|
|
      |
| The Lounge | Champions | The Wire | Schedule | Audio | Arcade | The Top Ten | Historical | Email | Video |
|
|
|
| The Lounge | Champions | The Wire | Schedule | Audio | Arcade | The Top Ten | Historical | Email | Video |
 |
Are You Too Old to Pump Iron?
Are you too old for weight lifting? Will weight lifting helpyou 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. In 1982, Dr.Walter Bortz,writing in The Journal of the American Medical Association, 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. Jean Bowler Ms Bowler has been a ballet dancer and teacher, a gynmastics coach, and aerobics teacher and a private coach. She has a strong interest in antiaging research. She is the editor of Ageless Beauty, Your AntiAging Exercise Resource
MORE RESOURCES:
Google News |
|
|
|
RELATED ARTICLES
Exercise The Right Way - The Flat Bench Press Other articles in this series looked at a number of exercises, mainly from the perspective of developing a comprehensive muscle building program. Sometimes we take things for granted, especially when it comes to performing the basic exercises that constitute the core of most bodybuiders' training regimes. Muscle Growth with Post-Workout Nutrition If you design your nutrition plans to maximize muscle growth, you must think about planning and taking properly the most important meal of the day. Do you know which?It is easy if you have read the title! Yes. Building Better Biceps Two of the nine pivot points - those stunning body parts located precisely where they attract the most attention - are the lower biceps and long head of the triceps. When fully developed, these muscles lend a mystical beauty to the physique that size alone can't. Personal Lactate Threshold Training These are not the reasons we do Lactate Threshold Training.What is it?When muscles contract vigorously for long periods, the circulatory system begins to lose ground in delivery of oxygen (necessary for energy production). What Do You Mean Low-Intensity Training Isn't The Best For Fat Burning? But how can this possibly be? Everywhere you look, it's always said that long-duration, low-intensity training is best for fat loss. All high-intensity work does is burn carbohydrates, right?Wrong. Shoulder Exercises For Beginning Bodybuilders The main shoulder muscles that concern bodybuilders are the deltoids and although they work closely with the arms and chest muscles, it is possible to isolate the delts in a training session. Unlike other body parts though, the shoulder is not designed for heavy lifting in all directions so beginners need to take care and use lighter weights than usual for shoulder-isolating exercises. Whats Your Body Type? Yep, there are more than ones body types. I'm sure you've noticed it too. Personal Trainers with Real People, Real Situations TO DO OR NOT TO DO? ? ABSTWO WEEKS PRIOR TO WRITING ARTICLE:Jeanne is a client I have worked with for a number of years, and through a couple of births with very quick recoveries. She is naturally tall and thin with wide hips and very flat abs. Celebrity Personal Trainers Personal Trainer to the Stars!!Celebrity Personal Trainers!!Who are these amazing personal trainers that train the stars, professional athletes, celebrities, rock musicians, and the rest of the rich and famous?Well, being a personal trainer and a perfectionist, I did some research to find out who they are and how one becomes a personal trainer to the stars. The research I uncovered about these so-called celebrity personal trainers that charge fees of $300+ per hour for their expertise indicates that, like the rest of the personal training industry, there are no requirements of any sort to become a celebrity trainer. Burn the Fat, Feed the Muscle (Lose Body Fat) - Product Review At first glance, this product manual's title (Burn the Fat, Feed the Muscle) was a bit distracting. While the 300+ page manual does a good job of explaining how increased muscle strength helps lose body fat and why its more important to lose body fat versus lose weight; I wasn't sure about the content of the product manual until I read it in its entirety. Successful Body Building Routine There are some major key parts to a successful body building routine. I will go over a routine that was created by a personal trainer for me, and it worked wonderfully. The Role Of L-Glutamine In Building Muscle L-glutamine remains the supplement of choice for many bodybuilders. It is a free form amino acid that can be found naturally in beans, meat, fish, poultry and dairy products. Tips to Help You Gain Weight There are a couple of reasons why most people fail in their attempt to gain more muscle mass:A. Improper diet. Muscle Building Workouts at Home! Most people make an excuse that they don't have time to workout, they are too lazy to spend any time on workouts. Whatever time they are left with, they want to relax, watch TV or listen to music . The Importance Of Creatine In Building Lean Muscle Creatine monohydrate can rightly lay claim to being the most popular and arguably most effective bodybuilding supplement currently available. The beauty of creatine is that it is 100% natural and occurs in many foods so it's unlikely to be banned from any sports or competitions. Bodybuilding on a Budget - It Doesnt Have to Put Your Wallet in a Wheelchair As you probably remember the last time you looked at a proposed grocery list or visited the nearest supplement store, you realized you needed to take out an equity loan first in order to get your month's supply of food and supplements.Believe me?I've had my fair share of large bills especially when I'm trying to bulk up and gain weight. Who Else Wants To Build Muscle Fast? I see it all the time. Guys in the gym doing set after set of all these different exercises, and if you looked at these samepeople 3 months from now they have not really changed physicallyall that much, maybe a little more toned but nothing reallynoticeable. Boost Your Anabolic Hormone Levels - Naturally! Anabolic steroid use appears to be on the rise. With the great increase in modern recombinant DNA technology, steroids such as growth hormone, growth factors and testosterone-based analogs have become increasingly more available and affordable. Gaining Muscle Mass This article will discuss how to gain weight naturally muscle building. Gaining weight naturally is about muscle building and using a mass building diet daily. Barbell Exercises That Suit Beginners The aim for beginners to weight training must be to lay the foundations for the intensive workouts that their bodies will eventually be subjected to. Obviously successful bodybuilding involves bringing together disparate elements such as nutrition and rest but choosing the right exercises is crucial.
|
Section Site Map - Submit News - Feedback - Comments - Advertise with Us Copyright © 2006 Luminati Inc. All rights reserved. 
|
