ECLIPSE | MARCH 17, 2021

WHY STRENGTH TRAINING GETS MORE IMPORTANT AS WE AGE

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295 W Wieuca Road NE, Atlanta, GA 30342

Phone: (404) 843-2663

A friend of ours who’s often complemented for his age-defying fitness says in response, “If I was working out this well at 30, I’d be huge.”

Building muscle mass hasn’t been a goal since he left Division One football behind decades ago, but keeping the legacy of tone and strength and mobility alive, as life goes on, seems to call for just as much discipline and effort as getting there in the first place. Why so much work for less results? Well, the results are not less, they are just less visible. If anything, the results of today are even more important.

And the reason has to do with the body’s own response to time. To a great extent, aging is optional, but change is not. Let’s think about how best to adapt to the changes our bodies make as time progresses.

Here, then, are our three best reasons why strength training gets more important as we age.

#1 Oxygen Efficiency

So many of the changes that come with age – and the benefits of exercising as we age – have to do with how our bodies use oxygen. The “oxygen cost” of exercise gets higher as we get older. Left unchecked, this process causes our capacity to decline. The good news stems directly from this, too – the benefits of exercise are even greater. Exercise improves oxygen efficiency to an even greater degree in older folks than in the young. This makes “the fires of autumn” even friendlier, though they might not be as hot.

#2 Mobility

From our experience with so many clients in so many stages of life, we would place mobility at the top of the list of the best reasons to keep on with strength training as we age, and at the top of most people’s goals, too. The reason we make mobility No. 1 is because it makes everything else possible. Mobility is also a cornerstone of independence as people get older, and it has everything to do with how many options we can choose from, and enjoy, as life progresses. The social engagement that mobility makes possible is a key to preventing depression and feelings of loneliness.

#3 Mental Health

Improving a person’s state of mind is also high on the list. The mental health benefits are impressive. More oxygen makes the brain work better, and strength exercise produces endorphins, the hormones that relieve stress and promote happiness. Cognitive functions and fine motor skills are upheld by the oxygen flow that regular exercise promotes.

Strength exercise lessens our exposure to disease and helps protect us from falls, two hazards that change the course of life for all too many people as they get older. Indeed, if you want to slow the effects of aging, strength training is a great place to start.

WORKOUT ONLINE WITH ALEX CARSON