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Home » Exercise Programs » Strength-building exercises make for a fitter you – The Philadelphia Tribune

Getting weak goes with aging, lifting weights is dangerous for older people, older people cant increase their strength? RIGHT? WRONG!

In the past few years many researchers have turned their attention to the question: Is muscle and strength loss a function of aging or is it a result of disuse? Recent studies show that if you dont use it you will lose it.

Getting older does not mean that you have to become weak and suffer from age related changes that affect older people who are sedentary. Several studies show that resistance-training exercises help maintain and increase muscle strength and size as we age. When muscle biopsies of men older than 50 who lifted weights were compared with those of 20-year-old men the biopsies looked the same. When biopsies of men 50 and older who did not exercise were compared with those of the same 20-year-old men their biopsies showed typical age related changes.

There are other factors, which cause changes in muscle size and strength. Hormones, heredity, nutrition and a decrease in protein synthesis all play a part in how gracefully the body ages.

Heredity cant be changed. You are who you are genetically. Exercise and good nutrition can stimulate the amount of testosterone released in the body of both men and women. Exercise can also increase the amount of protein utilization, which takes place in the body. These changes will have an affect on muscle size, strength and bone density. Both of these factors help to determine the quality of life a person maintains as they get older. Exercise also strengthens the bones, tendons and ligaments. Tendons connect muscle to bone. Ligaments connect bone to bone.

Strengthening muscles, tendons and ligaments with resistance exercise will make you stronger, help support the skeletal system and joints. Stronger muscles, tendons and ligaments can reduce your risk of having joint problems and help existing joint problems. You should talk with your doctor before you start because depending on what the joint problem, resistance training may aggravate it.

Aerobic exercises (walking, jogging, biking or swimming continuously for 15 minutes or more) are important but muscle-strengthening exercises are just as important to have a fit body. In fact, strength-building exercises are a necessary part of an aerobic program because they help keep the bones and joints strong enough to withstand aerobic training.

To stimulate muscle fibers to grow and increase in strength a demand must be placed on the muscle. Resistance training does this. Calisthenics is a form of resistance training but lifting weights or using workout machines does a more effective job. I recommend using a combination of free weights (dumbbells and barbells) and machines. Using free weights during some exercises will give you more control over the range of motion you go through. Because machines cant possibly fit every body shape they dont provide a full range of motion with every exercise. People who dont have access to resistance training equipment can improvise with sandbags, plastic bottles filled with water or even canned goods.

If youre a beginner have someone who knows what theyre doing take you through your first few workouts. Lifting weights can be dangerous if you dont do the exercises correctly. Always concentrate on what youre doing. Being careless and taking your movements for granted can cause injury. Concentrating on each repetition when you workout will also recruit more muscle fibers to do work making each repetition more efficient.

A complete workout should include exercises for each body part. This will include the chest, shoulders, triceps, back, biceps, forearm, thighs, calves and your abdominals (midsection). Start with 2 or 3 different exercises for each body part. Gradually work up to 8-12 repetitions for each exercise. Do each exercise 1-3 times to start. If you can do more than 12 repetitions for a set the weight is too light. If you cant do at least 8 repetitions for a set the weight is too heavy.

We strongly recommend that you have a professional show you what to include in your routine and that you get an OK from your physician before you start. If you have chronic conditions such as, congestive heart failure, hypertension, arrhythmias, angina or diabetes they must be stable before starting an exercise program.

Always breathe correctly during a resistance-training workout. Inhale during the relaxed phase and exhale during the actual lift. For instance, if youre doing an arm curl (bicep curl) inhale as the weight is lowered and exhale as you lift the weight. Dont over exaggerate your breathing this can cause dizziness.

Strengthening programs are being recommended for people well into their senior years to help them perform every day living activities such as walking, grooming, dressing, climbing stairs, and getting in and out of chairs. It also helps improve balance and coordination. When added together these qualities equal more independence.

Aging starts during your youth and is progressive. You cant stop the aging process but you can slow it down and improve your quality of life. For older but wiser beginners changes in strength and stamina can be seen within 3 weeks after initiating a training program. So what are you waiting for? Use it or lose it. Go on, get busy and have a fit day.

Before starting your fitness program, consult your physician.

Nutrition and aging

Theres no mythical fountain of youth to stop the aging process. Aging starts at birth. Good nutrition and daily vigorous exercise play a tremendous role in helping us age gracefully. Many ailments or physical problems associated with aging are due in part to a lack of activity and poor nutritional habits.

As we get older nutrition plays an important part in our health. Most nutritional needs of the older person are similar to those of their younger counterpart. Make sure you get in enough calcium, B vitamins and iron through a balanced diet. Keep a food diary for two weeks to determine what you need to add to your diet. An active person needs about 10 to 13 calories for every pound of body weight. You should eat 4 to 5 small meals that include 3 to 4 servings of fruits, 3 to 4 servings of vegetables, 2 to 3 servings of whole grains and 2 servings of proteins everyday.

Health fair

Join me and state Sen. Sharif Street, Divine Sources and Temple University Health System for Take Back Your Health event for senior citizens from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. May 19 at the Temple Administrative Service Building, 2450 W. Hunting Park Ave.

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Strength-building exercises make for a fitter you - The Philadelphia Tribune

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Home » Exercise Programs » Strength-building exercises make for a fitter you – The Philadelphia Tribune