Are you too old for weight lifting? Will weight lifting help



you stay and look younger? The answer to the first question is

no and to the second is a resounding yes. Weight lifting will

help both men and women stay fit and supple and might even help

you look younger. And, no matter what your age, you’re not too

old to start.

Dr.Walter Bortz, in The Journal of the American Medical

Association, 1982, stated that a number of the physical

changes we undergo as we age, such as loss of muscle tone,

organ deterioration, and osteoporosis are “indistinguishable

whether caused by age or inactivity." He believed that exercise

could delay many of the diseases associated with aging, adding

“at least a portion of the changes commonly attributed to aging

are in reality caused by disuse and, as such, subject to

correction".

As we age, we lose bone density and muscle mass. We get stiff

and our joints creak. Instead of using our body, we “rest" it

even more, starting a very dangerous downward spiral. The

synovial fluid dries up, the tendons become brittle, the sinews

grow weak. It hurts to move, so we don’t.

More recently Dr Henry Lodge and Chris Cowley published a new

book on this theme, "Younger Next Year: A Guide to Living Like

50 Until You're 80 and Beyond". The premise of this book is that

weight lifting will help reverse the loss of both bone density

and muscle mass that begins to take place as we get older. And

they’re not talking about light weights, but rather big heavy

weights.

In July 1983, Terry Todd wrote in Sports Illustrated that “Anyone

who has spent much time in what is sometimes called the "Iron Game"

has, of course, seen weight trainers over 40 whose physiques were…

surprisingly youthful. Apparently there is something about the act

of regularly stressing your body with heavy exercise that gives it

the wherewithal to resist the visual manifestations of advancing

age…research in this area suggests that men and women of middle age

will respond to systemic progressive resistance with weights by

becoming more powerful and more flexible, with more endurance and

less fat."

In 2003, the Centers for Disease Control reported that strength

training "can be very powerful in reducing the signs and symptoms of

numerous diseases and chronic conditions, among them:arthritis,

diabetes, osteoporosis, obesity, back pain and depression."

Strength training will also increase your flexibility and balance,

which decreases the likelihood and severity of falls. One study in

New Zealand in women 80 years of age and older showed a 40% reduction

in falls with simple strength and balance training.

I don’t agree that we need to undertake heavy weight training to

see substantial benefits.

The American College of Sports Medicine strength training

guidelines say we should start with at least two days a week of

any type of resistance exercise by doing 8 to 10 different exercises

and doing 8 to 12 repetitions per day. A repetition is how many times

you lift the weight or do the exercise.

So start off with a weight that you can lift correctly for at least

8 reps, even if it’s only 2 to 5 pounds. Rest between each set of

repetitions and between each exercise. If you can't make it to 8 reps

during the first few tries, don't give up. Do as much as you can do.

You'll be suprised at how soon you will feel like you need to add a

bit more weight.

But the goal is not to become a body builder, but rather to restore

your muscle tone and joint movement. You can gradually work your way

up to heavier weights if you desire, but you will obtain the best

benefit by avoiding injury and sticking to the program – lifting

weights every two or three days.

An excellent resource on this subject is Getting Stronger: Weight

Training for Men and Women by Bill Pearl and Gary Moran, Ph.D. I have

the edition that came out in 1986. A newer one is now available.

I have referred to it constantly over the last 19 years.

The book gives you tips and pointers on how to set up a strength

training regime. There are illustrations of every exercise with step

by step instructions on how to do them properly.

You can either learn beginning to advanced body building, sports

fitness routines to help you do better in 22 different sports,

exercises to help prevent injuries at work or just the principles

of general conditioning and strength training.

And you don’t need any fancy equipment to get going. Almost all the

exercises use cheap dumbbells and weights that are available in just

about every sporting goods store. All in all, this is a very

comprehensive book on weight training and is especially helpful to

those of us who have never lifted weights before.

If you have any disease, injury or physical disability, consult the

doctor who has been treating you before undertaking these exercises.

Follow his advice on how to get started and do not strength train if

he says not to.

Start off slowly with light weights. Follow the diagrams in the book

to make sure you’re positioning your body correctly to avoid injury

and obtain the best result from your workout.

After several weeks, you will be well on your way to improving your

appearance, physique and general attitude toward life, while doing

wonders for you internal organs and maybe even fighting off disease.

“Use it or lose it" applies to just about every part of your body.

Don’t “lose it" because of inactivity and disuse.

This article is for informational purposes only. It does not purport

to offer medical advice. Consult a qualified physician before

undertaking any exercise program.

By: Jean Bowler

http://www.ageless-beauty.com