Strength Training, Part 2: Going to the Gym

Because nothing says “aging well” like walking into Planet Fitness and pretending you know what you’re doing.

I love my at‑home Pajamacize routine — it’s efficient, it’s reliable, and it doesn’t require shoes. But when I need more than pajama‑level strength, I leave the house and head to Planet Fitness. It’s not glamorous, but it’s approachable and predictable, and it gets the job done.

Why Planet Fitness Works for Me

I actually started lifting about ten years ago when I worked at a company with an onsite gym. They charged for it, and eventually I realized Planet Fitness was cheaper than that supposedly subsidized gym. Plus Almost Fit Grandpa could go too. Win‑win.

(We’ve now visited PFs in at least five states. It’s fine. We’re fine.)

What I like about PF is that it feels approachable. They have a bunch of machines, all with instructions, and if you have questions you can set up time with a trainer. Machines are also harder to hurt yourself on — if you load it up too much, you just… can’t lift it. No drama, no crushed toes.

Free weights have advantages, sure, because you have to stabilize yourself. But studies don’t show a huge difference in outcomes for most people. So I mostly stick to machines (including the Smith machine — a stabilized barbell) with a few lighter dumbbells sprinkled in.

My Two‑Workout System

I started with the standard PF trainer workout and then slowly added and removed exercises until I had two full‑body routines I rotate through. Nothing fancy — just a balanced mix of pushing, pulling, legs, and a little core. I try to go at least twice a week, which is enough to make progress and still have a life.

Here’s the part I had to figure out on my own: when we go consistently for a few weeks — two or three times a week — we start improving and upping the weights. But obviously you can’t keep increasing forever. Training plans online don’t really address this, and it took me several rounds of questioning an AI before I finally got the term: “maintaining peak fitness.”

But honestly? I never actually get there.

Life happens. One of us gets a cold. We travel. Grandparent duties pop up. Or, like recently, we went one day and it was so crowded we couldn’t get on a Smith machine, and we didn’t feel like standing around glaring at teenagers until they moved.

Note: I’m genuinely happy they’re there! I love seeing teenagers learn how to use a gym properly. When I played field hockey in high school, our coach took us to the weight room exactly twice, and the only instruction was a giant “NO PAIN NO GAIN” sign on the wall. So good for them. It’s just there’s a lot of them and they all show up at the same time, which is unfortunately when we’re there. We’re trying to adapt.

So we do what works: reduce as needed, then build back up. Same two workouts, adjusted weights or reps depending on how long it’s been.

My Actual Workouts (The Two‑Day Rotation)

By this point you might be thinking, “Okay, Fit Grandma, but what do you actually do when you walk into Planet Fitness?” Fair question. I keep it simple: two full‑body workouts that I alternate. No complicated splits, no 47‑step routines, no “glute activation circuits” that require six bands and a prayer.

Just machines. Just strength. Just consistency.

I started with the PF trainer’s beginner plan and tweaked it over time — keeping what worked, ditching what didn’t, and avoiding any machine that only exists in a single, always‑occupied specimen. I also check in with fitness experts now and then to see what they’re recommending. It’s not a fixed routine; it evolves. This current version has been working for a while, so now I mostly make small tweaks.

And because I’m a creature of habit (and also easily overwhelmed by too many choices), I like knowing exactly what I’m doing the moment I walk in. It keeps me from wandering around pretending to stretch while secretly hoping a Smith machine opens up.

For both workouts, I always start on the Smith machine with one no‑weight set — just to check my setup, warm up the joints, and make sure everything feels right before adding weight. On the machines I similarly do a few reps with a very light weight to check setup and warm up.

Workout A — Squat Day

• Smith Machine Bench Press

• Smith Machine Squats

• Seated Leg Curl (machine)

• Seated Row (machine)

• Triceps Extension (machine)

• Bicep Curls (dumbbells)

• Rear Delt Reverse Fly (dumbbells)

Workout B — Deadlift Day

• Overhead Press (Smith machine)

• Deadlift (Smith machine)

• Chest Fly (dumbbells)

• Leg Extension (machine)

• Lat Pulldown (machine)

• Calf Work (any machine or step)

Closing Thoughts (AKA: The Part Where I Don’t Tell You What To Do)

If there’s one thing I’ve learned from lifting, it’s that routines don’t have to be fancy to work. Mine certainly isn’t. It’s just two solid days I rotate through, week after week, adjusting when something feels off or when something is out of order.

I’m not here to give advice or tell you this is the “right” way to train. It’s simply what works for me — a 60‑something grandma who wants to stay strong enough to carry groceries, pick up grandkids, and go hiking once in a while.

There are a million guides out there for how to start lifting. This isn’t one of them. This is just my routine, my experience, and my ongoing experiment in staying functional, confident, and a little bit stubborn.

If you take anything from this, let it be this: Strength is allowed to look simple. Consistency counts more than perfection. And you’re never too old to get stronger.