Strength Training for
Longevity
Provided
by American
Council on Exercise
Key
Takeaways
The importance of strength training for
seniors in terms of expanding longevity, healthspan and strengthspan cannot be
overstated. In addition to covering the connections between sarcopenia and
overall wellness and explaining exactly why muscle mass declines with age, this
blog provides practical exercise programming guidelines, along with a sample
full-body workout that can be tailored to align with your clients’ goals,
abilities and experience.
Read on to learn
everything you need to know to help clients get started with a safe and
effective workout that will make them feel stronger, healthier and more
independent as they grow older.
As
all health coaches and exercise professionals know, exercise is vital
for living a long, healthy life. Few things have a greater impact on
a person’s longevity, or how long
they live. Two recent ACE blogs looked at healthspan (the
number of years a person can live without chronic or debilitating disease)
and strengthspan (a measure of
physical strength over a lifespan, which directly relates to the
ability to function independently and move safely as we age). Healthspan
and strengthspan define not how long we live, but how well.
Strength
training can pay huge dividends later in life in terms of expanding not only
longevity, but also healthspan and strengthspan—and the earlier a person gets
started, the better. So many age-related concerns that impact quality of
life, from balance and grip strength to osteoporosis and sarcopenia, can be
countered by building muscular strength and function early in life and then
maintaining it as we grow older. That said, it’s never too late to get started
and reap the benefits of strength training.
Sarcopenia
and Overall Wellness
This
blog focuses on sarcopenia, which
is defined as an age-related decline in muscle mass, strength and
performance.
Muscle
strength and mass increase from birth until they reach their peak around the
age of 30 to 35
years old. After this time, muscle performance and power begin
to decline at a slow and gradual pace until the age of 70 for men and 65
for women, at which point the rates decline more rapidly. In total,
this can lead to ~50% loss in mass
by the time a person reaches their eighth or ninth decade of
life. In addition, muscle function is lost at a rate of about 2.5 to 3% per year in
women and 3 to 4% in men
beginning at about age 75.
Why Muscle Mass Declines with Age
Sarcopenia is
related to the following underlying pathophysiology:
- Age-related declines
in anabolic hormones: Hormones such as
testosterone, human growth hormone and insulin-like growth factor-1 that promote the development, maintenance or
rejuvenation of muscle tissue decline with age.
- Insulin resistance: The change in
body composition such that muscle mass decreases and adipose tissue
increases with age is termed sarcopenic obesity. These changes are
associated with metabolic dysfunction, including insulin
resistance, and lead to an accumulation of visceral fat mass. Insulin
resistance is inversely related to skeletal muscle mass.
- Age-related
neurodegeneration: The neurological system is directly
related to muscle fiber recruitment, and neurodegeneration
progressively occurs with age. These changes in alpha motor neurons, nerve
fibers and neuromuscular junctions may lead to a decrease in
muscular strength and size.
Age-related
increases in inflammatory markers: Older individuals often
display elevated levels of inflammatory markers such as tumor necrosis
factor-alpha, C-reactive protein, interleukin-6 and interleukin-1 that may
lead to increased catabolism, or muscle breakdown instead of growth.
Some
clients may wonder why muscular strength is so important. After all, how
strong do we really need to be when we get older? The truth is, sarcopenia
is most problematic because it is associated with an increased
risk for many adverse health
outcomes, such as hospitalization, functional decline, higher rates of falls, chronic
disease, nursing home admissions, increased
healthcare costs and even mortality.
Of
course, aging is a process that is going to take place no matter what. The good
news is that, unlike aging, physical activity is a variable that can
be changed. In fact, declines in strength and power that occur with
aging can be substantially slowed
down by leading
and maintaining an active lifestyle. Unfortunately, only
about 14% of older
adults (65 and older)
meet physical activity guidelines for both aerobic
and muscle-strengthening activity.
Exercise Programming for Older Adults
All
adults, regardless of age, need a mix of physical activity to stay
healthy. The Physical Activity Guidelines for
Americans are clear that older adults should participate in
multicomponent physical activity that includes muscle-strengthening activities,
aerobic exercise and balance training. Engaging in
activities that build muscular strength is recommended on at
least two days per week.
Reprinted
from U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (2018). Physical Activity
Guidelines for Americans, 2nd ed.
According
to recent expert consensus
guidelines, adhering to
the following exercise program design recommendations
will maximize both musculoskeletal system adaptations and time-efficiency. Note
that selecting exercises that directly stimulate muscles
involved in activities of daily living, such as step ups
and bend-and-lift patterns, may be especially helpful for this
population.
Exercise Recommendations
|
Frequency |
2–3 times per week, with a minimum of one day of recovery between sessions targeting the same muscle group |
|
Intensity |
50–80% 1-RM |
|
Time |
1–3 sets of 8–12 repetitions (begin with 1–2 sets and progress to 2–3 sets) |
|
Type |
6–10 exercises, including both multijoint and single-joint exercises |
Note: 1-RM + One-repetition maximum
Sample
Full-body Workout for Older Adults
Using
the guidelines presented above, complete this workout by moving from left to
right and starting back at the beginning for the desired number of sets (one to
three). The seven exercises in each row constitute a full-body workout, so you
can complete the same row multiple times or flow from one row to the next.
If
you are performing strength training three times per week, another good option
that offers variety is to use each row as a workout and perform the desired
number of sets.
|
Chest |
Hips |
Back |
Legs |
Shoulders |
Torso |
Arms |
Final
Thoughts
Strength
training offers tremendous benefits at any age and the rewards build up
over time, so starting early and being consistent will
leave clients much better positioned to enjoy an independent and
active lifestyle later in life. That said, it’s never too late to
start. Encourage clients to begin slowly, with one set of eight to 12
repetitions of each exercise twice per week and progress from
there. They may be surprised how quickly they start to feel
stronger and more capable of performing day-to-day activities.
Author
Christopher Gagliardi
Chris
Gagliardi is an ACE Certified Personal Trainer, Health Coach, Group
Fitness Instructor, and Medical Exercise Specialist, NSCA Certified Strength
and Conditioning Specialist, NBHWC certified NBC-HWC, and NASM Certified
Personal Trainer who loves to share his enthusiasm for fitness with others and
is committed to lifelong learning. He holds a bachelor's degree in
kinesiology from San Diego State University, a master’s degree in kinesiology
from A.T. Still University, and a certificate in orthotics from Northwestern
University Fienberg School of Medicine.