The former ballet dancer helping Lane Cove move better after 50

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Graham Rowe has spent twenty years proving that strength, balance and pain-free movement can be built at any age. At Pilates First in Lane Cove he is doing it with locals in their 50s, 60s and 70.

Graham Rowe has danced with the Australian Ballet and English National Ballet, so he knows exactly what a body can do when it is trained well. He also knows what it costs. Two decades ago, working through his own injuries, he turned to Pilates and rehabilitation exercise and found something that still drives his work today. The body can be rebuilt, and it is rarely too late to start.

Most of us treat stiffness and lost strength as the price of getting older. Graham sees it differently. After 50, muscle mass can fall by 1 to 4 per cent a year, which is why strength work becomes essential rather than optional. But that decline is not fixed. With intelligent, progressive training it can be slowed, and often reversed.

His system blends personalised strength and functional training, Pilates and rehab exercise. The goal is not extreme flexibility, and it is not punishing hours in a gym. It is functional mobility. Moving freely and efficiently through everyday life, whether that is getting up off the floor with the grandchildren, carrying the shopping or lining up a tee shot. A small number of well-chosen exercises, done consistently, does far more than the occasional heroic session.

Check out Graham’s Pilates First Mat Series 🎥

Men over 50

Training after 50 asks for a more thoughtful approach than it did a decade or two earlier. The aim is a progressive, well-rounded program that builds strength safely while keeping injury risk low, combining bodyweight work, resistance training, balance and movements that support posture and core.Stiffness is the other common complaint, usually in the hips, back, shoulders and neck, and it quietly affects everything from posture to how you play your sport. Graham is not chasing extreme flexibility. He is after functional mobility, so you move well in daily life and in the things you love, from golf to cycling to tennis.

Golf

If you want to keep playing and improving as you age, conditioning matters as much as technique. Rotational mobility, core and upper body strength, balance and posture all feed into a more powerful, controlled and consistent swing.You do not need hours of training to feel it. A handful of well-chosen exercises, done regularly, can make a real difference. Golf is a complex game, and looking after your body is every bit as important as your grip or the latest club in the bag. Whatever your handicap, better conditioning shows up in your performance, your recovery and, often to people’s surprise, on the scorecard.

Women over 50

For women over 50 the focus falls on strength, balance, mobility and the overall quality of movement. Strength training protects muscle mass and supports bone density, while balance, core stability, posture and flexibility keep you mobile, pain-free and confident on your feet.Strength and mobility can decline with age, but a well-designed program can slow that markedly and often turn it around. A mix of Pilates, resistance training, balance and mobility work delivers results that last, whether you are starting fresh or building on an existing routine.

Cycling

Cycling is a wonderful way to build cardio fitness and leg strength, and it is easy on the joints. The catch is the time spent in the saddle, which tends to tighten the neck, shoulders and upper back along with the hips, hamstrings and glutes. Those imbalances often turn into discomfort in the neck, lower back, hips and knees.Plenty of riders write this off as part of cycling, or just getting older. It does not have to be. The right complementary training targets the specific tightness and builds the core strength that lets you keep riding comfortably and efficiently.Whatever your starting point, Graham’s view is simple. The right training helps you feel and move better now, and keeps you active for decades to come. And the best time to begin is today.

Train at home with the mat series

If you would rather start in your own living room, or you want something to keep you ticking over between studio sessions, Graham has filmed a mat series you can follow online. Watch the Pilates First Mat Series →

Start with Pilates First

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