homelessness and addiction. He needed emergency hospitalization, so Helen dropped everything to catch a flight. She stayed by her son’s side until he left the hospital.

Helen’s selflessness was particularly impressive because she had her own serious health issues. I had been modifying all her workouts, so that she could perform them while seated, because standing was too strenuous.

Helen told me something that made me realize why she was so willing to open up to me: She said that our twice-weekly workouts in the common room saved her life. Helen was convinced that the strength she’d acquired during our sessions was the reason she survived her month-long ordeal. I was stunned, and full of gratitude.

A lot has happened for me in the ensuing years since that experience. I train clients in my own studio that I designed and helped build from the ground up. No more borrowing chairs or sharing space with the “Price Is Right.” I still volunteer. I’ve witnessed, and written about, more life-changing fitness transformations.

Lesley, one of my clients in her 70’s, is a breast cancer survivor. Chemo left her weak and depleted. Two years into our workouts, she’s stronger and fitter than ever. Jack, who’s in his 80’s, was on path to an unhealthy death (just like his dad) due to poor habits, until strength training saved him. Mary, also in her 70’s, discovered that strength training improved her well-being to a point where she no longer requires anti-anxiety medication.

Lesson #2: Gratitude

Given that it took me 11 years to put my dream job into action, one might think that I developed a solid plan for the transition. Not exactly. Three things I had going for me were:

1) Enough savings to get me started; 2) A personal training accreditation that I earned over long hours on evenings and weekends while working my day job (I’ve since added more accreditations); 3) An incredibly supportive partner, Jen, who became my wife.

I wouldn’t be where I am without Jen’s belief and encouragement. Any time I’d get anxious about making such a huge career change, Jen was the one to steady me and tell me that everything would be alright. But she’s much more than a cheerleader. She literally gets her hands dirty. She helped me repaint my first studio. When we built our second studio, she did all the demolition with me. Best of all, she’s my training partner: Four days per week we start our day with a morning workout in our gym.

Lesson #3: Pay it Forward

When I was a corporate vice president leading a large team, I felt like I had to know all the answers, even when I didn’t know them. “Fake it ‘til you make it” was real. A liberating thing about starting a second career was: Admitting that there were a lot of things I didn’t know. Fortunately, there are many experienced trainers and coaches in this industry, who are happy to share their knowledge with newcomers.

“Big Mike” Arnone founded one of the most-popular Boot Camp workouts in the world, on the sunny beach of Santa Monica, California. Dolphin sightings, dazzling sunrises, fun music, and creative exercise circuits earned Big Mike glowing write-ups in GQ and Details magazines. His business had hundreds of 5-star Yelp reviews. My business had zero reviews. Nonetheless, Mike made ample time to advise me. His guidance was instrumental in helping me market and grow my fitness business. I’ve since had my own opportunities to pay it forward with other up-and-coming trainers.

I’m glad that I found my calling later in life. My younger self simply wasn’t ready. I wouldn’t be here without my past experiences, hard work, and a lot of support.

Are you doing something inspiring? Do you know someone who is pursuing a passion in their older years? If you or someone you know is 50 years old or older and should have their inspiring story told, please email the editors at Nifty 50+

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