Archive for July, 2009

Strength Training Seniors

Friday, July 31st, 2009

Maintaining strength as you get older is not for the weak-at-heart, but it will help you stay young-at-heart.

Our bodies are designed to move, as we get older this could be more of a challenge.  Part of this challenge is maintaining your strength to preserve your muscles. Your bones may also lose some density, strength training is one of the best defense against this loss of bone. Balance is also affected as part of the aging process. Losing your balance makes it easier to fall and in some cases can be fatal.

Muscle building exercises such as leg press, squats, leg extensions, leg curls and calf raises will go a long way in helping preserve muscles and bones plus the prevention of  falls.

It is also a good idea to practice one leg exercises such as some Yoga exercises. Other exercises should also include Tai-Chi and Water Aerobics would also be very helpful.

In the video below you will see a dumbell squat exerise demonstrated by a regular exerciser over the age of 80.

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Back To Basics

Friday, July 31st, 2009

When you talk about building power you must include this back exercise.

Body weight barbell rows represent the foundation of the upper body exercises along with unassisted pull-ups.

Most exerciser avoid these exercises for a number of reasons. The only reason that is acceptable would be a medical reason. In many cases these exercises are avoided because they are extremely challenging. They can also be complicated. It is much easier to use a machine that does most of the work for you.

If you are new to exercise and you are in poor physical shape it is fine to use the machines for a few months. The basic idea is to get the muscles ready for the real exercises.

Think of the next level in your training with the ultimate goal being able to use your existing body weight as the resistance you want to move with good form.

Develop a mindset of getting stronger if you are weak relative to your body weight. Once you can effectively move your body weight  or greater for multiple repititions,  using the largest muscles in your body,  you will dramatically impact how you look and perform.

Demonstrated below is the barbell rows with 225 pounds which is approximately 50 pounds more than my body weight.

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Strength Training Over 50

Wednesday, July 29th, 2009

Strength training is an integral part of staying healthy and strong over age 50.

As you approach your retirement years strength training becomes an investment. An investment that pays very high dividends.

Strength training will help you maintain a high degree of physical functioning. It will also protect your bones and ease the stress on your joints. Strength training also helps you fight the accumulation on excess body fat by increasing the metabolic activity in your muscles to burn more calories.

Your exercise program must include some strength training to be considered complete.

Men and women over 50 with exercise experience who have a good understanding of proper weight lifting technique are well advised to increase the intensity of their strength training sessions. This does not mean lifting heavy beyond what you can control. It’s all about progressing slowly to a higher level of performance.

In the video below you will see a demonstration of an advanced strength training exercise called a super set. You lift for a number of reps and immediately go to another exercise for the same muscle to perform a second exercise. This requires strength and endurance. At an advanced level it is performed with a weight close to or greater than your bodyweight.

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Firm Buns and Thighs Over 40

Saturday, July 25th, 2009

Perform lower body exercises with dumbells to firm up your buns and thighs.

The basic idea is to not only strengthen your legs, but to also improve your athletic performance. You want the exercise to challenge your stability, flexibility, endurance, strength, balance and coordination. If you want great looking legs this is what it takes!

Just wanting it is not enough!

You must be prepared to work hard for it!

The exercise performed below by this mom over forty with four children at home will dramatically increase your fitness level. It will also make your buns firm and your thighs shapelier and sexier.

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Better Balance Over 50

Saturday, July 25th, 2009

At a certain point in our life we start to lose our balance.

When starting an exercise program many of us think only about losing weight to look better. Losing weight should be more accurately phrased as losing fat. As it turns out you will lose fat if the exercise program you engage in also includes the proper nutrition. If the two are done wisely the side effect is you may lower your overall weight on the scale. You may also lose inches without showing much of a weight loss on the scale.

You will also improve your health and your fitness level, but just as importantly, you should have also improved your balance and your coordination.

Why wait until you are  in your 60’s, 70’s or more to start training your balance?

The video below demonstrates a cable exercise to help anyone improve their lower body strength and balance.

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High Intensity Strength

Wednesday, July 22nd, 2009

If  you have been lifting heavy weights for a while, then you will not think this is a big deal. You would be correct, except that many people over the age of fifty would not think they can do this. The fact is that with consistency, patience and discipline anyone at any age can do this. Heavy weight lifting is also very relative, because it is subject to your body weight. A 100 pound female lifting thirty pounds is working much harder than a 200 pound male lifting thirty pounds.

My clients work at a level subject to their health history, strength training experience and their personal drive.

The basic idea is to learn proper technique and execution before pushing yourself to the limit. Keep in mind however, that it is by pushing yourself to the limit that you will achieve your greatest results.

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Baby Boomer Strength Training

Wednesday, July 22nd, 2009

In the video below my client is demonstrating a basic seated dumbell bicep curl and alternating dumbell overhead press. These exercises are being performed as an extended set. She performs one exercise that leads right into another without stopping.

Performing the exercises is this manner will keep you working longer to not only strengthen the muscles at work but also create more endurance throughout your entire body. You can add as many exercises as you can handle with good form for a more challenging strength circuit workout.

The key is to make sure the weight is not so heavy that you risk injury to your joints.

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Build A Stronger Upper Back

Tuesday, July 14th, 2009

Your back is made up of many muscles. Some of the  muscles that help to move your upper arms are attached to your upper back. To correct rounding shoulders and a drooping head requires that you  strengthen your upper back. Preventing shoulder joint problems also depends on keeping your upper back healthy and strong.

As we grow older it is essential that we keep all our moving parts healthy, functional and pain free. Performing some basic strength training exercise will help us to remain more active, longer.

Here is an exercise for the upper back that is an absolute must do:

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