Tips to stay strong and fit in your golden years
Q: I’ve been lifting weights most of my life and have no intentions of stopping, but now that I’m almost 60 my workouts have plateaued. Any tips for those of us who want to stay strong and fit in our golden years?
A: First of all I would say congratulations on your dedication to staying active. The difference between those who choose a healthy lifestyle over the alternative is immense, especially from a quality of life standpoint. Poor diet and lack of daily physical activity inevitably catch up, with conditions such as high cholesterol, high blood pressure, obesity, heart disease, joint problems and type 2 diabetes, to name a few. All the more reason we should each take a look at our decisions, and how they influence our daily lives.
Strength and muscle loss begins as early as our mid 30’s, with as much as 50% of total muscle mass lost by age 75. This age related loss is referred to as sarcopenia, and is accelerated by poor nutrition, physical inactivity and other factors. Research shows that with a well structured training program it is possible to increase strength at almost any age, and that strength is not necessarily dependent on muscle mass. Rather, it can be correlated to how well the muscles coordinate when performing an exercise, how well opposing muscles and stabilizing muscles are working, and adaptations in the neuromuscular system.
As far as how much weight to lift, its not an exact science. A place to start would be to determine your 1 rep max (the heaviest amount of weight you can safely lift only one time), for each exercise you normally do in your workout. You would then plan your workout to lift 50% to 70% of your 1 rep max. weight for 3 sets of 10, which for most is enough to maintain good strength and conditioning. The percentage you choose as well as number of sets and reps can vary according to goals and abilities, but no matter what you go with, there is a good rule of thumb. That is, you should feel a high level of muscle fatigue, the same as when you are near the end of a good set and ‘feeling the burn’. I always stress putting safety over ego, so the rule applies only when proper form is adhered to. This is your best chance of keeping the progress you’ve worked so hard for, but not putting your joints at risk. Far too many heavy lifters have learned the hard way that years of overtraining eventually takes its toll, so to avoid that trap train smart and consistently.
There are other things to consider, such as speed of movement, rest between sets, cardiovascular exercise, how much time to allow between workouts and of course, diet. Each has their place in the amount of benefit we ultimately obtain for our efforts.
Marjie Gilliam is an International Sports Sciences Master certified personal trainer and fitness consultant. She owns Custom Fitness Personal Training Services LLC. Send email to marjie@ ohtrainer.com.