As we age, muscle mass, joint flexibility, and overall fitness decline. No matter what we do, or how hard we work at it, balance and strength change.
But that doesn’t mean you should take it lying down. Decline happens because of age and inactivity. The adage “use it or lose it” has never applied more. The older you get, the more you should include strength training as a part of your workout routine. Diet, exercise including strength training, is all a part of prevention.
Strength training involves resistance. It puts your muscles into action and builds both strength and endurance. It doesn’t take an expensive gym membership to create the right routine; you can get what you need from free weights, resistance bands, or even your own body weight. The more you put into your routine, the more you’ll find your muscle strength improves.
Why should you put strength training into your routine?
It builds muscle mass. This doesn’t mean bulking up or looking like a bodybuilder. This is all about toning your muscles and building up strength to avoid injury.
It builds bone density. Falling and breaking bones is one of the biggest concerns as you age. Take charge now by building up your endurance and reducing your risk for osteoporosis at the same time.
It improves your balance. As you become stronger, your body becomes more mobile, more flexible, and your balance improves. This makes everything you do a little easier.
It reduces chronic disease. When you’re healthy, your body keeps disease away. That means your likelihood of things like heart disease, arthritis, osteoporosis, diabetes, even depression will go down.
It reduces body fat. An active body is a healthy body. If you’re up and doing things, you’re less likely to be lying around, consuming unhealthy foods.
No matter what your current condition, it’s never too late to add strength training into your routine. If you aren’t sure where to start, look for a personal trainer to help get you started. Most gyms have access to personal trainers either one-on-one or through group training. If you aren’t ready for that, check YouTube for fun, do-it-yourself routines that you can follow at home.
Make sure you pay attention to posture and correct form. Doing a routine the wrong way can bring on more injury. And before you start any new routine, talk with your doctor first.