Aging and strength training
Getting older can be amazing and rewarding in many aspects, but it can also be one of the most depressing realizations adults will face in life. The physical nature of aging can lead to loss of strength, muscle mass and mobility. In fact, as we age we tend to develop sedentary behaviors that lead to the onset of many unfortunate health conditions.
What we know from statistical data is once we get over age 40, many of us start to slow down, gradually dropping our overall physical activity. What we also know is as we age, it is key to maintain a steady pace of movement, activity and strength building. A number of studies done in the 1950s noted that people reaching age 65 could expect on average to live 13 to 15 years longer. The same study done in 2010 indicated our life expectancy has gone up after age 65 to about 19 additional years on average.
Living longer is now just a fact of life for most of us and with that comes an increased need to maintain our physical well-being. As the population of older people grows and life expectancy increases, it stresses our health systems and supporting infrastructure. Now more then ever it is critical for each of us to physically prepare for old age. It is never too early or too late to start the process of physical fitness. The benefit of building and staying on top of our physical fitness as we age will deliver lower health costs, much better quality of life, mobility and less reliance on others to take care of us as we age.
Now most adults know they need regular aerobic exercise and make an effort to walk and include other forms of aerobic exercise. What gets lost with so many people is the need for daily weight or resistance training. In the last 10 years, studies have found that weight and/or resistance training gave the single greatest benefit in slowing muscle mass, bone density and strength loss in people over age 50.
Consistent moderate weight and resistance training showed the best results for long lasting health benefits in older adults. Low intensity training did show improvements in older people, but higher intensity training delivered greater gains in strength, anaerobic power and mobility. The body has an amazing ability to retain muscle memory and base conditioning which allows most people to bounce back or maintain physical fitness fairly easily. Whether you are starting in your 20s or 30s or jump starting fitness in your 50s or 60s, foundation improvements over time stays with you.
Based on genetics, nutrition and lifestyle habits, sedentary people can start to experience rapid muscle and joint declines in their early 40s. For people who have maintained consistent weight and resistance training over a number of years in most cases, slowed and/or reversed muscle loss and functional movement limitations, making them somewhat immune to many of the chronic conditions related to aging.
The other aspect that works against all of us with age is hormonal changes for both men and women. The physical changes to our bodies that we experience from hormonally-induced changes tie directly to increased muscle loss, bone density loss, weight gain, change in sleep patterns and how our bodies manage stress.
Strength training also helps to regulate blood sugars, how we burn body fat, plus better management of cortisol, estrogen and testosterone levels. We know it delays muscle loss and improves bone density, but it also stimulates the production of other hormones essential to overall health and wellness.
One of the single most important parts of full body wellness as we age is strength training. You can jump start your strength training by working with dumbbells or kettle bells, doing 12-15 repetitions of well structured exercise such as single arm shoulder presses, farmer walks or front squats. Your best bet if you’re new to strength training is work with a certified fitness trainer until you have a good understanding of the exercise.
As we age, cardio exercise is very important, but strength training that maintains muscle mass and bone density is even more critical. Once you develop a strong body and maintain a consistent regimen of toning, it will carry you into your twilight years with great mobility and overall health.
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Judd Jones is a director for The Hagadone Corporation in Coeur d’Alene.