forever-fit

BENEFITS OF STRENGTH TRAINING FOR OLDER ADULTS AND SENIORS

Fri, 11 Jul 2025 21:56:05 GMT

It is well known that athletes who are seeking to improve strength and muscle hypertrophy, power, and sport-specific fitness have used resistance, strength and weight training to do so.

But these days, since the benefits of resistance and weight training are better understood, it’s now looked upon as one of the most effective and least costly ways to preserve independence and bring significant health improvements for older adults and seniors.

The potential health-related benefits of resistance and weight training is now recommended by national health organizations such as the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM), The American Heart Association, and the American Association for Cardiovascular and Pulmonary Rehabilitation.

These are in conjunction with exercise modalities, such as aerobic, flexibility, and balance exercises, for maintenance and improvement of health and performance. Resistance and weight training can help reduce the risk factors associated with many diseases and physical ailments and can preserve and improve functional capacity and mobility.

These benefits have been shown to improve the quality of life for a wide range of older adults, seniors, and adults with health conditions, including those with low back pain, osteoarthritis, osteoporosis, cardiovascular disease, neuromuscular disease, renal failure, and type 2 diabetes, as well as those recovering from a stroke.

Regular resistance and weight training exercise results in a remarkable number of positive health changes in both older males and females.

Some of these health benefits are:

>Improved Body Composition in which there is an increase in lean muscle mass, metabolic rate,

 and daily energy levels.

>Improved Blood Pressure where small reductions in resting systolic and diastolic blood pressure reduce the risk of stroke and osteoporosis.

>Increased Bone Mass is achieved by the weight-bearing activity in resistance training which improves bone health and reduces the risk of osteoporosis.

>Reducing low-back pain by increasing strength and cross-sectional area of the vertebral muscles. This reduces lover-back pain by maintaining muscle balance.

>Lowers Blood Lipids by improving blood lipid profile, including lower total cholesterol and triglyceride concentrations.

The terms, resistance training, strength training, and weight training all describe a type of exercise that requires the body’s muscles to move or attempt to move against an opposing force or resistance.

Resistance, strength, and weight training exercises come in different forms, and each person is taken through a thorough fitness assessment to understand which exercises are best for them to start with.

COMMON MYTHS ABOUT PHYSICAL ACTIIVITY AND AGING

Fri, 11 Jul 2025 21:56:05 GMT

Myths and even stereotypes about exercise for older adults and seniors often emerge as a result of inappropriate generalizations about aging. It is apparent that social stereotypes can play an important role in lifestyle choices. Instead of encouraging them to follow specific, expected patterns of behavior and simply just "take it easy'" It's better to promote a more vigorous and healthful model of aging in which older adults and seniors are invited to participate and play a more active role.

The following are the most common myths in regards to aging and exercise.

Myth 1: You have to be healthy to exercise.

Many older adults and seniors resist exercising because they believe that they must be healthy to even begin an exercise program. This is so not true. Physical activity can improve quality of life for the vast majority of older adults and seniors and may be the most effective for people with chronic health conditions and diseases. Instructors, like me, help to dispel this myth by pointing out role models and others in the community who are regularly active despite having health concerns.

Myth 2: I’m too old to start exercising.

Many older people and seniors do not realize that physical activity has been shown to benefit individuals of all ages, including people up into their 90’s and even 100 years of age. I have had clients in their 70’s and 80’s who made great strides in their health once they began working with me. I have images of these people on my website along with testimonials which can help reinforce the notion that age need not be a barrier to activity and exercise.

Myth 3: You need special clothing and equipment.

This could not be farther from the truth. No special clothing or equipment is needed. Safe and effective exercise can be performed by wearing comfortable street shoes and loose-fitting clothing. Effective resistance, weight, and strength training can be achieved with simple, inexpensive equipment such as elastic bands or tubes, water filled jugs, or even canned goods. I can be done! Especially when I come to you and you are exercising in your own home.

Myth 4: No pain, no gain.

Many older adults and seniors learned about physical activity and fitness at a time when it was thought that exercise had to be of high intensity and strenuous in order to be beneficial. Not anymore! It is now recognized that physical activity does not need to be strenuous or exhausting to provide significant health benefits. As a Fitness Coach, I reinforce the notion that along with moderate exercise, light to moderate physical activities, such as social dancing, walking, or gardening, are appropriate and effective ways to build more physical activity into their daily lives.

Myth 5: I’m too busy to exercise:

Some older adults and seniors fail to realize that physical activity and exercise does not have to occur at a particular time and place but often can be built into daily activities such as shopping, gardening, and household chores. As a fitness professional, I can help you by reviewing your daily routine and schedule and identify opportunities to help you increase your physical activity.

For more information, contact me at 210.379.2464

FUNCTIONAL BENEFITS OF EXERCISE FOR OLDER ADULTS AND SENIORS

Fri, 11 Jul 2025 21:56:05 GMT

The goal of exercise programs, whether working with a Fitness Coach or in a group setting, may differ from the goals for younger adults. One key difference is that many older adults and seniors can use exercise to improve or maintain their day-to-day functional abilities and thus help them stay independent, and/or avoid disability.

For instance, a certain level of lower-body strength is needed to get out of a bathtub, climb stairs, or simply get up out of a chair. Adequate levels of agility, power, and dynamic balance are needed to move out of the of an approaching car.

Some simple functional tasks that may be made easier by performing different types of exercises, guided or otherwise, are listed below:

*Aerobic endurance training: Walk in order to perform errands, go to the store, or attend events. Also performing activities requiring stamina such as vacuuming, raking the yard, or climbing stairs.

*Resistance training for upper body and trunk: Lift and hold a grandchild, place luggage in overhead compartment during travel, carry groceries, open heavy doors, perform garden work such as pulling weeds, doing housework like washing windows and cleaning light fixtures.

*Resistance training for lower body: Stand up from the floor, get into and out of a chair, bathtub, or even get out of a car, climb stairs, pick up a package from the floor, step up onto a curb.

*Flexibility training for upper body: Turn head to look at traffic while driving or walking, fasten a zipper on the back of a dress, scratch an itch on the back, reach overhead to a cupboard, comb hair, or put on a bra. (My mom had this issue due to severe stiffness in her shoulders)

*Flexibility training for lower body and trunk: Put on socks and shoes, put on slacks/pants, inspect one’s own feet, cut one’s own toenails, pick up items that have been dropped on the floor.

*Balance and mobility training: Walk the dog safely, maneuver around potential environmental hazards, curbs, and stairs, pull weeds, respond appropriately to unexpected loss of balance.

In most cases, the benefits of exercise can be made more important and worthy of attention to older adults if the benefits can be directly linked to the ability to remain independent. Hence, the reason for posting the above list. The physiological(fitness) benefits derived from exercise may be too abstract or uninteresting for some older adults and seniors.

I think many potential clients might be better motivated by self-identifying important tasks and activities of daily life and recreation and then having a Fitness Coach or activity instructor explain how various types of exercises can help them maintain and/or improve their ability to do these activities. Especially if it’s something they are passionate about.