FITNESS TRAINING: ARTICLES

Strength Training for Seniors
By Rick Moore

Rick Moore is a fitness trainer at Body Kinetics who specializes in exercise for seniors. He recently earned his BS in Kinesiology at SF State and a personal training certificate from the American Senior Fitness Association. He is the founder of Forty Plus Fitness and the Big Band Workout.

Exercise is good for you. We’ve all known it since we were kids. In our teens and twenties most of us could eat practically anything we wanted and not gain an ounce. Our old Levi’s always seemed to fit. We really thought that over the years, if we remained relatively active, nothing would change. But before we knew it, thirty- inch waistlines had given way to forty inch ones and we couldn’t figure out how that had happened.

What we did not know was that beginning in our thirties, if we were sedentary, we lost approximately five pounds of muscle each decade and replaced it with 10 pounds of fat. By the time we turned 60, our bodies had replaced 15 pounds of muscle with 30 pounds of fat! While those undesirable body composition changes should have been obvious, we were much more aware of the fat gain than the muscle loss. We usually dieted to lose the excess weight, which further reduced our muscle mass, as approximately 25 percent of bodyweight lost through dieting is muscle tissue. But here was the real problem: The loss of muscle tissue lead to a lower metabolic rate, which resulted in less energy used and more calories stored as fat. Less muscle and more fat made it more difficult to perform physical activites, thus accelerating the degenerative processes. Unfortunately, we entered our senior years with too little muscle and too much fat.

Most fitness experts agree that for older adults and seniors, a regular exercise program that includes progressive resistance weight training to reclaim lost muscle mass is mandatory. Researchers at Tufts University found that previously sedentary seniors who completed 12 weeks of standard strength training (about 30 minutes per session, three days per week) added 3 pounds of muscle, lost 4 pounds of fat, raised their resting metabolism by 7 percent, and increased their daily energy expenditure by 15 percent.

In addition to replacing muscle, reducing fat, and revving up metabolic rate, the Tufts study also revealed many health-related reasons for performing regular strength exercise. These included lower resting blood pressure, better blood lipid levels, greater glucose usage, increased bone mineral density, less low-back pain, and reduced arthritic discomfort.

Although it is generally assumed that seniors are less responsive to strength training than younger adults, this is not the case. The Tufts study showed that after twelve weeks of strength training, similar improvements in body composition and blood pressure occurred equally in all age categories including the oldest old (85+).

The good news is that today, with their physician’s approval, seniors can participate safely and productively in well-designed and carefully supervised strength-training programs like those offered at Body Kinetics. Ideally, seniors should strength train two or three days a week, with about 10 to 12 exercises that address all of the major muscle groups. Participants may perform more than one set of each exercise, but single set training appears to be equally effective for strength development and is certainly more time-efficient. Perhaps the most important training consideration for senior exercisers is the number of repetitions performed per set. Although research indicates no adverse effects associated with eight repetition exercise sets, the American College of Sports Medi cine recommends 10 to 15 repetitions per set for older adults. Controlled movement, speeds and full movement ranges should also be used, as well as proper posture and continuous breathing.

Recent studies have demonstrated that older adults have much to gain from regular strength exercise, including increased endurance, enhanced personal appearance, improved athletic performance and reduced injury risk. Perhaps the most exciting result of strength training for older adults is an increase in daily function. Most research has shown that individuals who participate in a regular resistance exercise program walk faster, climb stairs better, fall less frequently, and demonstrate less loss of bone density as they age. In addition, exercises performed while standing will likely have a positive effect on balance for standing and walking.

If you’re at the age where your physical stamina is just not what it used to be, take heart. Despite many misconceptions, older adult exercisers can now add strength training to a growing list of activities like Yoga and Pilates that will continue to improve their physical strength, flexibility, coordination, and longevity.