Are you an aging Baby Boomer? Are you finding difficulty in getting motivated to workout? Is one of your New Year’s resolutions to get in shape? Do you have aches and pains when you awake in the morning? Do you wish you could lose 10 pounds! There is a solution!!!!!! Strength training offers the best program for quickly improving muscular strength, endurance and body composition. Strength training increases range of motion, strengthens the heart, joints and bones and works unilateral and bilateral movement so to greatly improve one’s agility.
The basic premise of strength training, synonymous to weight training using barbells, dumbbells and machines is to use resistance to make muscles work harder than they are accustomed to working. Concerns of “muscle boundness,” reduction of speed or flexibility are myths. Everyone, male or female, after the age of 35, needs to start slow with light weight training and progressively increase as the individual becomes stronger over time. With consistency, light weight and many repetitions, one will increase strength, flexibility and endurance without ever lifting heavy weight. Heavy weights tear down the muscle fibers and joints as well as causing overuse injuries. The key to any exercise is consistency. A gradual program will be a continuous program for the healthy body.
After the age of 35, individuals who do not workout lose between five and seven pounds of muscle tissue every decade. This is the main reason why metabolism slows down and older people gain weight. By increasing lean muscle tissue, one will be able to burn fat more efficiently. Everyone must maintain muscle mass to reduce the aging process. Strength training produces faster muscle toning results than aerobic exercise; not to say aerobic exercise is not important. In order to be healthy, anaerobic (weight ) training, aerobic training and stretching are all equally as important in improving one’s overall health.
The big question is finding time to workout. It’s a matter of prioritizing. Once an individual learns how to workout properly with an educated and certified professional, just a few hours per week at home with some free weight dumbbells is all a person needs to stay fit, lose weight and feel great!
In conclusion, we all need to exercise especially with weights for the increase of muscle tissue, to reduce body fat, to improve glucose metabolism and speed up food transit, increase bone mineral density, lower blood pressure and improve blood lipids, maintain or improve low back health and to combat the aging process. Let 2025 be your best year—make it happen!