Why Weight Training Helps You Grow Old Gracefully.

Everyone wants to delay the aging process as much as possible.  Diet is a great way to ensure you fuel your body with the required nutrients it needs but you also have to maintain some kind of exercise regime no matter what the age.

Weight training is something many over 50’s avoid, they often tend to play golf, bowls, take walks or swim but everyone really should take a good hard look at the benefits of resistance training.   Resistance or weight training helps maintain and improve bone density which is vital as we get older .  With age we tend to be more prone to falls and fractures and good bone density minimises the impact of these falls.

Weight training also improves our strength, balance, posture, muscle length and mobility or range in motion which means we can avoid that walking aid, scooter or wheel chair for longer.  It also improves our circulation which decreases the risk of stroke and heart disease.

Those who have reduced their activity with age often experience muscle imbalances or weaknesses which directly effect the body’s posture and may cause or exacerbate joint and spinal complaints.   They also commonly experience significant weight loss which makes them less resilient to illness and often hinders their ability to fight off viruses.  Skin also becomes very delicate, grazing and bruising far more easily than those with muscle tone.

My recommendation for those who are amongst the aging population is to weight train. If you’ve never done it before you are going to have to learn the correct technique and I strongly recommend a personal trainer for this.  By using a personal trainer you will reduce the risk of injury and be corrected quickly on poor technique.

Once you’ve mastered the technique always try to train with someone, your partner, a family member, friend or trainer.  You may think you are perfectly capable but it’s better to be safe and minimise the chance of dropping a weight, failing to set up equipment correctly or straining yourself.   You’ll be surprised of the positive impact weight training will deliver to your lifestyle and it’s NEVER too late to start.

Stay healthy!

Aaron Shedlock
Limitless Health