So you want to be in amazing shape? Try taking a page from Gordon Borges’ book. At 75 years of age, 209 lean pounds, 14 percent body fat, with arms measuring 18 ½ inches and a chest that spans 47 ½ inches, Borges is an awesome picture of Healthful vitally. He has been working out consistently for over 58 years now, and the proof of his success is undeniable.

How does he do it? There are no fancy tricks or gizmos involved here, just a strong commitment to the 12 key principles outlined below:

1. Stretch before you train. This has been essential to keeping me healthy. I spend three to five minutes on the exercise bike and three to fivr minutes stretching before every workout.

2. Weight training is indispensible to the way I feel today. What I enjoy most is having good health: being able to get out of a chair without being stiff , being able to carry groceries. Those are basic abilities we take for granted, but they eventually leave us with the passing of time.

3. Train in moderation. Most beginners go into the gym wanting to see how much they can lift, and end up hurting themselves as a result. With me, weight training was primarily a way to maintain good health and a decent appearance over the years. I’ve never been a competitive weightlifter. I’ve never been a legitimate bodybuilder, but I have been conscious of my development.

4. Don’t hesitate to switch up your workouts. If the body isn’t aware of what’s coming, the surprise tends to help the muscle grow.

5. Allow your instincts to dictate what you do within the framework of your workouts. In the past, I would log everything and religiously adhere to a program. Now it’s a seat-of-my pants kind of thing. Reacting instinctively helps keep me engaged.

6. Keep the length of your workouts to between 40 minutes to one hour. The key is to make sure that you don’t overdo it in the interests of sustaining your fitness over a long period of time. It’s good to be gung-ho if there is a special goal ahead, say, a bodybuilding competition. But if you go all out all the time, you’re going to burn out.

7. Take one or two days off each week. It helps to rejuvenate you mentally and physically.

8. I weight-train three or four times a week. Allowing 48-hours rest to give my body recovery time.

9. Use free weights. That isn’t to say I haven’t used machines, but you can get better angles for developing various muscle groups using free weights that you can’t get with machines.

10. Proper form on all lifts is essential. It seems to really be one of the most important parts of working out. Reach a full contraction and go through a full range of motion on all movements.

11. If you’re not motivated, you’re not going to train. I’ve been training for 58 years and it’s not the easiest thing to do for that length of time. You have to have enthusiasm for what you want to accomplish.

12. You’re never to old to start.

At age 17, Gordon pursed weight training long before it become popular. Yes, for 58 years, he has vigorously strength-trained without interruption. Now, at age 75, he still finds weight training exciting and dynamic. Personal training became part of his life in the mid-1950s. Over these many years, he has trained men and women alike. To contact Gordon, send e-mail to: joandbud@cell2000.net

Reprinted in Vista magazine - Issue 27, from Men’s Fitness magazine - November 2001.