PUMP IRON? WHO, ME? YES, YOU! HERE'S WHY
By J. Howard Green

(MONEY Magazine) – MARCIA SINGER, 59, loves to flex her biceps for her five grandchildren. ''My friends all think I'm nuts, of course,'' she says. ''But it's better than flab, and I feel great.'' Singer, a widow from Harrison, N.Y., turned to weight training a year ago during her husband's terminal illness. Now, three days a week, she works out at a gym under the supervision of a trainer. She puts in a grunt-intensive 40 minutes pumping the muscles of her arms, stomach and legs with dumbbells, barbells and a succession of weight machines. Barely able to support her weight with her arms when she started out, Singer now routinely knocks off 20 perfect push-ups at a clip. Until a few years ago, such efforts were the exclusively male domain of the over-oiled and underaged. Today the health-conscious of all ages and both sexes are pumping iron. In fact, says Everett Smith, a professor of exercise physiology at the University of Wisconsin, weight training is a good way to ''get a lean-looking body if you're active and middle-aged or older.'' Combined with a sensible diet and aerobic exercise to melt body fat, regular workouts can rid you of that sagging look and firm up the underside of your arms, the back of your legs and your stomach. In fact, the only advantage younger enthusiasts have over older ones is the hormone-based ability to look musclebound -- a dubious distinction if you are also trying to age gracefully. The results aren't just cosmetic. Says Dr. David Lowenthal, a professor of geriatrics at Mount Sinai Medical Center in New York City: ''The real benefit of a sensible weight-training program is that you will be able to do what you normally do with less risk of strain and injury, whether it's lifting a bag of groceries from the car or raking and bundling leaves.'' & And Robert Wiswell, a researcher at the University of Southern California's School of Gerontology, is testing his contention that weight training can slow weakening of bone tissue and the onset of osteoporosis. Weight training demands greater expertise than most other types of exercise. That's because working out the wrong way can either cause injuries or wind up being a waste of time. You might start your education with Getting Stronger by Bill Pearl and Gary Moran (Shelter Publications, $12.95). It is full of step- by-step illustrations showing the right way to perform exercises; there's even a section for the over-50 beginner. If you're still enthusiastic, decide whether you want to work out at home with a starter set of dumbbells (about $50 at a sporting goods store) or sign up at a local health club (average fee: $500 a year) or YMCA/YWCA for programs suitable for older people (around $150 a year). In either case, you should do your workouts under the guidance of an exercise professional. You can find one through the physical therapy clinic of your local hospital or a health club. Many trainers will make home visits for about $25 to $70 an hour. Look for someone with at least a bachelor's degree in exercise physiology or experience in teaching weight training for sports or dance and who is highly recommended by people your age. A pro is also useful in helping you sort your way through the tangle of dumbbells, barbells and weight machines, such as the complex Nautilus equipment in many gyms. Results can come quickly to the faithful. With a three-day-a-week routine, you should begin to feel a toning of your muscles in three to six weeks. And in 12 weeks, you should notice an improvement in posture and a new tautness of trunk and limb. And then? Consider Gene Crema, 65, of Scottsdale, Ariz., who was inspired four years ago by the photo of a 72-year-old body builder. Crema now works out five days a week and has entered the Arizona Senior Olympics twice, winning silver and bronze medals.