Lifting weights every other day and hiking a mile or more every day if possible

For the last 15 years since I have been semi retired I have tried to hike with my dogs in the nearby Redwood, oak, pine and fern forests nearby and every other day (to prevent muscle fatigue etc) I try to lift weights. When I was about 20 years of age I could press (just with my legs alone 1000 pounds) because I am 6 foot 5 inches tall and built with the big bones of a half scottish man. So, I have never been able (no matter what risks I took) to break any bones except my nose and my little toe and to slightly fracture my right wrist (no cast needed) in a off road motorcycle accident. So, lifting weights up to 400 pounds or more when working before I was 35 or 40 seemed like a pretty normal thing to do and to walk around with it to the next location if I needed. Also, I had a 1966 VW Seablue bug that I would take into snow or mud and I could then at 21 or 22 (lift the front end off the ground) and walk it around to get it out of a snow stuck or mud stuck mode whenever I was in the bush, desert or mountains somewhere exploring or mountain climbing or skiing or whatever.

So, when I reached about 50 I started to meet men in their 60s through 90s or 100 or more who no longer could reach above their heads because they tore their rotator cuff in their right or left shoulders or both.

So, I realized I could strengthen my rotator cuffs in both arms and shoulders by lifting weight above my head. The weight that was easiest to do this for me without ever losing my balance was about 50 pounds. You can lift weights bigger than this and so can I but when your weights are not only  tethered to only an up and down motion if you make a mistake there goes your leg, foot, window, deck or wherever you happen to be. So, I chose 50 pounds as a weight I could manage above my head without ever losing my footing and having an accident. So, I compensate with the number or reps I do instead.

If you are over 50 and have never lifted weights before be very careful because often especially people who have worked in offices and never worked out regularly might pull something. So, experiment with what weight can actually work for you at home or in your local Gym.

However, about every other day for people above 50 once you get used to this regimen I find useful to keep my upper body strength.

Then I walk with my dogs in the forest or along the beach at least a mile or more every day I'm free to do this.

So, if you are like me and don't want to ever lose the ability to reach above your head because of a torn rotator cuff you might consider slowly working up with weights to avoid this problem.

Also, barbells might not be the best thing for you. You can do the same thing with dumbbells and just do a lot more repetitions if you have balance problems or don't want to have an accident with the barbells in your home.