Over the past few years, our fitness industry — and strength training in particular–– has undergone a powerful shift in priorities. Once the sole bailiwick of competitive bodybuilders and their obsession with “getting shredded”, we now notice exercise enthusiasts adopting a balanced and sustainable approach to health. Since the pandemic of 2020, the fitness community has wrapped its collective arms around a new awakening: strength training now transcends aesthetics and holds a top spot in the quest for healthy aging, energy, and quality of life. In this article, we delve into how trainers can maximize clients’ senior years by keeping them stronger than ever.
Moving Past Vanity and Towards Vitality
For the general public, physical activity stands as a cornerstone of healthy aging. Scientific evidence suggests that as the population of our country ages, those individuals who exercise regularly not only live longer, but also may live more fulfilling lives, free of pain, disease, and disability.
Among its many accolades, personal trainers recognize that exercise helps clients maintain a healthy weight and body composition. Through the years, we have come to acknowledge that thinner physiques do not necessarily mean healthier bodies. Falling into an “underweight” category as an older adult may weaken the immune system and increase one’s risk of bone fracture. Ironically, both obesity and underweight conditions can lead to loss of muscle mass, which will render older adults weak, frail, and more prone to falls.
Extolling the Virtues of Strength Training
As the human body ages, individuals who have led relatively sedentary lives tend to observe a decline in muscle mass, strength, and stamina. However, incorporating simple strength and resistance training exercises can help older adults hold onto their current muscle mass, improve mobility, and reduce certain health risks. Clients sometimes wonder if they can still add lean muscle mass in their later years, especially if they did not engage in resistance training earlier in their lives. Studies have proven that at any age, anyone can and will benefit from starting a prudent weight-training program.
Research has proven that an ideal approach to longevity includes both strength training and cardiovascular activity. This combination boasts the ability to reduce one’s death risk by 41-47%. However, recent data seems to favor resistance training over hours on the treadmill, especially as the years go by.
Below we list key aspects of strength training, and their emergent importance in terms of longevity ~
- Bone Density
Engaging in strength training can elicit an uptick in bone density, which reduces the risk of osteoporosis. Weight-bearing exercises place stress on our bones, which encourages them to grow stronger.
- Muscle Retention
As early as age 30, adults begin to lose 3–5% of muscle mass per decade. This process tends to accelerate after the age of 50. Strength training can slow this natural rate of loss, helping us to hold onto that hard-earned lean muscle mass. A stronger body can also remain independent longer. - Joint Stability/Flexibility
Strong muscles will provide support for joints, which reduces the risk of injury and helps maintain balance. Remaining flexible and well-balanced can aid in preventing falls, fractures, etc. - Metabolism Benefit
The additional lean muscle mass derived from strength training burns more calories, helping the body’s metabolism to remain in a healthy range. It can also help manage blood sugar levels, benefiting those at risk for developing type 2 diabetes. - Heart Health: Resistance exercises and overall strength align with improvements in cardiovascular health, blood pressure, and cholesterol levels.
Embarking on the Strength Training Journey
The American College of Sports Medicine endorses strength training in older adults, suggesting a program that includes workouts at least 2x/week (on non-consecutive days). This may sound daunting to a beginner; however, sneaking bodyweight exercises into one’s daily routine can prove relatively simple and will not disrupt one’s lifestyle. Consider performing 10 squats before and after each trip to the bathroom, or sneak in 20 push-ups before every meal.
Experts propose that the body parts most crucial to longevity — quads, hamstrings, calves, and core —can acquire strength through a variety of exercises. Squats, deadlifts, calf raises, and lunges figure prominently in lower-body programs.
After consulting a physician and before embarking upon resistance training, either solo or accompanied by a personal trainer, begin slowly and prudently. Proper form and technique will help prevent injuries. Below, we offer a few more tips for older adults just starting out ~
- Proceed/progress gradually:Start with lighter weights and fewer repetitions until the body gets more accustomed to these new exercises.
- Look for functional movements: Strength training exercises work best when they mimic activities of daily life.
- Work on balance: Balance exercises improve strength and stability. Standing on one leg for 30 seconds, several times a day, easily facilitates this.
- Maintain adherence: Consistency will create momentum, which in turn fosters progress.
- Pay attention to bodily cues: Due to one’s health status or ability, some exercises may not work as well as others. Exercises should feel challenging but not acutely painful.
- Make the experience fun: Focus on exercises that elicit enjoyment. Adherence comes from creating a routine that offers a sense of fun or fulfillment.
Strength and Obesity
We tend to think of obesity, as defined by body mass index (BMI), as aligning with higher mortality rates in older adults. However, total body mass includes both adipose tissue and lean muscle, each of which has different metabolic effects on the body. One research study set out to test the hypothesis that greater muscle mass in older adults will actually align with lower all-cause mortality. This study also sought to demonstrate the survival prediction ability of relative muscle mass. Results indicated the importance of looking beyond total body mass when assessing the health of older adults.
Adipose tissue and lean muscle mass have opposite associations with both glucose metabolism and overall health risks; experts now feel these 2 tissues may also have opposite associations with an individual’s mortality risk. As we age, the body may experience a shift in the balance between fat and muscle mass; as such, total body mass and BMI prove less useful as a tool when assessing the metabolic health of older adults. In contrast, the waist-hip ratio, which indirectly reflects the relative abundance of centrally-localized adipose tissue over peripheral fat and muscle (specifically, gluteal muscle), does positively align with all-cause mortality, even in older individuals.
Perhaps most significantly, a few studies have proven that muscle strength relates inversely to mortality risk in older adults. One study followed up with subjects 16 years after their initial participation. As scientists hypothesized, muscle mass relative to body height did indeed align inversely with all-cause mortality; the relationship had nothing to do with common cardiovascular risk factors such as high cholesterol/triglycerides, elevated blood pressure, or insulin resistance. This led the research team to conclude that relative muscle mass serves as an excellent independent predictor for longevity in older adults.
Final Thoughts
Incorporating strength and resistance training exercises can enable senior adults to enjoy a richer quality of life as they age. The natural decline of muscle mass among older adults can impact one’s overall health, but regular resistance-based exercises can improve older adults’ strength, balance, and muscle function. As previously mentioned, the health benefits of resistance training far exceed simply looking good in the mirror. In addition to the aforementioned bone strength and metabolism, regular weight-bearing exercises seem to likewise improve cognitive function and emotional/mental health. Regular and consistent strength and resistance training can foster more active and independent lifestyles as individuals head into their golden years.
References
https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC4035379/
https://acsm.org/education-resources/trending-topics-resources/physical-activity-guidelines/
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31116422/
https://www.prevention.com/fitness/a63238499/strength-training-adds-years-to-your-life-study/
https://www.nia.nih.gov/health/healthy-aging/tips-boost-your-health-you-age
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/12242311/
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/16456196/
