The Importance of Strength/Resistance Training for Seniors

As our age increases, the strength to engage in physically strenuous activities starts to diminish. It is observed that older people don’t feel comfortable enough to participate in high-energy activities like training or exercising. And it is quite understandable since they fear suffering an injury.

Unsplash | Elders often prefer staying away from resistance exercises

Reasons the Elderly Avoid Resistance Training

Most older people tend to avoid resistance training because they fear they’ll get injured. And it is true. Fitness experts suggest that improper postures and balancing can lead to grave injuries for the elderly. Add to that the fact that there isn’t a lot of material out there which can explain the correct way of engaging in such training and it is sufficient to make people stay off such exercises.

In a short survey by Dr. Maren Fragala, only a few people replied with a ‘Yes’ when asked if they would like to live to be 100 years old. The reason behind this is that most people do not want the discomfort and illnesses that come with old age.

The vast majority of people associate old age with increased dependence on others, poor quality of life, and physical and mental issues. They don’t often realize that if they indulge in strength and resistance training under the supervision of certified professionals, in addition to having a healthy lifestyle, they can also age healthily. This fact has been published in a report in the Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research as well.

GuidePosts | Resistance training promotes a healthy lifestyle and helps age healthily

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Health Benefits of Strength and Resistance Training

Aging usually causes a reduction in skeletal muscle mass and overall bodily function. Even if a person doesn’t specifically have chronic health issues, these body changes are almost unavoidable. This, in turn, leads to low physiologic resilience, which can make a person feel more vulnerable.

However, this doesn’t mean that there is nothing we can do to slow the process down. Following an anti-aging lifestyle can allow people to live life healthily and retain independence for a longer time. Resistance training programs can allow people to pay attention to building muscle resistance. This can offer a variety of benefits to the elderly.

Older people need to start with balanced exercises that work for the major muscle groups. This includes both pushing and pulling exercises. There are plenty of upper and lower body exercises that could be done to build body strength. Once the person gets comfortable working with weights, they can slowly add on.

FabPhysicalFun | The ill-effects of old age can be curbed with regular exercising

Beat Old Age with Resistance Training

In addition to allowing the elderly to lead a better life, regularly indulging in resistance training allows them to deal better with multiple issues. It reduces the chances of disability, boosts the possibility of living independently for a longer time, and enhances overall good health.

Resistance training can improve mobility, chronic disease management, physical functioning, and psychological wellbeing. Additionally, it also works towards having a healthy life expectancy. The compelling thing here is that studies suggest that taking up resistance training offers more benefits than risks for older adults.