Resistance Training
Use it or lose it!
Lean muscle mass naturally diminishes with age. If you are not actively maintaining your strength you can lose up to 1 lb of lean muscle tissue every year after your 30th birthday!
Which means over time you will increase the percentage of fat in your body if you don't do anything to replace the lean muscle you lose over time. Strength training can help you preserve and enhance your muscle mass at any age.
Strength training may also help you:
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Develop strong bones.
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By stressing your bones, strength training can increase bone density and reduce the risk of osteoporosis.
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Manage your weight.
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Strength training can help you manage or lose weight, and it can increase your metabolism to help you burn more calories.
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Enhance your quality of life.
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Strength training may enhance your quality of life and improve your ability to do everyday activities. Building muscle also can contribute to better balance and may reduce your risk of falls. This can help you maintain independence as you age.
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Manage chronic conditions.
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Strength training can reduce the signs and symptoms of many chronic conditions, such as arthritis, back pain, obesity, heart disease, depression and diabetes.
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Sharpen your thinking skills.
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Some research suggests that regular strength training and aerobic exercise may help improve thinking and learning skills for older adults.
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Consider the options
Strength training can be done at home or in the gym. Common choices include:
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Body weight.
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You can do many exercises with little or no equipment. Try pushups, pullups, abdominal crunches and leg squats.
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Resistance band.
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Resistance bands are inexpensive, portable and extremely versatile especially if you have limited space or no access to a gym. You can choose from many types of resistance bands in nearly any sporting goods store or online.
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Free weights.
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Barbells and dumbbells are classic strength training tools.
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Weight machines.
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Most fitness centers offer various resistance machines. You can also invest in weight machines for use at home.
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Getting started
If you have a chronic condition, or if you're older than age 40 and you haven't been active recently, check with your doctor before beginning a strength training or aerobic fitness program.
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Warm up with brisk walking or another aerobic activity for five or 10 minutes. Cold muscles are more prone to injury than are warm muscles.
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Choose a weight or resistance level heavy enough to tire your muscles after about 10 to 15 repetitions. As soon as it easier, increase the weight or resistance. Research shows that even a single set of 12 repetitions with the proper weight can build muscle efficiently in most people and can be as effective as three sets of the same exercise!
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If you are new to strength training , rest one full day between exercising each specific muscle group. Your muscles grow when you are resting! So if you want to get stronger rest is key e careful to listen to your body. If a strength training exercise causes pain, stop the exercise.
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It's important to use proper technique in strength training to avoid injuries. If you're new to weight training, work with a trainer or other fitness specialist to learn correct form and technique.
When to expect results
You don't need to spend hours a day lifting weights to benefit from strength training! You can see significant improvement in your strength with just two or three 20- or 30-minute weight training sessions a week.
The Department of Health and Human Services recommends incorporating strength training exercises of all the major muscle groups into a fitness routine at least two times a week.
Consistency is key!!!