{"id":419422,"date":"2026-01-17T16:21:10","date_gmt":"2026-01-17T16:21:10","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/419422\/"},"modified":"2026-01-17T16:21:10","modified_gmt":"2026-01-17T16:21:10","slug":"im-an-83-year-old-personal-trainer-and-staying-active-remains-non-negotiable-for-me-heres-how-i-stay-fit-and-motivated","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/419422\/","title":{"rendered":"\u2018I\u2019m an 83-year-old personal trainer, and staying active remains non-negotiable for me. Here\u2019s how I stay fit and motivated\u2019"},"content":{"rendered":"

Harry W King proves that age really is just a number. At 83, he\u2019s still training four days a week, blending weight training with sessions on the rowing machine, and training others in his role as a Planet Fitness <\/a>trainer.<\/p>\n

\u201cMovement has always been part of who I am, and it still fuels my energy and independence today,\u201d he tells Tom\u2019s Guide as we sit down to speak. Harry\u2019s fitness journey began in high school, where he played basketball. He joined the Marine Corps after high school and earned his second-degree black belt in Karate.<\/p>\n

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\u201cOver the years, my activities have shifted, partly due to advanced osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, and, of course, age \u2014 I\u2019m now 83. But staying active remains non-negotiable for me,\u201d he says.<\/p>\n

You may like<\/p>\n

Read on to find out more about King\u2019s inspiring story, the walking workout he swears by, and the advice he gives to fellow seniors looking to get back into fitness. As a reminder, if you\u2019re returning to exercise from an extended break, it\u2019s always a good idea to seek advice from a qualified professional.<\/p>\n

What does a normal week of training look like?<\/p>\n

\u201cI train four days a week, blending weight training with cardio on machines like the bike, elliptical, and my personal favorite, the rower,\u201d Harry shares. <\/p>\n

\u201cI recommend people pursue a weight training program to build muscle strength and endurance, improve balance, bone density and weight control, and to engage with a trainer to ensure proper technique. I often separate workouts by muscle group across three days: upper body one day, lower body another and core work on the third.\u201d<\/p>\n

When it comes to finding the right weight, Harry tells his clients to build up slowly. \u201cSeniors can absolutely follow similar programming as younger athletes, as long as they listen to their bodies and avoid lifting too heavy too soon.\u201d <\/p>\n

If you\u2019re a complete beginner or returning to exercise following an extended break, Harry recommends the following bodyweight exercises: <\/p>\n

Push-ups CrunchesCrossover crunches Chin-upsSquatsCrab walksLunges <\/p>\n

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\"a\n<\/p>\n

(Image credit: Shutterstock)Can you share a walking workout? <\/p>\n

\u201cWalking is one of the most accessible workouts at any age \u2014 no equipment needed, and you can do it almost anywhere. I recommend adding variety to make it more effective and enjoyable,\u201d says Harry.<\/p>\n

\u201cOn the treadmill, you can consider interval training, incorporating bursts of more active movement with less intense rest periods, for example, walking quickly for two minutes and then slow to a recovery pace for one minute.\u201d<\/p>\n

If you’re looking for more of the best walking workouts<\/a>, you’re in the right place. It’s also worth checking out the Japanese Walking Method<\/a>, which helps build cardiovascular fitness and burn fat. <\/p>\n

What would your advice be for a complete beginner?<\/p>\n

\u201cI encourage people who are part of the aging population to continue or begin their fitness journey. Start small, and don\u2019t let intimidation stop you. You don\u2019t need an elaborate plan at the beginning \u2014 a few simple, consistent habits can make a big impact. Begin with exercises you already know, like walking, gentle stretching, or standing up from a chair without using your hands,” says Harry.<\/p>\n

What are your current fitness goals? <\/p>\n

\u201cAt 83, my goals are centered on staying strong, mobile and independent. I want to maintain muscle strength and support balance. My goal is to keep moving through forms of exercise that I truly enjoy and stay consistent. Consistency is what I believe has kept me feeling young all these years,\u201d says Harry. <\/p>\n

Looking for more inspiration? <\/p>\n

Here\u2019s where to start with “More from Tom’s Guide.”<\/p>\n

More from Tom’s Guide<\/p>\n

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Follow Tom’s Guide on Google News<\/a> and add us as a preferred source<\/a> to get our up-to-date news, analysis, and reviews in your feeds. <\/p>\n

Get instant access to breaking news, the hottest reviews, great deals and helpful tips.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Harry W King proves that age really is just a number. At 83, he\u2019s still training four days…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":419423,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[37],"tags":[64,63,538,137],"class_list":{"0":"post-419422","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-fitness","8":"tag-au","9":"tag-australia","10":"tag-fitness","11":"tag-health"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/419422","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=419422"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/419422\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/419423"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=419422"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=419422"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=419422"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}