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Health January 2013

Health, Wellness & the Good Life

Staying Strong: A Key to Wellness

By Lynn Pribus

Strength training shows positive influence on osteoporosis (strengthens bones), arthritis (strengthens muscles supporting affected joints), heart disease (makes body leaner) and diabetes (makes muscles more sensitive to insulin and helps control blood sugar).

"Wow, Grams, you're turning into a jock," Jan's teenaged granddaughter Emily exclaims as Jan easily does ten "reps" with a 20-pound weight. Emily is suddenly seeing Jan as a strong woman instead of an old lady. And Jan knows she's not only feeling better, she's dropped a dress size since starting strength training six months ago.

While regular cardio exercise which sustains an elevated heartbeat is important for maintaining health, strength training is also a significant aspect of fitness.

Here are some of the benefits:

  • Boost your energy. As you become stronger, you'll feel more energetic and more in control.
  • Become stronger. Whether you're hoisting your wheelie into the overhead bin, caring for another person or facing an emergency, being strong helps.
  • Look better. Trim your body by building muscle. Since muscle weighs more than fat, the scales may not show the difference, but your figure will. Maintain your mobility and range of motion.
  • Improve your outlook. Studies show regular strength training offers psychological benefits for those suffering from depression or experiencing difficult times such as the illness or death of a loved one.
  • Address medical problems. Strength training shows positive influence on osteoporosis (strengthens bones), arthritis (strengthens muscles supporting affected joints), heart disease (makes body leaner) and diabetes (makes muscles more sensitive to insulin and helps control blood sugar).
  • Manage your weight. Strength training can affect basal metabolism rate (BMR = the calories the body needs for breathing, digesting, maintaining body temperature, etc.) Increased muscle mass increases the BMR, meaning the body uses more of the calories it takes in. (Dieting may significantly lower the BMR, because the body doesn't know this "starvation" is intentional and it shifts into survival mode.)

 

How Does Strength Training Work?

When you stress muscle fibers, you cause microscopic tears. This is why you experience muscle pain after unusual exertion. The important thing is that as the fibers mend, they become tougher and stronger. Always rest a day or two between sessions so the muscles can complete their repairs.

Before starting strength training, check with your doctor. As you work out, pay attention to your body. Feeling good is an indication you're exercising properly. Persistent soreness is a signal to slow down.

Not all strengthening exercises involve weights or machines. Climbing stairs, doing push-ups, gardening and other activities build strength as well. But let's talk about weights.

 

How Much Do I Lift?

If possible, work with a personal trainer for a few sessions to ensure your form is correct. Start with a weight you can lift eight times in good form, but after that you need to rest your muscles. Each lift or repetition — which gym rats call a "rep" — should take about nine seconds with four seconds to move the weight, a one-second pause to prevent "bouncing" and four seconds to return to your starting point. In this case, eight reps would constitute a "set."

Make a workout chart and keep track of your efforts. Although progress is slow, you should see improvement in as little as two weeks. Be patient. Tendons and ligaments aren't as strong as muscles and need time to catch up and you want everything to get strong together.

Proper breathing is important. Exhale slowly through your mouth during the most difficult exertion of each exercise. This ensures you don't hold your breath and raise your blood pressure — particularly important if you suffer from diabetes, glaucoma or another condition that could be affected by increased pressure.

 

How Should I Train?

There are several methods of increasing your strength, each with pros and cons.

  • Free weights. Dumbbells and barbells are non-breakable and versatile. A full set costs about $100, but a beginner set (2#, 5# and 8#) runs $20-$25. Check out garage sales and thrift shops for bargains.
  • Machines. Expensive. Fitness centers, which often have trainers available, usually have a variety of machines that are adjustable for a wide range of resistance. Safer and easier to master than free weights.
  • Exercise bands. Inexpensive elasticized bands or loops are light and easily portable — handy for travel. Booklets describe exercises, but it's hard to measure the level of exertion or progress. Too much resistance and you can't complete a full range of motion. Too little and you won't improve.

 

SIDEBAR: To Learn More

Check your local library or bookstore.

Weight Training for Dummies, by Liz Neporent and Suzanne Schlosberg, (IDG Books). An exercise bible for beginners as well as those wanting to improve their strength-training. Detailed information including cautions and "jargon alerts" on numerous specific exercises with free weights and machines. Discusses training at home, finding a gym, and lingo such as "pecs" and "flies." Photo-illustrated. Online at www.dummies.com.

Strong Women Stay Slim, by Nelson and Wernick, (Bantam) Discusses how strength training works well for weight management. Illustrated exercises specifically designed for weight management. Includes recipes, meal plans and progress logs. For more information and resources, visit www.strongwomen.com.

There are also many other useful websites. Locate by typing "strength training exercises seniors" in your search engine.

 

SIDEBAR: When to Be Careful

Miriam Nelson, author of Strong Women Stay Young, Strong Women and Men Beat Arthritis and other books, offers these cautions:

  • If you have glaucoma, a hernia, hemorrhoids or any condition that could be affected by increased blood pressure, discuss strength training with your physician. Start at very low levels and never hold your breath as you lift your weights.
  • If you have a bad back, talk with your doctor. Start at the lowest levels and work up slowly. Maintain good posture. Do stretching and strengthening exercises for the abdominals as well as the back.
  • If you have osteoporosis, check with your doctor and start with very light weights or even no weights.
  • Women should wait six months after a mastectomy. Your lymphatic system may have been affected and training could cause edema. Decrease weights if you notice swelling or tingling on the affected side.

 

SIDEBAR: Weight Training Pointers

Liz Neporent, author of Weight Training for Dummies and other fitness books, offers these suggestions and for more information visit, www.liznep.com.

  1. Always warm up. To reduce risk of injury, do five minutes of easy aerobic exercise before lifting even small weights.
  2. Breathe! Exhale positively during exertion. Holding your breath can make blood pressure soar.
  3. Control your reps and don't speed. Move slowly and with control both lifting and lowering.
  4. Choose the correct weight. Every muscle cannot lift the same amount of weight — biceps can generally lift more than triceps, for instance. Too much weight and you may tear a muscle. Too little and you are not increasing strength.
  5. Take a day of rest. Your muscles need about 48 hours to recover and heal between sessions.

 

Lynn lifts weights in Charlottesville, Virginia.

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