When is the last time you picked up a set of dumbbells or did more than walk on the treadmill at the gym? If you’re like most (>80%) baby boomers or older adults, you simply don’t do any strength training–your fitness level is decreasing and your body is growing weaker!
Strength (resistance) training is the second vital piece of physical activity in the fourth step in my SHINE system.
In today’s blog–a continuation of Step #4, NAVIGATE YOUR WAY TO CARDIO AND STRENGTH TRAINING–we’ll look at resistance training.
Mother Nature Is Not Kind to Us
From our 30s on, we begin to lose 3% – 5% of our muscle mass per decade. That means sedentary adults can lose 30% – 40% of the total number of fibers in their muscles by the time they are 80. This process is called sarcopenia, and it leads to loss of strength, balance, mobility, and independence.
Strength training (along with proper diet) is the only known intervention to protect against age-related muscle loss.
In addition to maintaining independence and strength, weight training helps:
- Strengthen your bones
- Reduce your risk of falling
- Improve control of blood sugar
- Increase your metabolism
- Improve your body composition (less fat and more muscle)
- Reduce your resting blood pressure
- Reduce your risk of low back injury
- Elevate your mood and your self-confidence
- Relieve pain from osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis
- Decrease incidence of diabetes and cardiovascular disease
How Much Strength Training Is Needed?
The strength-building guidelines are: adults perform muscle-strengthening activities that are of moderate or high intensity and involve all major muscle groups on 2 or more days a week. These recommendations hold even for older adults.
Be sure you have plenty of water before, during and after weight training. And don’t exercise on an empty stomach. It’s important to eat a protein/carbohydrate food within 30 – 60 minutes of strength training to give your body the building blocks for muscle growth. Half a peanut butter sandwich, string cheese with fruit or a scoop of protein powder mixed with water will work.
How to Begin Strength Training
Ready to build muscles? Follow these steps:
1) Stretching is critical. Prior to strength training, walk for 5 – 10 minutes to warm up your muscles and get your blood moving. Afterwards, stretch your muscles, holding for 30 seconds.
2) The general guideline is to train all major muscle groups at least twice a week. That means your legs, arms, chest, back and core. Free weights (dumbbells) work, as do machines at a gym. Machines provide stability and less stress on joints, when used correctly. Take advantage of a free session with a personal trainer when you join an establishment or read directions posted on the equipment. Incorrect use of any kind of exercise “equipment” can lead to injury.
Wait at least 48 hours before exercising the same muscles again.
3) Don’t hold your breath. Ideally, you exhale as you lift, push or pull; inhale as you release the resistance. But just breathe if you get confused.
4) To build strength, you must challenge your muscles. So start with a low weight, one that feels a little difficult but not impossible. When you can perform 10 – 12 repetitions of an exercise with proper form, add more weight. If using dumbbells, progress from 2 lb. to 3 lb., or 3 lb. to 4 lb.; if doing exercises on a machine, increase the weight by 10% (or as close as possible).
If you can do at least eight reps at the higher weight, continue working at this level. When you can easily complete 12 reps, move up in weight again.
Ideally, you want to increase weight about every four weeks.
5) An alternative to lifting heavier weights is to use lighter weights, lifting until your muscles are exhausted and you can’t do one more repetition.
6) Other methods of strength training include moving your own body weight (push-ups, pull-ups, squats, lunges, sitting and standing many times, jumping), resistance bands, yoga, tai chi and Pilates.
For more information about fitting strength training into your life, give me a call!
We can discuss some practical tips and discover if any of my programs or classes are a good fit for you.
If you’d like to schedule that call with me, just CLICK THIS LINK, and let me know in the message that you would like a 1-on-1 call with me right away and I will be in touch to schedule that – oh, and leave me your phone number in there too since email is not as reliable as it used to be! Thanks.
Lisa Teresi Harris is a Registered Dietitian, Certified Personal Trainer and author of the book Building Your Enduring Fitness. A certified Geri-Fit Instructor, she helps Boomers and seniors to regain and keep muscle strength, mobility, and energy.
Contact Lisa to inquire about a customized, in-home fitness program for you or a loved one.