Kitty Duffy had to think about her health and fitness because of quarantine. It started with long walks by the sea, which were easy for the 67-year-old who lived in Brighton. Then came Joe Wicks workouts for strength training. So far, so good.
But when Kitty started using small weights, something clicked. She quickly moved on to bigger barbells, and she didn’t stop there. Kitty laughs and says, “I ate and drank a lot during lockdown.” “But I also walked a lot, and when I did Joe Wicks because my grandkids were doing it, I realized that I really liked it.”
The appeal of lifting weights made Kitty switch from working out in the living room to powerlifting, which is a type of strength training that includes three lifts: the squat, the bench, and the deadlift. “It’s the look of lifting heavy things,” she says. “I started working out with a personal trainer and realized that I was very strong, not just for my age but for anyone. That helped me.”
Breaking Limits and Powerlifting
Kitty decided to switch careers in her early sixties because she was becoming more and more confident. “I was a Director of Children’s Social Care, and then someone told me to become a personal trainer,” she says. “I finished the course to become a personal trainer when I was 62. That was fine with me; I was the oldest person in the class.” Kitty heard about a powerlifter named Betty Gray during this time. Betty is “a little bit younger than me.” She was interested. “I’d never heard of powerlifting,” she says. “I got a coach.” His name is Delroy McQueen, and he’s a superstar. I started powerlifting when I was 63.
Going Beyond Limits
What if the main thing holding you back is that you don’t trust your body or your skills? Kitty, surprisingly, felt the same way. “I was scared at first!” We all think that people are judging us, that we’re not good enough, or that we’re doing it wrong.
Kitty was able to get over this, which is a good thing. For many of us, one good thing about getting older is that we learn to care less about what other people think. And even though gyms can seem scary, most of them are nice, including the one where Kitty trains and coaches. She says, “I’m based at Kings Gym Brighton, and there are some great people here. Once people come in, they’re likely to stay.”
Kitty’s Training Philosophy
One of her clients is 70 years old, and her powerlifting clients range in age from 15 to 63. This shows that you can start at any age. “And I have one client who has been overweight her whole life. We work with what she brings, and we’ve cut down on her insulin needs by a lot,” Kitty says.
Kitty’s Focus on Diet
Kitty’s diet is very important to her. The right food helps her train harder and maybe even get hurt less. But protein should be a necessary part of every woman’s diet, even if she doesn’t work out. “To keep muscle mass and bone density, it’s necessary.” Kitty says, “I always make sure that there’s a source of protein with every meal.” And I take supplements because our bodies need more protein as we get older. I add protein powder to my oatmeal, which gives me an extra 22 grams of protein to start the day.
Supplements and Training
Some supplements can also help with training. For example, Kitty takes creatine. “It doesn’t cost much, has almost no side effects, and lets you train a little harder,” she says. “Some new information about creatine and brain health is also coming out.”
Kitty’s Secrets to Success
Kitty takes some of her clients to events so they can get used to competing when she’s not training herself or others or winning competitions. “I’m taking seven women to Iron Maidens,” she says. Some of us may think of school sports days and get nervous when we hear the word “competition,” but Kitty says these are welcoming and helpful places. Kitty says, “One woman has two young kids and is having trouble sleeping because of this. She also has a busy job, but she’s getting better and will be competing.” “It doesn’t matter that she’ll probably lift less than everyone else there. Everyone is very supportive of what you’re doing for yourself.”
Mindset and Discipline
So, what’s Kitty’s secret to doing well in her later years? “You need to be disciplined, and it needs to become a habit.” She tells you, “You won’t get that in a couple of weeks.” “You have to tell yourself that this is what you do to get ready for when you’re really old and need to use the stairs and pick up your grandkids.” I want to be able to run! I believe that if we’re over 50, we need to start making plans and thinking about why we’re doing this.
A lot more women, even older women, are now powerlifting. Many studies have found that both resistance and strength training are important for staying healthy as you get older and living a long time. This is especially true for women going through menopause.
It’s important to be disciplined, but most of us will quit if something doesn’t interest us, so it’s important to find something you enjoy doing. “I do it because it makes me feel great.” Kitty, who is a mother of three and a grandmother of five, says, “I train four days a week, and if I had the time, I’d do it every day, but I think my family would divorce me!” It has literally changed my life. Every day I feel thankful and lucky, and I’ll keep doing this until I can’t move.
How to Start Powerlifting
Practice the compound lifts: “In powerlifting, you want to lift as much weight as you can, maybe even move for one squat, bench, and deadlift.” She says, “These are the three compound moves.”
If you’re new to working out, Kitty says, “You can start with just resistance bands or your own body weight to build muscle.”
Think about getting a coach: “I think it’s important to have some training sessions and a program,” she says. “Otherwise, you start to feel stronger and stay at that level when you need to increase the intensity or the volume or both to push yourself a little bit harder.”
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“If you can’t get a coach, most gyms give inductions and show you what to do,” Kitty says. “If you can’t get to a gym, weights at home are fine as long as you keep making progress.” You can also take a class to do strength training as long as you’re pushed to get better.
