Woman shares her 85-year-old dad's incredible progress at the gym: ‘Comes over to weight train twice a week’

For Jeana Aragon, helping her father train with weights at the gym is not just about helping him stay fit, but also making the process enjoyable for him.

To stay healthy and active as one ages, the importance of strength training cannot be overstated. People grow weaker with age due to the loss of muscle mass and the weakening of bones and joints, among other things. One of the natural ways to slow it down is through strength training.

Taking to Instagram on May 29, health and fitness influencer Jeana Aragon showed off how her 85-year-old father worked out at the gym to stay remarkably fit at his age. She shared that the man trains twice a week under her guidance, and she ensures that he returns every week.

How Jeana plans her father’s strength training

“When my dad comes over to weight train twice a week, he thinks he’s just working certain muscles while lifting and lowering the weights during the exercise, but there’s so much more that I’m thinking about,” wrote Jeana in the caption.

“I think about all of those, plus everything surrounding the exercise that goes on to help him stay strong, mobile, and ageing well. My job is to keep him coming back again and again so he can keep training all of the muscles involved to keep him mobile and strong.”

For the elderly, the motivations to work out are different from those of an average young gym buff. Jeana understands that well and makes sure to engage with her father during his workout sessions in a manner that will make him look forward to their time together at the gym.

As she shared, “Included in all that is one of the most important pieces… I try to always have him leave our sessions feeling good… connected… and cared for. I hope he always leaves feeling filled up, and looking forward to his next session.”

Weight training done by the 85-year-old

In the video that Jeana uploaded on Instagram, her father is performing two particular exercises with weights.

The first exercise is a variation of weighted squats. In the clip, the man is seen standing on a raised platform and holding on to a weight in between his legs. The raised platform makes it easier for him to go down with the weight and then get back up.

The second workout is the good old dumbbell bench press, which involves lying on a bench and lifting dumbbells in both hands upwards towards the ceiling and then slowly bringing them back down to the chest.

Jeana shared that her father can still maintain balance while getting on and off elevated surfaces and has the strength to carry around more than 80 pounds, which is an impressive feat.

Note to readers: This article is for informational purposes only and not a substitute for professional medical advice. It is based on user-generated content from social media. HT.com has not independently verified the claims and does not endorse them.