Inactivity, Not Aging Causes Most of our Health Problems
Raymond Kelly
Copyright 2005 Raymond Kelly
Just like the young, older people can gain many benefits from exercising. Life can be made a lot easier through improvements in strength, balance, coordination, and mobility. If the person has not exercised for a while, they must start slow. Even walking 10 minutes per day will give them great benefits.
Weight training is also a great option. Start them on a 20 minute program (3-4 exercises), and increase them from there as they adapt. Keep sets at 2-3, reps at 10-15, and the rest interval between sets at 90 seconds.
The facts:
·Improvements in fitness and oxygen consumption with
training are similar for younger or older men and women. Though,
an older person will generally start at a lower level and peak
at a lower level than a younger person.
·Older subjects show
greater gains in muscle oxidative enzyme activities.
·Aging
appears neither to impair the ability to improve muscle strength
nor prevent muscle growth.
·Exercise can help arthritic patients
by increasing strength and mobility.
·Older people who exercise
have:
·Higher VO2max values and half the expected decrease in
VO2max due to age
·Higher HDL cholesterol and lower LDL
cholesterol
·Enhanced glucose tolerance and insulin sensitivity
·Greater strength, reaction time, and a lower risk of falling
·Increased bone density (reduced chance of osteoporosis)
Guidelines:
·Always get a medical examination and clearance before starting
an exercise program.
·All equipment should be safe and inspected
regularly for defects.
·Training equipment should be located in
an uncrowded area.
·There must be adequate supervision by an
experienced and registered trainer to ensure correct technique
is used.
·Programs should start with regular stretching and
strengthening exercises, with a progression to more dynamic
aerobic activities. Cycling and swimming are recommended over
jogging.
·Older people are generally less tolerant of
environmental stress so restrict training in extreme
temperatures.
·Until they are experienced in weight training,
only use exercises that require them to keep both feet on the
ground (e.g. Squats instead of Lunges). This will reduce their
risk of falling and injuring themselves.
·Ensure all abdominal
work is done on the floor and not on the Swiss Ball.
·Only light
lifting should be done above the head.
·No isometric exercises.
About the author:
Ray has worked extensively in the health and fitness industry
for over 15 years. He has a degree in Exercise Science and is a
Level 2 Strength and Conditioning coach. His latest web site can
be found at Free
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