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Strength and Resistance Training
Exercise & Fitness

Strength and Resistance Training

by Kimberly Johnson
written by Kimberly Johnson

Strength and Resistance Training
Strength and Resistance TrainingStrength/resistance exercises emphasize repetitive motions to strengthen your muscles. They prevent loss of bone mass and improve balance too, reducing the frailty that can come with aging – and that often has devastating consequences. Strength and Resistance Training
 
Most strength training is done using weights, resistance bands, nautilus machines or by using steps, furniture, walls or the floor for resistance.
Plan your strength/resistance exercising two to three times a week for 30 to 60 minutes. If you do it more often, you could overuse or strain your muscles – and giving yourself 24 hours before repeating your exercises gives your muscles time to recover.
For maximum benefit, you should do each exercise for 10-15 repetitions. (You’ve probably heard exercise nuts talk about how many “reps” they do – this is what they mean!). As you get stronger, you can increase the amount of weight or resistance you use and you can increase your intensity to two sets of repetitions for each exercise.
A gym is a great place to do strength/resistance exercising because you’ll find the latest high-tech equipment and instructors who can help you plan your exercise regime and teach you to use the equipment. But you don’t have to go to the gym! You can also do strength/resistance exercises at home, with weights, exercise tubing and your own walls and furniture!
NOTE: Always talk with your doctor before beginning an exercise program. very type of exercise is not appropriate for all people, especially if you have high blood pressure, heart disease or diabetes. And it’s important that you start slowly with any physical activity.

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Exercise & Fitness

Making Exercise Fun

by Jeff Dailey
written by Jeff Dailey

Making Exercise Fun

Do What You Like

Making Exercising FunIf you don’t like jogging, just don’t jog. Ditto with swimming or weight lifting. Choose to do the activities you like – and you’ll be much more likely to stick with an exercise program. Try some new activities that you’ve never done to find out if you like them. Often the newness of an activity will keep you interested and motivated!

Do A Variety of Activities

Mix up your activities so you don’t get bored. Take a hike on Monday, go to your swimming class on Tuesday, work with weights on Wednesday. If you lose interest, it’s time to shake up your routine. Add new activities or change the way you pursue the ones that have worked so far.

Be Sociable – Get An Exercise Buddy

Instead of exercising alone, do it with a friend – or a group. Set a regular date for taking a walk with a friend, or join a yoga class that meets the same time each week. Join a hiking group in your area that finishes up with dinner out after each hike – or attend a local square dance night. Not only will you keep your body fit, you’ll make new friends too!
Having a buddy can also make you feel more at-ease about signing up for a new class. It’s comforting to try new activities with a friend.
If you don’t want anyone to see you sweat or look at you in your exercise attire, putting a treadmill in your bedroom or buying an exercise video is a good idea.

Combine Something You Like With Exercising

Some people hate to exercise no matter what activities they do or when they do them. If that describes you, don’t give up on exercising because it is key to your long-term health. Instead try to combine exercise with something you really like to do. For example, if you love to shop, do your walking at the mall when the crowds are thin or when most of the stores are closed, so you can walk quickly and get some exercise, and still look in the windows. You can even combine your walking with buying some new clothes to walk in!
If you love to watch TV, put a TV in the same room as your treadmill or stationery bicycle, and watch TV while you exercise. You can also lift weights and do resistance training while you’re watching TV. If you hate to exercise, but like to visit with a friend, make a deal with your friend that if you both go to a weekly exercise class, you’ll treat yourselves to a meal or a movie afterwards.

Keep Track of Your Progress – and the Calories You Burn

If you’re a walker, wear a pedometer. It’s fun to see how many steps you walk each day and wearing the pedometer gives you a new challenge every day when you wake up. Many fitness experts advise that we should walk at least 10,000 steps a day.
You can also keep a log of your activities – what types of activities you do every day and how long you do them. This will help you stay motivated when you realize how much you’ve accomplished! Set goals that have to do with how much and how often you participate rather than how fast you walk or how many pounds you lift. These kind of goals are easier to achieve and can give you a sense of satisfaction that will help you stay motivated.
Take a look at the calories you’re burning when you exercise and how many calories you expend when you do your everyday activities. It motivates you to keep moving and maybe eat less too!
NOTE: Always talk with your doctor before beginning an exercise program. Every type of exercise is not appropriate for all people, especially if you have high blood pressure, heart disease or diabetes. And it’s important that you start slowly with any physical activity.

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Muscle Deterioration
Exercise & Fitness

Four Areas of Muscle Deterioration

by Jeff Dailey
written by Jeff Dailey

Four Areas of Muscle Deterioration

Muscle DeteriorationRegular physical activity is one of the most important ways to prevent functional decline as we age. This is critical because any functional decline can result in more serious and life-threatening issues such as broken bones, diabetes, heart disease and high blood pressure. Four Areas of Muscle Deterioration
To maintain optimal function, human bodies require muscular activity and regular movement. When these are lacking, our muscle mass, bone density, strength, flexibility and range of motion all decline rapidly. As we age, if we stop moving and don’t use our muscles, four areas can begin to deteriorate:

Endurance

When you participate in endurance exercises, you’ll keep your heart, lungs and circulatory system in better condition. An endurance exercise should make you breathe hard and you should be active for at least 30 minutes a day – most days of the week.
Working on endurance doesn’t require expensive equipment or a fancy gym. A well-paced walk several times a week works just fine at getting your heart and lungs working better. You can also swim, hike, dance or ride a bicycle.

Strength/Muscles

As you age, you’ll begin to lose muscle mass unless you perform strength exercises.
If you keep using your muscles, they’ll stay strong and healthy. You’ll be happier too because you’ll be able to get in and out of a chair – and your car – by yourself. You’ll be able to play actively with your grandchildren. And you’ll be able to take a walk on the beach or through your favorite nature preserve. Best of all, strong muscles will help you avoid falls and broken bones.

Balance

As we age, our sense of balance can diminish at the same time that our strength is declining. This is a dangerous combination that can lead to falls and broken bones. Balancing exercises can help. They’re simple, need no special equipment – and require just a few minutes a day.

Flexibility

Losing flexibility as we age can make it difficult to perform everyday living activities – and can become a downward spiral toward further loss of motion. Start now to maintain – or even increase – your flexibility. Flexibility exercises are quick and easy to do – with no equipment or specialized clothing required.
If you are exercising, keep doing it and you can avoid deterioration! If you’re not exercising, start right away. You can prevent or reverse any deterioration due to aging. Not only will you start moving better and feeling more fit, you will also experience many other benefits.
NOTE: Always talk with your doctor before beginning an exercise program. Every type of exercise is not appropriate for all people, especially if you have high blood pressure, heart disease or diabetes. And it’s important that you start slowly with any physical activity.

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