Anyone Can Do It!
Do you ever feel like you are too weak or frail to pick up the weights in the gym or use a machine? Have you ever had the fear of falling and injuring yourself? You are not alone, and the majority of seniors typically feel the same way. Many studies have shown that resistance training, or the form of exercise where typically the use of weights are used, improves muscular strength and can be performed safely with little injury. With the improvement of muscular strength, this reduces the risks of falling and other injuries that happen when one has weaker muscles when they grow older.
Tips for Training
Exercise does not need to take up your whole day in order to get the results you are looking for. Research suggests the best way to perform resistance training is:
•Exercise 1-6 times per week at 30-70% of one's maximum effort
•Low weight can be used and is just as sufficient as high weight in gains in muscular strength
•Be performed at any setting: home, gym, hospital, residence facility
One study in particular showed that resistance training performed daily with body weight, low weight, or resistance bands significantly improves muscular strength in older adults. Resistance training was seen as effective in improving muscular strength in the trunk and both the upper and lower limb muscles when performed two to three times a week. It also was seen to specifically improve overall muscular strength, knee extension, and hip flexion. When performing exercises, low weight is also just as beneficial as high weights in gaining muscular strength, along with exercise being performed just two to three times a week.
New Resistance Exercise: Water Aerobics
What's more fun than spending the day with friends in the pool while also getting a workout in? Well, there is a new and upcoming type of resistance exercise that can be done right in the pool. It involves ankle weights being worn to increase the resistance with every step as shown below. Water enters the pockets of the ankle straps, so the faster you walk the harder it gets. Make sure to check your
local YMCA for schedules for great aquatics classes.
Other Great Ways to Get Active
Some ways to include resistance training in your daily lifestyle can include:
- Group classes to lift weights
- Use of resistance bands
- Water aerobics
Most seniors feel more comfortable and more motivated in a group setting and that is great! There are plenty of classes to attend where the use of weights or resistance bands are used to improve muscular strength. The most important part is to get moving and never feel like you are not capable of lifting the weights because you are!
To learn more about resistance training, visit:
About the Author
Olivia Wright is a senior at Westfield State University and is majoring in Movement Science with a concentration in Sports Medicine and a minor in Psychology. After graduating in the spring of 2021, she plans to continue her education in graduate school in the hopes of becoming an Occupational Therapist. Contact her via email at oliviaw06@gmail.com.
References
Katsura, Y., Yoshikawa, T., Ueda, S.-Y., Usui, T., Sotobayashi, D., Nakao, H., … Fujimoto, S. (2010). Effects of aquatic exercise training using water-resistance equipment in elderly. European Journal of Applied Exercise, 108(5), 957-964. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1080/0361073X.2017.1398810
Lopez, P., Pinto, R. S., Regis, R., Anderson, R., Rafael, G., Mikel, I., & Lusa, C. E. (2018). Benefits of resistance training in physically frail elderly: a systematic review.Aging Clinical and Experimental Research, 30(8), 889-899. http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s40520-017-0863-z
Pina, F. L. C., Nunes, J. P., Nascimento, M. A., Ribeiro, A. S., Mayhew, J. L., &Cyrino, E. S. (2019). Similar Effects of 24 Weeks of Resistance Training Performed with Different Frequencies on Muscle Strength, Muscle Mass, and Muscle Quality in Older Women. International Journal of Exercise Science, 12(6), 623–625. https://web-b-ebscohost-com.scroll.lib.westfield.ma.edu/ehost/pdfviewer/pdfviewer?vid=7&sid=f549fc58-b2d8-4e3c-9ca4-5d5ad9f1fb04%40pdc-v-sessmgr06.
Tsuzuku, S., Kajioka, T., Sakakibara, H., & Shimaoka, K. (2018). Slow movement resistance training using body weight improves muscle mass in the elderly: A randomized controlled trial. Scandinavian Journal of Medicine & Science in Sports, 28(4), 1339–1344. https://doi.org/10.1111/sms.13039\
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