PHYSICAL ACTIVITY IMPROVES ENDURANCE AND MUSCLE STRENGTH IN OLDER ADULTS

LIFT WEIGHTS TO PREVENT BONE LOSS

It's no secret that older Americans benefit from physical activity. Because of its generally inactive nature, a decrease in functional skills and subsequently a decrease in ability to perform the everyday tasks of living usually accompany aging. Study after study has shown that physical activity mitigates the loss of muscle strength and endurance, indicating that if older adults focus energy on muscular, skeletal, balance and mobility training, they will maintain a functionally superior quality of life well into old age. It is important for older adults to understand not only the precise benefits, but also safe ways to perform a strength-training program, and perhaps most importantly, how to stay with a program once begun.

In the November-December issue of ACSM's Health & Fitness Journal,® L. Jerome Brandon, Ph.D., FACSM offers a list of both physiological and performance benefits, proposes strength training guidelines for older adults, and makes some strong suggestions for adherence.

Strength training first results in physiological benefits within the muscle; performance improvements follow. The connecting tissue between nerves and muscles, usually decreased in number with age, can be preserved with strength training. Muscle fibers are also preserved through control of these connections, helping maintain strength and endurance.

To set up guidelines for a strength training program, Brandon points to several studies that outline specific exercises. Because participants will benefit from almost any intensity or repetition, he states, the major consideration should be the safety and comfort of the participant.