Ian Scott has been working out for 60 years and certified with the NFPT since 2012. His training philosophy is one to model because Ian gets results and maintains a strong client base at 80 years old. He also recently bench pressed 253 lbs. to take the record for the 80+ age category. In fact, Ian holds Six World Records in lifting and bodybuilding that have still not yet been beaten and he is still modeling on occasion.
Ian’s Fitness Journey
Ian is currently 5’6 1/2″ 175 lbs. but was 135lbs. in college. He was built but not muscular. Ian started running to get fit but didn’t get any results. So, he turned to lifting. “Gyms were for meatheads back then, now they are for health,” he told me.
Ian believes that lifestyle plays more of a role in fitness than genetics, although genetics does have an effect. Ian says, “I’ve always done contests and taken care of myself to be healthy.”
Before his fitness career, Ian represented a women’s apparel company. When Ian retired in his early 70’s he sat home for a while and got bored watching tv. A friend was an executive with LA Fitness, so Ian got certified to work there and the rest is history.
Ian’s Traning Philosophy
Ian trains athletes, people who want to do contests and those that just want to get in shape. He says, “If I get someone who is heavy, I tell them to do a water class once or twice a week and side steps around the pool perimeter. It’s a combo of that and working with me and that gets results. After 5-6 weeks working in the water, this one woman could lift her leg up high enough to get into the machine.”
“I’m a tough trainer. I’m more of a dictator than a democracy because I want to get my clients results. I have set opinions. I don’t believe much in aerobics. I believe in strength training to condense your muscles and eating well. If you don’t have muscle how can you hold balance? I train strength.”
Ian starts with 20 reps when training someone new. He works to condense the muscle to make them more solid and shapely – more firm verses just strong. Ian likes to start with machines to get the body used to working out. Then, he adds free weights. “I won’t teach someone something that they can do at home. We only have 25-30 minutes together. I train them on something they can get results from.You have to get results fast or the client walks away.”
Ian finds back strength to be very important. He mentioned that people hurt their backs lifting a briefcase because they aren’t used to picking up to the side. Plus, standing up straight gives the appearance of youth.
When it comes to powerlifting Ian believes that working secondary muscles is key to injury prevention and performance. Ian has never done cardio. He says that when you’re lifting properly and keep moving, you get the cardio. When people want to do cardio Ian does recommend elliptical vs. treadmill. more damaging to ankles and knees.
What Ian Eats
Ian learned a lot about eating and managing calories from participating in contests. He tries to keep the calories down. Ian said he is not super hungry at 80 years old. He eats 1600-1800 calories a day without much seasoning. Ian says, “The best exercise is FOOD. I don’t care how much exercise you do. What I do now is I try to be light on Friday on heavy on Monday. I stay within 3lbs. on the scale, because a lot of it is water. If you want to lose weight, stay within 2lbs.” Ian eats a lot of protein and meat. He’s not big on fish but eats salmon. He likes sweet potatoes and whole foods.
Ian participated in his last bodybuilding contest at 65 years old. He didn’t enjoy eating chicken breasts and broccoli 5 times a day to maintain the required 3.5% body fat. and 150lbs. for bodybuilding. So, that was the end of those competitions. Staying at 179lbs. for powerlifting was much more reasonable for him at that point.
Ian has noticed that some people can have more calories than others.
Ian’s advice for personal trainers
You’ve only got a certain amount of time (and money) as a client. The trainer needs to maximize the time. (young trainers eat food in front of their customers).
It’s not the easiest place to make money – training. Unless you’re known. A master trainer at LA Fitness makes $25/hour. If you’re not a master you’re paid $8/hour. I train because I like being there anyway.
Don’t eat or use the phone in front of a customer.
Don’t sit down.
Train people for their body type and needs, not your own.
The biggest problem is equipment isn’t used properly. People get tired and they use too short of a range of motion. Full range is how you get results.
