Tips on embarking a strength training journey for older adults
As people age, they naturally lose muscle mass, so it’s important to strength train and follow a balanced diet to maintain long-term health. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, regular physical activity is one of the most important things older adults can do to protect their overall health. Exercise helps to delay or prevent many of the conditions that come with age, ideally in a combination of strength training and aerobic exercises for an average of 150 minutes a week for those 65 and older. However, if there is only time for one exercise, do a set of squats, experts say.
Squats strengthen all of the muscle groups in legs, including the calves, quadriceps, hamstrings and glutes, as well as muscles in the lower back and core. Those muscles provide the foundation for most activities of daily living, such as climbing a set of stairs and simply standing up from a chair.
In addition, exercising with a friend can not only provide motivation to work out, but also build up the endurance by gradually increasing the workout time, the resistance, and the number of sets and repetitions in squats and other exercises.
—MetroCreativeConnection
