Strength Training for Seniors

Beginning about age 30, men and women lose muscle mass at about the rate of 10 percent per decade until about 50, when that loss accelerates to 15 percent per decade, according to research.  

By the eighth decade, the loss of muscle mass known as sarcopenia can be severe, greatly affecting quality of life by increasing the odds of falls and bone breaks that can cascade into other medical problems. Participating in weight-bearing and resistance-training exercises helps develop muscle mass. This may help treat fragility conditions like osteoporosis. So if you fall you have stronger bone density. 

Building strength can also help with the ability to stay independent as someone ages. Strength declines rapidly if it’s not maintained. Without it, daily activities like picking up a bag of groceries, opening a kitchen cabinet or getting in and out of a chair can become difficult. Exercise delays disability by improving muscular strength and endurance. Exercise also has demonstrated significant improvements in cardiovascular disease, functional mobility, metabolic fitness, and psychological health.

To improve balance, various walking drills such as heel walking, toe walking, knee raises, crossover walking etc. To improve reaction time, agility and kinaesthetic awareness performing toss balls of various sizes, shapes and surfaces challenging visual acuity and hand-eye coordination. 

We have incorporated the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) guidelines for exercise for seniors. Those guidelines tell us that aerobic exercise of moderate intensity (40-60% intensity) at a frequency of 5 days a week with a duration of 30 minutes (150 minutes a week) or aerobic exercise at vigorous intensity (60-80% intensity) 3 days a week with a duration of 20 minutes (60 minutes a week) are suggested. If the seniors lifestyle is sedentary a light intensity exercise program to start would be appropriate. 

In regards to resistance training the ACSM suggest 10-15 reps/set 2-3 times per week for 20 minutes.

We use the ACSM risk classification and medical clearance health screening to classify clients and/or patients as having low, moderate, or high risk based on the number of risk factors and the presence of signs or symptoms and /or cardiovascular, metabolic, renal, or pulmonary disease. Based on this risk classification scheme we will determine if medical clearance is required before embarking on a physical activity program, it’s important to get a medical checkup, with a focus on heart health to ensure it can handle the exercise demands. And it’s important to assess whether there are any muscular problems or bone issues that need to be worked with before starting a new regimen. The approach should be very individualized. If vascular health is good, there’s not much off limits, but you need to start simple and progress.

There is voluminous evidence that risks of remaining physically inactive, especially in those with chronic disease, are substantial. The new ACSM exercise preparticipation health screening recommendations emphasize the importance of regular physical activity for all and seeks to remove unnecessary barriers to adopting and maintaining a structured exercise program, a lifestyle embracing habitual physical activity, or both. The risk for acute exercise-related cardiovascular events is highest among habitually sedentary individuals with known or occult CVD who perform unac- customed vigorous-intensity physical activity. Hence, the ACSM risk classification system described above for exercise preparticipation health screening guidelines focus on assessing 1) the individual's current level of physical activity, 2) presence of signs or symptoms, and/or known cardiovascular, metabolic, or renal disease, and 3) desired exercise intensity.

At SquareONE Rehabilitation you will learn how to lift weights without injury and also obtain guidance for progression to heavier loads. At the heart of a good strength routine, are several moves. You need to be able to push, pull, hinge at the hips, carry and squat. And as you age, you must be able to get up off the floor in case you fall. This is what saves lives.

At SquareONE Rehabilitation we will focus on;

1.  Hip Hinge Pattern 

2.  Squat Pattern 

3.  Lunge Pattern 

4.  Horizontal Push 

5.  Vertical Push 

6.  Horizontal Pull 

7.  Vertical Pull 

8.  Loaded carries 

9.  Anti Rotation Core Exercises 

10.  Isometric Core Exercises 

Developing good balance is also important, and something you can work on with your strength routine. The good news is that to make the strength and balance gains you need, you won’t have to invest a massive amount of time.

At SquareONE Rehabilitation you will start off in the fundamental class to make sure you are knowledgeable and proficient on good form before we start you off on those heavier weights.  We will help discern the right starting weight and ensure you are executing the moves properly.

Good form is key and should serve as a guiding principle. Your workload should be determined by your ability to complete it with the proper form.

Another guiding principle is progressing in small increments. We know that spikes in volume, or intensity increases the risk of injury. In general, this means increasing at a rate of about 10 percent week to week.

At SquareOne Rehabilitation you deserve personalized care. Please contact us directly with any questions, or scheduling inquires you may have.