KEY POINTS HERE
1) A new study finds that even if you have not worked out before, you still have the same ability to build muscle and strength - regardless of age or ability.
2) Starting off slowly and moving steadily is the key to avoiding injury and seeing meaningful progress.
3) You don’t have to exercise as much as you think to get the results you want.
Last week I interviewed by a reporter from a local newspaper who posed the question:
“Can some who has been sedentary most of their life see similar results as someone who has been active over the past 20+ years?”
Well I knew from my 26+ years of working with older adults that this was true.
As an example - I started working with my client Ed Richards when he had just turned 70.
He wanted to lose his belly and have more strength.
He lived on a third floor walk up apartment and was starting to feel weak and was having trouble carrying groceries to the top.
He was someone who had no background in sports or at a gym- other than walking around the city.
And he did not have good genetics- he was an over fat skinny guy with very little muscle and a pot belly.
But within three months of training he was starting to notice a difference in his stair climbing ability. He also followed my advice about eating healthier and lost about two inches off his waist.
He added some muscle and he noticed his body was a little tighter in the right places.
But I had never seen a scientific study to back up this idea of starting later in life and making significant progress.
Until a study was published in the journal “Frontiers in physiology” -August 2019. It came to the conclusion that “even if you worked out regularly and are older, your body still has the ability to build muscle mass.
This study
https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fphys.2019.01084/full
compared two groups:
The first had been working out at least twice a week for 20 years or more.
The second were sedentary and did not have a consistent workout routine.
They had both groups work out and then took muscle biopsies (samples of their muscle tissue)
The result showed that both groups had the ability to build muscle in response to exercise.
And it didn’t matter if you were a newbie to exercise – you can still get all the great health benefits.
Starting later in life will help delay muscle loss and the natural progression of aging called sarcopenia.
It will keep you from becoming a “Frail elder”.
A lot of people believe that being older means inevitable weakness, health problems and frailty- but it’s not age but the lack of exercise that causes these conditions.
So to see results you need at least two 20 minute resistance training sessions as a start.
This means lifting weights like dumbbells, doing machines, body weight or bands to challenge you muscles.
And add in aerobic activity. The recommendation is for 150 minutes per week of moderate activity (like walking or biking) and 75 minutes of more challenging high intensity interval exercise that is shorter and more intense.
The key is to start slowly and realize you won’t be able to reach these numbers when you start.
Gradually ramp up and give yourself time to adapt and adjust.
You will need to get some expert help if you have health conditions or orthopedic problems to work around.
Don’t allow fear of getting hurt or looking silly in front of others get in the way.
There are numerous ways to adapt exercise to make it work for you.
And remember you can come up to the same level of someone who has worked out for many years.
You just have to take the time and make the effort on a consistent basis.
Consistency is king when it comes to exercise and reaping the benefits in your later years.
I have had clients tell me they feel better and look better than they have in years.
Exercise can help to get rid or modify a lot of your aches and pains, while giving you more energy, self-esteem and a better outlook on life as you grow older.
Invest in your health and find a trainer that specializes in training older adults- you will be glad you did!