By The primary reason why so any people that come of age, are afraid to participate in exercise and activity, is due to the fact they have been extremely inactive for may years. Age is no factor regarding activity, it’s just a limited belief that a lot of us hold onto, in order to justify our lack of activity. We were born to move, and the most healthiest people that have come of age, don’t let some number stop them from doing what they love.
When we continue exercising in the form that we love the most, we do not feel the need to avoid anything, apart from listening to our bodies a lot more, and resting when we need to.
This is a primary fact for us older folks, we have the ability to really understand our bodies a lot more, and therefore know that torturing it with extreme exercise is not going to do us any good now, or long term. Perhaps this is something younger folks should become aware of. Our joints become inflamed, not only from misuse when we were younger, but also because they lack strength due to inactivity. Bones, joints, ligaments and muscle need to be active in order to strengthen, grow and be able to handle pressure. This will prevent a lot of falls, trips and accidents that have compromised our balance. We will have the ability to bounce back and recover a lot faster than if we were inactive.
What is the one thing you should do above and beyond anything else? You guessed right, it’s weight training! Here are great tips on how to integrate safe and effective strength training techniques to age healthily
5 ways to integrate a safe and effective strength training program as you age
- Shorter but more effective sessions.
Long workouts are very unnecessary, and are quite taxing on the body. If you can get in a good 45–60 minute workout, then you will receive the best benefits. The longer you train, the more likely your intensity will drop. We don’t want this to happen, as intensity equals better results. Always plan your session in advance, and if you are with a personal trainer, ask them to give you programs for when you are not training alongside them. Always start your sessions with the most taxing exercise, like deadlifts of squats, benches or pull ups. Give those your best attention, and leave the isolated exercise for the end of your session. - Always allow more time to warm up.
Now-days, I never head straight to the weights area, summer or winter. It’s far too taxing on the body, and I believe we all need at least 10–20 minutes worth of a warm up, to prepare ourselves for the session ahead (especially if lifting heavy!) You could do a light cycle, or walk on the treadmill, nothing to strenuous, but enough to get you feeling a lot more alert and also warmed up fully. What we don’t want is to cause ourselves any injury. Warming up as best as we can will prevent this. - Don’t train daily. 3–4 times per week is sufficient enough to get results.
I used to get to the gym on a daily basis, no matter what. Then, I saw the light (it took a while!) and realised I was not getting the results I wanted, and had to change something. I changed my diet, and then exercise protocol. One of the may changes was allowing 2 days off to rest (and another one if it was really necessary). This really accelerated my results, and I got leaner and put on some good muscle tone. It did not happen right away, but eventually the body caught up with the diet and change in exercise frequency. Try this one out if you are having problems losing body fat and gaining muscle. - Get a personalised program, based on your goals.
I’ve never been one for having a general program. It’s boring, and does not work well for me long term. I think of it as a waste of time for people that are advanced trainers. Get a proper program in place, with your goals and nutritional needs in mind – then work towards attaining it. You will find it a lot more rewarding and achievable to do this. The plane always has a destination in place, and the steps towards getting their – why shouldn’t you? - Always go for the exercise that create the most changes – despite how challenging they may be.
The best and most effective training programs are ones that make multi joint movements the main priority. These movements (squatting and lifting) are needed in daily life, and make use of our hips, knees and ankle joints all at once. This will help us create more flexibility and coordination as we age.
These are also the primary exercise that will change our body shape, increase muscle mass, strength and help us to burn more calories. In fact, it will keep our bodies looking shapely, lean and younger as we age. Make them the primary exercise when you get to the gym, and leave the single joint exercises for the end of your sessions.
I hope this has helped you get motivated to try out strength training, and it’s many benefits. I find it to be the best form of exercise not only for the old, but the young as well. If you would like to keep in touch during your journey, please do contact me on these various platforms if you need further assistance. I have plenty of other blog posts on angedim or join me on fb and insta social standpoints. Please feel free to upvote this answer if it has been useful in some way to you.