Strength Training Exercise

Strength Training Exercise

 

Seniors often feel that exercising is a waste of time.  I hear comments pro and con from my own contemporaries so I know that not everyone is into this kind of thing.  I am not only a senior myself, but I work with seniors so I know how demoralizing it is when you can’t keep up or do the things that you have always done.  If you can’t get out of chair without moaning or groaning, the chances are pretty good that you are having trouble dressing yourself, walking to the grocery store or preparing your own meals.   Is that the way you want to be?   More and more seniors are trying to figure out how to live out their lives in their own homes (a.k.a. aging in place).  In order to do this it is necessary to be physically and mentally healthy, strong, and independent.

 

Providing that your mental capabilities are reasonably intact, the secret to aging in place is strength training.  Exercise isn’t about retaining a 26 inch waistline any more; it is about being physically strong enough to take care of yourself.

 

Being a smart senior is about learning how to be capable and independent. As we get older we need to spend more and more time on physical fitness.  It isn’t always easy because we get tired and as a result we get lazy. Regardless, strength training needs to rank high on your “to do” list every single day.  The experts really do say that a regular program of strengthening exercises combined with some cardiac work is essential for your well being.

 

Tom Henrich breaks down the key elements nicely in an article written for Arthritis Today magazine (April/May 2009).  Many of us don’t have arthritis but even so you will agree that many seniors have joint and hand strength issues.  This doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t exercise; it just means that you need to be careful.

 

You don’t have a lot of time in your day, so you want to know how long and how often you need to exercise, how heavy of weights you need to use, how many repetitions you need to do, what kind of exercises to do, and how to do them properly.

 

1. How long and how often:  twenty to thirty minutes two to three times a week.  Give your body at least one day to recover after a weight-training day.
2. How much weight do you need to be able to handle:  You don’t need to be a body-builder.  Whatever you can manage is fine.  Start with a pair of 2-3 pound dumbbells.  If you don’t feel tired after your repetitions the weights are too light.
3. How many exercises?  One set of 8 to 12 repetitions, working the muscle to the point of fatigue (you will know).
4. What kind of exercises?  Work all of the major muscle groups.  If you haven’t exercises in a long time see your doctor and get advice on a program.  You can exercise at the gym or at home with an instruction book or video.
5. How to it?  Lift slowly and smoothly, counting four counts up and four counts down.  Exhale when lifting, inhale when lowering.

 

Now is that so bad?  We are talking maybe twenty minutes here, followed by a brisk walk around the block.  Twenty minutes can make the difference between dependence and independence.  What could be more important than that?