Strength training is important for everyone, regardless of age. Of course, a strength session will look different for your 75-year-old client as compared to your 25-year-old client, but working on strength is just as important, if not more so for seniors on your client list.
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services recommends that all adults do some type of strength training that hits all the major muscle groups at least two times per week. If health or ability prevents two full sessions, the recommendation is that older adults should do as much strength training as their abilities allow.1
Even for seniors with limitations, building strength is important and can improve quality of life. Work with your older clients to slowly add in and build up strength training. Focus on warming up, education, good form, breathing, and progressing safely.
Why Strength Training for Seniors is Essential-
The human body changes as we age, of course, and often in ways we don’t like. Even healthy, normal aging includes:
- A slower metabolism.
- Decreased muscle mass and strength.
- Increased body fat.
- Reduced bone density.
- Increased bone porosity.
- Stiffer joints.
- Slower reflexes and reaction times.
- Decreased aerobic capacity.
BENEFITS OF EXERCISES
PROTECT YOUR BRAIN-
Muscle strengthening exercises play an important role in keeping our bones strong. This is vital for women who have gone through menopause. The female sex hormone oestrogen protects and maintains bone strength, so after menopause when oestrogen levels drop, so too does a woman’s bone density. On average, women lose up to 10% of bone mass in the first five years after menopause, which puts them at a greater risk of developing osteoporosis.
What’s osteoporosis? It occurs when bones lose minerals (like calcium) more quickly than the body can replace them, this causes the bones to lose density. To help retain bone density, it’s a good idea to do muscle strengthening (more specifically resistance training) once or twice a week, in consultation with your doctor.
Weight training helps to build muscle, placing more load on your bones, and in turn, strengthening them. Resistance training involves using dumbbells, ankle or wrist weights to create resistance. Combining strength training with weight bearing exercise – like running, tennis, walking, tai chi and dance – is the best way to keep your bones strong
SPEED UP YOUR METABOLISM-
The higher your muscle mass, the faster your resting metabolism. By doing regular muscle strengthening exercises the body burns more calories even when it’s resting. That’s weights of weight!
PREVENT YOUR DETERIORATION-
With ageing comes muscle loss. From the age of 50 adults drop 1-2% of muscle mass each year, increasing to 3% for those over 60 . This means over time it’s common to lose strength and stability, and gain weight. Doing regular exercises with weights not only stops muscle mass from decreasing, it also helps rebuild it.
IMPROVE STABILITY-
Feeling steady isn’t something many of us think about but it’s important to be aware of, especially as we get older. Strengthening your muscles earlier in life and incorporating balance and mobility exercises into your exercise routine can help prevent debilitating falls later down the track.
Where to start?
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If you’re new to weight training, it’s best to start with slow, simple activities. For strength and stability, getting in and out of a chair repeatedly or lifting small hand weights are a good place to begin. The most important thing is to stay active regularly and to continually feel challenged as your strength and fitness progress.
Body fitness 