Mobility and Resistance Training Are Fundamental For Healthy Aging

Aging brings concerns about mobility, strength, and balance. However, integrating resistance stretching and training into your schedule can keep you strong and healthy. As you age, you can start resistance training to see how your body responds. Weight lifting by older people builds muscle mass, strength, motivation, and confidence. Aging may impact your body by changing your physical appearance and health.

Here are various ways aging can impact your body:

Reduced Range Of Motion

Your hips, knees, and shoulders will not move as they used to as you age. The movement potential reduces due to changes in the connective tissues, loss of muscle mass, and arthritis, among others. An article published in the Journal of Aging Research shows that aging reduces the flexibility of the hip joint and the shoulder by around 6 points per decade.

Strength Loss

As you age, your muscles lose mass by around 3–8% per decade after 30. This rate increases after 60. Research has discovered that muscle wasting is nearly 1% yearly after 50. Muscle strength loss as one ages is due to multiple factors, including hormonal changes, an unbalanced diet, and a decline in activity.

Decreased Balance

If you think your balance has changed, it may be due to changes in your eyesight, vestibular system, and feedback from your knee joints, spine, and ankles. These systems communicate with your brain to help you maintain your balance as you move during the day. As you age, these signals need to be more effectively communicated. Your eyesight becomes poor, your joints lose mobility, and your cognitive abilities deteriorate.

The Importance of Lifting Weights as We Age

Lifting weights is among the ways to combat age-related physical concerns. Traditionally, people associate it with young people; however, there’s no reason why mature people can’t lift weights. Two or three weekly weightlifting sessions can greatly assist you and reap many benefits.

Here are ways adults can benefit from strength training:

Build or Retain Your Strength

As you age, you tend to favor exercises such as running, walking, or swimming, which are important for cardiovascular fitness. However, strength exercises are more effective because they reverse or slow down the decline in strength, bone density, and muscle mass as the body ages.

Reduces Risks

Studies have shown that keeping the body strong as one ages prevents falls and minimize injury risks. Machine weights, free weights, water weights, and body weights are among the most effective ways to maintain a strong body form and strength.

Increased Metabolic Rate

Most people may gain weight as they age, but lifting weights can have a greater impact on burning calories than traditional cardiovascular training. Weight lifting increases your metabolic rate, so you lose some inches off your waist.

Increased Bone Density

When you strength train, your bones are stressed by the force patterns and movements that create the cells that make up your bones. This increases bone density and strength.

Enabling Better Functionality and Balance

Strong muscles contribute to better functionality and balance. Activities such as reaching up to pick something up from a rack, tying your shoes, or even sitting in a chair require flexibility, strength, and balance. For older adults, such benefits translate into a reduced risk of injury or falling.

Improves Body Composition

It is essential to maintain muscle mass to reduce obesity risks, especially as one ages.

Improve Your Well-Being

Older adults who regularly participate in weightlifting often see improved quality of life. Resistance training builds muscle mass and improves balance, and develops psychosocial well-being.

Mobility Is Important As You Age

Mobility is the movement of your joints through a range of motion. For instance, can you bend and extend your knee without pain or hesitation? If not, your knees lack mobility. Mobility involves moving your joints, and it’s different from flexibility, which is the ability of your muscles to stretch temporarily. Mobility is critical at any age; however, especially as you age, maintaining mobility is the solution to independent functioning.

Research by the National Institute of Health (NIH) on aging shows that if older adults lose their mobility, they are likely to be ill and might have higher rates of hospitalization and even death due to poor quality of life.

Why Weight Lifting Can Be Dynamic For Aging Well

The University of Jyvaskyla’s scientists carried out a study to determine how weightlifting changes people’s muscles and minds. They randomly selected 81 physically active older adults (between 60 and 70 years) who agreed to begin resistance training.

They began this study by engaging in a biweekly full-body strength training program at the university. After three months, they split the group into three; some would train once, others twice, and the rest thrice weekly. The scientists periodically checked the volunteers’ fitness, metabolic health, and strength. They also assessed the attitude of the trainees towards the workouts.

This exercise lasted six months, after which most trainees gained strength and improved various aspects of their health, even if they trained once weekly. After six months, the volunteers continued with the workouts in local gyms, and they would communicate with the researchers about any progress. After the study, the researchers discovered the relationship between muscle mass and motivation. Trainees who felt competent in the gym continued the training more than those who gained the most strength. Most trainees said that weightlifting had given them the confidence to do their daily activities beyond the fitness center.

Goals for Your Strength Training Program

Maintaining a training program is the first step to preventing or delaying the onset of several age-related complications. But the workouts should be simple enough.

Set Realistic Goals

Weight lifting is linked to tiredness and soreness for a few days afterward. Having this in mind, you should not strain or get injured beforehand. Aim to finalize two or three doable sets of 15-20 reps. This will assist you in carrying out normal activities without strain.

Take It Easy

Machines are an excellent way to get into weightlifting. It is because they support your body, placing it in the required position. You can lift the free weights after you feel up to the challenge.

Stretch Your Body

It is best to warm up and stretch before beginning a workout session. This is especially essential if you want to do a new workout. Cooling down for a few minutes after exercise is just as important

Be Consistent

Consistency is the key to better results. The more you adhere to your training schedule, the better your outcomes will be.

Keep It Fun

For training to be fun, you must do exercises you can continue doing even as you age. But, you should incorporate weightlifting into your goals to build muscle mass and maintain balance.

Final Word

Consistent stretching and strength training can help prevent or delay several age-related ailments, even twice a week. Start improving your strength, mobility, and balance by hitting the gym. If you want to exercise, working with a personal trainer is necessary to lift weights properly. If that isn’t an option, you can find reliable information to start lifting weights online. Staying physically active is essential for your vitality and health.