My mother just started at the gym and I was showing her how all the machines work. She is in her early 50s and wants to lose about 10 pounds and tone up a bit.

She has been working out in her garage for years now with her husband, but I think she has been taking it very light.

She wants to gain a bit of strength, but at 50, should she be pushing herself like me at the gym, where I can barely get my last few sets up, or should she be taking it easy, where she can do 12 reps per set, and finish out her sets with no problems?

She has never had any problems with muscle or joint pains and she stays active as she's a walking mail carrier.

Any advice so she doesn't hurt herself because of my advice would be appreciated :)

My mother just started at the gym and I was showing her how all the machines work. She is in her early 50s and wants to lose about 10 pounds and tone up a bit.

She has been working out in her garage for years now with her husband, but I think she has been taking it very light.

She wants to gain a bit of strength, but at 50, should she be pushing herself like me at the gym, where I can barely get my last few sets up, or should she be taking it easy, where she can do 12 reps per set, and finish out her sets with no problems?

:)

If she has no health problems, she should nearly keep up with you with just less weight. Go with her for at least 6 sessions, test her ability. See where her level is.

If she has any group classes from Body Training systems, I encourage her to go.

One of the classes is body pump, and it is a one hour total body workout with free weights. I take about 3-4 classes a week, and find it never gets boring, and is always fun. There are woman of all ages, shapes and sizes in these classes. As long as your mom is healthy, she will be good to go. With body pump you select your own weights, and they warm you up and cool you down to avoid injuries. It is really well planned out.

http://www.bodypump.com/participants/html/frameset.htm

I do a few different classes from BTS and have never felt as good as I do now. These classes are included in my membership at the gym. The instructors are fabulous, and I have made so many friends as well. The classes go quickly and you never have time to be bored or unmotivated. I have done pretty much every type of workout at the gym, since I used to bodybuild. I have never enjoyed anything as much as I enjoy these classes.