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SURPRISING STRENGTH Strength training was once just for people who wanted a great body. Now, it is for people who want a great life. Mature Outlook, August 2000 © by Gary Legwold An old Welsh proverb goes, "Three things give hardy strength: sleeping on hairy mattresses, breathing cold air, and eating dry food." None of these options looks very appealing. But then, gaining hardy strength has never really appealed to many of us. We don't want big muscles, necessarily, and we already get plenty of exercise, thank you, with walking, biking, swimming, or doing other aerobic activities. So why bother with strength training? Ask Evelyn Crim. Crim, 75, was a bit skeptical when she signed up for a golf strength training course with her husband, George. "I thought this was crazy," she recalls. "I couldn't imagine older people doing strength training. Also, it was intimidating to me because it was something that men did. Well, it was a turning point in my life." Crim's arthritic hands began to feel better, her muscles felt good, she lost weight and gained energy, and she felt a "good tired" when class was done. She had had a complete knee replacement, making walking difficult. However, with strength training, she could rest the knee and still exercise the hips, thighs, and rest of the body. Socially, the class was great. Evelyn liked the friends she met and the time spent with George. "I enjoyed it thoroughly," says Crim, of Wollaston, Mass. "I felt like I lost 10 years from my age." Then in the spring of 1999, Evelyn lost George. His death hit her hard. She quit the class and withdrew. After a while, the instructor called, concerned that she wasn't getting out of the house. She decided to go back, knowing that exercise would help her own heart condition and her outlook. "I was getting very depressed after George died," she says. "The class and the people there motivated me to take care of myself. I even did my own decorating and lights last Christmas. That strength training class has been a big plus in my life." The Benefits of Buffing Up Like Crim, many people who could never imagine themselves pumping iron later in life are doing just that. Strength training, which was once done by a small group of Charles Atlas types, has gone mainstream. And exercise experts, who once put strength training down the list of recommended activities for older people, are now putting it at the top. "Absolutely, strength training is the most important component of a fitness program for older people," says Wayne Westcott, Ph.D., Fitness Research Director at the South Shore YMCA in Quincy, Mass. Westcott says stretching exercises are necessary to remain limber as we age. And walking and aerobic activities are a must for the cardiovascular system. But, as Ball State University's David Pearson, Ph.D., says, "it won't do you any good to have a good heart and good lungs to climb stairs, for example, if you do not have good muscles to do so." "Quite honestly," says Westcott, "most of us in this age group are not that concerned about running and swimming fast. We are more concerned with going up stairs, lifting grandchildren and groceries, doing house and yard work—those kinds of activities. So, our first concern should be to get the musculoskeletal system in shape." Getting the muscles in shape is only one benefit of strength training. Westcott can wear you out with others, including:
Getting Started OK, seeing these benefits has swayed you to give strength training a try. Now what? First, receive medical clearance for strength training from your doctor. He or she can explain the importance of regular breathing throughout strength training exercises. According to the University of Maryland's Ben Hurley, Ph.D., many people hold their breath when they lift, causing a Valsalva maneuver in blood vessels. This maneuver, which you can minimize with proper breathing technique, can elevate blood pressure to dangerous levels. Second, "don't go to a discount store, buy some weights, and go home and start lifting," says Pearson. Pearson and most other experts do not advise free weights for older people, unless they use light dumbbells. Experts recommend machines, which are safer, designed so you use proper technique, and usually supervised at fitness centers. Third, be an informed consumer. Do this by:
Fourth, find a buddy. To do strength training with a spouse or friend increases your chances of ongoing success and shared enjoyment. Good Muscles, Good Lifestyle Joseph Cleggett, 55, has a pretty good buddy his wife, Kathy. "This strength training class is great for us," says Cleggett of Braintree, Mass. "It forces us to take a break from our busy schedules and have 1 1/2 to 2 hours together." Joseph was as strong as an ox as a college athlete, but then "I let my body go," he says. Job pressures kept him at the office and away from exercise. Years passed, and then he lost a 49-year-old friend to a heart attack. Joseph himself developed a heart condition and, with his daughter Erin's prodding and his doctors OK, enrolled with Kathy in a strength-training class at the YMCA. In order to fit exercise into his schedule, he gets up earlier, goes to work later, and watches less TV. But the changes are worth it. "I had forgotten how good it feels to exercise," he says. "I like to work with my body, and do things like mow the lawn, weed flowers, dig in the dirt, get sweaty. It's a release of stress and frustrations, I guess. I like to get tired and then come in and rest. Strength training helps me maintain myself physically. The longer I can use my muscles like this, the longer I will enjoy life." Strength Training Exercises (sidebar) A strength training program is personal. One program does not fit all because each of us has different goals and physical limitations. That said, here are some general guidelines for strength training from Wayne Westcott, Ph.D., Fitness Research Director at the South Shore YMCA in Quincy, Mass.: Training Exercises: Work the major muscle groups (Tables 1 and 2). If training time is limited, do these three multiple-muscle exercises: leg press (quadriceps and hamstrings), bench press (chest, shoulders, arms) and rowing (back and arms). Training Frequency: Work out two to three times a week. If training time is limited, Westcott says twice a week produces almost as many gains as three times a week. Training Sets: Do 8-12 repetitions of each exercise per set, and do 1-3 sets. If training time is limited, do one set and receive almost as many benefits as doing three, says Westcott. Work at 60 to 90 percent of maximum resistance. When in doubt, go light to avoid injury. Breathe continuously while lifting to avoid unnecessary blood pressure rises. Use good posture and technique. Add about 5 percent in resistance when you can do 12 reps confidently and under control. Table 1: Standard Machine and Free-Weight Exercises for the Major Muscles
Table 2: Strength-Training Circuit for Functional Musculoskeletal Development
You Go Girl! (sidebar) Many women frown at the thought of strength training. Kathy Cleggett, 53, once did. She grew up when few, if any, female high school sports existed, and physical activity was kind of a guy thing. "I didn't get any exercise before I signed up for a strength training class," she says. "I thought this kind of class was where strong people went to get stronger. I never saw myself as strong, and I was intimidated." So, now that she has gone through a few classes, would she recommend strength training to other women? "I would, now that I know I can do it and I belong," says Cleggett, from Braintree, Mass.
© Copyright 2004 Gary Legwold and Conrad Henry Press. All rights reserved. |
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