If you are doing no exercise right now, your first activity should be muscle strengthening. For those of you who are staying active by walking, biking or other activities, making your muscles stronger will not only keep you doing the activities you love, it will help you do them better! Many people, young and older, are reluctant to strength train. Some may fear the development of big muscles while others may be intimidated by all the different equipment available. The good news is that you don’t need expensive equipment or complex routines to reap the benefits of strength training.
No matter how old you are, your body can still increase its strength and muscle mass. And muscles are more important than you may realize. For diabetics, more muscle means better control of blood sugar. If osteoporosis is a concern, strength training will not only preserve bone density, it will increase it.If your health problems are made more serious by excess weight, adding lean muscle to your body will increase the number of calories your body burns, even while you are resting, and will make it less convenient for you to store body fat. That’s just a sample of the reasons why strength training should be at the foundation of any exercise program.
There are many exercise programs available for seniors that specifically teach strength training. Before you begin, there are a few basic rules you need to remember:
Always get your doctor’s permission to start any new exercise program and follow his/her recommendations. Listen to your body. If a movement causes you pain, stop and consult your physician. Breathe out on the hardest part of the movement - never hold your breath! Always move slowly and in control - not only to prevent injury, but to help you perform the exercises more efficiently and see the results.
