I’m addicted to weightlifting at the age of 84, says Sheila Hancock
IT’S an activity normally associated with burly young men.
But the latest convert to weightlifting is 84-year-old Sheila Hancock, who insists it is the perfect way to stay strong in old age.
The Bafta-winning star has revealed she has become ‘ addicted’ to it in recent months, after experiencing signs of muscle wastage in her arms.
She explained that she had started finding it difficult to lift her hand luggage into the lockers on planes.
But she refused to accept the notion that you have to get weak as you get older, and hired a personal trainer to teach her to lift the ‘same weights men do’.
Miss Hancock, whose late husband was the Inspector Morse actor John Thaw, explained: ‘I’ve been weightlifting. I love it. I’ve never done weights before. I always go to the gym but I usually do cardio.
‘I started going to the gym to get fit for a movie about climbing a mountain, which we filmed for two months solid, and now I’m addicted to it. This year I got a personal trainer and he got me into lifting weights.’
Discussing the level of weightlifting she has been doing, the actress, who is starring in Sky1 drama Delicious, said: ‘I don’t know the size of the weights I do but they are great big discs on the end of the pole.
‘They’re the same size as the ones the men do. Before, I could barely lift just the pole.’ She added: ‘There’s lots of medical evidence to support the fact that it’s incredibly good for bones and strength and all sorts of age-related problems.
‘I feel so strong now. I was beginning to notice I couldn’t put my hand luggage above my seat on a plane, and that sort of thing. It was all muscle wastage to do with getting older.
‘Lifting weights has restored muscle that had gone. My bicep is back now. My lower arms are strong. Some people do weights to look toned but I just want to stay strong as I get older. You don’t have to get weak as you get older – I’ve proved that.’
Health experts say there is no reason older people like Miss Hancock shouldn’t life weights. Huw Edwards, of non-profit group UKActive, said : ‘Government guidelines recommend at least two strength training sessions a week to stay healthy and this is particularly important for over-65s who need to maintain strong bones, muscles and joints to prevent falls.’
And Philippa Hobson, of the British Heart Foundation, said: ‘Countless studies have shown that regular exercise is beneficial to your heart health, even into old age.
Although we’re not aware of specific evidence that shows weightlifting is more beneficial, when done responsibly and within your capability it can certainly play a valuable role in a person’s exercise regime.’