2017

Benefits of Strength Training for Older Adults

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By wyofitness 0

Weightlifting has perhaps always suffered some stigma for being the preserve of the body-builder or the extreme athlete.

This is simply not true, weightlifting has tremendous benefits for older adults.

What if there was an activity available that could not only increase your muscular strength and build muscle mass but improve your balance, stability and motor coordination while increasing your metabolism and decreasing body fat? Would you be interested?

It’s time to participate in a great physical activity: weightlifting!

The aging process of older adults should be a graceful process. However, when we are increasingly sedentary while over-eating with lack of physical activity and mental stimulus, the aging process becomes a freefall with severe and painful consequences.

Exercise is by far is the best remedy to prevent and undo a lot lifestyle habits that have a negative impact. It is pertinent that older adults add weightlifting into their exercise routine to improve quality of life and maintain muscular strength and endurance for everyday life.

By being consistent with your training regimen, you will also increase your metabolism and lose inches around your waist, which will prevent possible cardiovascular and metabolic diseases.

For older adults after the age of 50

The body starts to unravel if you do not remain physically active, incorporating weightlifting.

Maintaining a dedicated and disciplined weightlifting routine improves the quality of life for older adults. Strength training two to three times a week provides the necessary stimulus for the increase of bone density, muscle mass, muscle strength and balance.

Each weightlifting session should have 8-10 exercises that are focused on being multi-jointed.

Optimal strength exercises are: body squats, walking lunges, chest presses or push-ups, and standing rows. This style of strength training is referred to as functional training and it has a practical application.

Functional exercises are movement patterns that are necessary for us to complete physical tasks throughout the day.

The ideal weightlifting program for older adults is strength training two to three times a week, with 8-10 exercises per session and two to three sets per exercise, with 10 repetitions per set and 30-45 seconds rest per set.

It’s important to allow at least one day of rest between weightlifting days.

Here is a sample weightlifting workout for the older adult:

– Warm up: 10 to 15 minutes of light to moderate cardio
– Strength training: 2-3 x 10
– DB Squats
– DB Walking Lunges
– Chest Press
– Standing Cable Row
– Leg Press
– Plank: 30-40 seconds
– Bird dogs
– Lat Pulldown
– Cool down: 10-15 minutes of light cardio

The benefits of weightlifting for the older adult significantly outweigh the cons

Being consistent with the strength training routine you will slow down the aging process from a steady march to a saunter. At the end of the day, your health is by far the best asset one has.

It’simportant to remember that staying physically fit or improving your health will only protect your interests.

For older adults, weightlifting is one activity they should not pass up or brush off, weightlifting is not just a young person’s game. benefits of lifting for older adults

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