Started Lifting at 63: How She Built Strength to a 180lb Deadlift

Pamela Quayle didn’t grow up thinking of herself as a gym person. Fitness was something she squeezed in when she could, while family and work took priority. 

Then, during the COVID-19 pandemic, she said yes to training for one simple reason: her daughter wanted a workout buddy. She started at 63 and stayed consistent.

Fast forward to today: she is 68, still strength training for longevity, and has built her deadlift up to 180 pounds.

This is what her story teaches anyone searching for strength training after 60, body recomposition in midlife, or a safe way to start lifting weights later in life.

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Phase 1: Start where you are and adjust the plan

Pamela began with five full-body sessions a week using dumbbells, alternating upper and lower body. The plan was designed for her daughter, so Pamela modified exercises like Bulgarian split squats and pushups to match her ability at the time.

What mattered most in this phase:

• She showed up regularly.
  
  

• She kept the exercises doable.
  
  

• She tracked progress, even if it was small.
  
  

That early momentum is often the hardest part. Once it clicks, consistency becomes normal.

Phase 2: Upgrade your approach with coaching and better technique

After two years, Pamela wanted a plan tailored to her goals: build muscle, lose weight, and keep improving. She began working virtually with a midlife strength coach who introduced her to barbell lifts like deadlifts, hip thrusts, and squats, and helped refine her form through video feedback.

This is a key lesson for beginners at any age: good coaching speeds up progress by keeping technique clean, load appropriate, and training focused.

The training principles that made the biggest difference

Progressive overload, done patiently

Pamela prioritises progressive overload, even if progress is as small as adding one pound to the bar each week.

 
That approach is the backbone of getting stronger, especially when your goal is longevity and joint-friendly progress.

A simple weekly split you can repeat

Her current routine is four days per week: two upper-body sessions and two lower-body sessions. She typically performs six to seven exercises per workout, for three sets of 8 to 12 reps.

Smart intensity techniques

She also uses supersets to increase time under tension and build endurance while keeping sessions efficient.

If you enjoy structured strength work in a class format, Strength Development is designed around progressive strength training.

Why the deadlift became her signature lift

Pamela loves training lower body, and deadlifts in particular, because they make her feel powerful. She first set a goal to deadlift her bodyweight (about 135 pounds), achieved it, and later hit a new PR of 180 pounds.

If you’re learning deadlift form, the most important mindset is this: treat technique as the goal first, load second. Strength follows.

The “support work” that kept her progressing

Pamela didn’t rely on lifting alone.

Cardio and daily steps

She does 30 minutes of cardio once a week (elliptical or treadmill), walks her dog daily, and aims for 10,000 steps.

Mobility and recovery

She stretches and includes mobility work before and after workouts to maintain flexibility and range of motion.

This combination is especially useful for anyone training for healthy aging: keep strength as the foundation, and use steps, cardio, and mobility to support recovery and consistency.

Nutrition: macros, protein, and making it practical

Pamela still tracks macros because it simplifies food decisions, and she focuses on increasing protein to support muscle building. She also mentioned adapting her diet to gluten and dairy intolerance while keeping protein staples like turkey, beef, chicken, and salmon.

If you want a starting point for calories and macros (without guessing), use the GymNation Nutrition Calculator.

The 3 mindset shifts behind her long-term success

Pamela highlighted three factors that helped her transformation: working with an experienced coach, staying open to new methods, and stopping the habit of waiting for the “perfect time” to start.

If you take one lesson from her journey, make it this: the best program is the one you can stick to long enough to get results.

Source: womenshealthmag.com 

The opinions shared in the blog articles are solely those of the respective authors and may not represent the perspectives of GymNation or any member of the GymNation team.