After eight years of training at MaxStrength Fitness, Brian Walsh continues to triumph over his age—and he’s still getting stronger

By Patricia Nugent

Americans are retiring at an older age.

According to a Gallup survey, the average reported retirement age increased from age 57 in 1991 to 61 in 2022. It also showed that individuals’ planned retirement age increased too, from age 60 in 1996 to 66 in 2022.

Experts behind the study theorize that people are working longer because they expect to live longer. But are they expecting to live better, too? Not likely. Obesity rates in the U.S. have more than tripled over the past 60 years, with more than 70% of adults seeing numbers on the scale that range from overweight to morbidly obese. And with obesity comes a litany of ailments, from high blood pressure and heart disease to diabetes, musculoskeletal disorders like osteoarthritis, and cancer.

Meet Brian Walsh
As founder/owner/broker at Top Flight Professionals, a residential real estate firm based in Westlake, 62-year-old Brian Walsh is a go-getter in every sense of the word. In addition to running the company, he also buys and sells fixer-upper homes, doing most of the rehab work himself.

“I’m blessed with a fast metabolism and never really had to worry about gaining weight,” he says. “I’ve never had to work out with a trainer or belong to a gym. But when I hit my mid-50s, I started to notice the weight creeping up. And I began having aches and pains in my knees and lower back.”

Jeff realized he needed a professional-level program that fit with his very busy schedule, and when he read about MaxStrength Fitness in Mimi magazine eight years ago, in a story that emphasized the protocol of 20-minute, twice-weekly workouts that produced profound results, it seemed like a perfect fit. He tried out the complimentary workout and has been training here faithfully ever since.

In a Hurry? No Sweat
“The best time of day for me to sneak in a workout is later in the mornings,” says Brian. “So, it’s a real plus that since the studio temps are kept chilly, which makes for no-sweat workouts, I can leave and go right back to work without worrying about taking the time to shower.”

According to his trainer, Dominic Coduti, “Brian’s orthopedic soreness in the hips was a concern we worked around to achieve leg strength that helped. He is an excellent example of what training can achieve in someone who puts their mind to it and keeps showing up.”

Brian says that over the years he’s trained here, he’s never gotten injured and that the trainers push him harder than he’d push himself, but the exercises have always felt safe and controlled.

“My job is full-time-plus, and I don’t have any plans to retire soon,” he says, laughing. “With four grown daughters and a granddaughter, I plan to stay very active and get the most out of life.”

MaxStrength Fitness is located at 4212 State Route 306 in Willoughby. Call 440-226-8080 at 2211 Crocker Road in Westlake, 440-835-9090 and at13500 Pearl Road in Strongsville, 440-467-0700 or for more information or to view more testimonials, visit MaxStrengthFitness.com.