Strong Seniors are Healthier Seniors: The Many Benefits of Strength Training for Older Adults

If you want to enjoy optimum health and independence as a senior citizen, an increasing body of research shows that regular strength training will help get you there.

Not only that, but you can start strength training at any age and still see results – just check out this 2013 video of then 91-year-old Sy Perlis breaking a world record!

But don't worry – you don't have to commit to becoming a world-record holder to benefit from strength training as a senior citizen! Here are a few of the benefits that studies have shown older adults can enjoy from just two, hour-long strength workouts a week:

• Regular strength training prevents, and can even reverse, the loss of muscle mass and strength that otherwise dogs us as we age. If you want to be able to climb stairs, get out of chairs, or lift your grandkids, strength training is the way to go.
• Progressive resistance (a.k.a. weight or strength) training builds stronger bones and helps prevent osteoporosis.
• Consistent, regular strength workouts have also been shown to reduce the signs and symptoms of chronic issues like heart disease, arthritis, and Type 2 diabetes. At the same time, studies seem to indicate that strength training can help older people get better sleep, prevent obesity, and even alleviate depression – while, possibly, even improving memory and cognition.

While there is no cure for getting older, it's increasingly clear that strength training can help prevent many of the issues that make aging difficult.  

One Better Living Fitness client, Sara Constant, loves how working out with Better Living makes her feel:

When I work out every day, I find everything comes into shape: my weight decreases, my aches and pains disappear, and my ability to handle the day's requirements increases. ... I'm 71 years old, and when I look out of my 71 year old eyes, I feel as if I'm 20!

But even though strength workouts are great for us at any age, strength training by itself is only part of the equation for optimum health. We also need to work on our cardio fitness, flexibility, balance, and posture to protect our health and fitness as we get older.

At the Better Living Fitness Center we recognize the importance of strength training for people of all ages,  and we understand that building muscle alone isn't a silver bullet. That's why we created Full Body Fit – our signature fitness session that combines strength and cardio training with exercises to improve flexibility, balance, and posture.

If you're an older adult and you want to see just how fit your senior years can be, check out our Full Body Fit schedule and try a class this week. Don't worry if you have an injury or mobility issue, because your trainer will customize the exercises to fit your needs. Full Body Fit – or an individual or group session with one of Better Living's certified, experienced personal trainers – is a great way to start enjoying the benefits of strength training at any age!

Sources:

“StrongerMuscles May Pump Up Your Memory,” A HealthDay News article published by the National Institutes of Health's MedlinePlus website.

“Strengthhelps older adults live longer,” from Science Daily.