Free Weight Training for 55 and Older Age Group

Adults 55 years and older should not give up on their desire to lift weights. The human body is remarkably resilient, and it is never too late to begin weight training. Research has shown that weight training can provide a range of health benefits for adults 55 and older, including overall longevity, mental health, maintenance of bone density, enjoyment, muscular strength, coordination, and balance. Here’s what you need to know if you’re thinking about getting started with free weight training.

Weight-training leads to increased strength and flexibility in senior’s

Strength training done with hand-held weights or weight machines is one of the most effective ways to become stronger. Older adults who lift weights can increase their strength and flexibility, as well as improve their balance and ability to do everyday activities. While it may seem like a daunting task, lifting weights is fairly easy to learn and safe when done correctly.

Exercise is an important part of healthy well-being. It’s never too late to start strength training!

Bones become more fragile with age, so it’s important to do weight-bearing exercises that force you to work against gravity. Building stronger muscles can also help improve your balance and reduce your risk of falls.

Weight training helps to increase vitality and longevity in senior’s

The biggest benefit to weight training for people over the age of 55 is the fact that it helps them remain independent for longer periods of time. As we age, mobility decreases due to many factors, including decreased flexibility, decreased muscle mass and decreased bone density. This can cause the need for help with everyday tasks such as carrying groceries or performing household chores.

Weightlifting can help prevent these problems because it helps develop muscle mass and bone density while improving mobility. Weight training as a senior can help live healthier lives longer so you don’t have to rely on others to complete daily tasks.

Weight training helps to fight osteoporosis

Weight training as a senior helps to fight osteoporosis, and it also helps to combat cancer, diabetes, heart disease and arthritis.

People who are 55 years old or older can benefit from free weighted exercises. They can begin with a lighter weight, gradually increasing the amount as they gain strength. 3 sets of 10 repetitions is a good starting point. This can be increased over time to 4 sets of 15 repetitions for example.

Weight training helps to strengthen and maintain bone density

Weight training helps to strengthen and maintain bone density, which is especially important for women over 55 who are more susceptible to osteoporosis and bone fractures. Weight training as a senior can also help prevent falls and injuries from falls due to increased balance and strength.

Weight training will also help increase muscle mass and decrease fat mass. This can help you maintain healthy body weight with age. The increased lean muscle mass will help increase your metabolic rate so that you burn more calories when at rest or performing physical activities such as walking up steps or playing golf.

The benefits of resistance training for older people are numerous. It helps in preventing falls and fractures by strengthening muscles, tendons and ligaments, improving balance, coordination and posture. It also helps to maintain bone density and strength that is at risk for loss due to osteoporosis.

Weight training as a senior helps to strengthen the heart

You don’t need to do an intense aerobic workout to improve your heart health. According to the American Heart Association, lifting weights three times per week is enough to improve your heart health.

The cardiovascular system benefits from weight training by increasing its capacity to handle physical stress. Senior’s who exercise regularly experience fewer hospitalisations than those who do not exercise at all. They also benefit from decreased cholesterol levels and increased bone density when exercising with free weights regularly.

Weight training senior’s have improved balance and coordination

Balance and coordination can be greatly improved through regular weight lifting routines, which will greatly reduce the risk of falling. Many elderly people break a hip after a fall, which often leads to serious health problems. Weight training exercises for seniors can help prevent this from happening.
If you have any health issues check with your doctor before starting any new exercise program.

Free weights are great for balance and coordination, as well as functional strength. Functional strength is the ability to transfer the strength gained in a gym to the outside world. For example, if you pick up a dumbbell during your exercise it is functional because you can carry your grocery bags without straining. When you strengthen your muscles with free weights it transfers over to everyday activities.

Mental acuity (increased alertness, reduced stress levels)

The mental health benefits of weight lifting have been long established through research. Studies have shown that regular resistance training programs reduce stress levels and help to decrease anxiety, depression and sleep disturbances. This is thought to be due to the increased release of endorphins during weight training sessions. Endorphins are a natural chemical in your body released during exercise that acts as a pain reliever and produces a feeling of well-being.
Weight training has also been shown to improve mental clarity in older individuals by increasing their alertness and concentration levels. A study found that after six-twelve months of resistance training, seniors had an increase in cognitive function scores. Those with mild cognitive impairment showed an even greater improvement.

Weight training will improve overall health in senior’s

Aging is a natural process and it can’t be stopped. However, as we age, our bodies become less flexible and strong. This is because our muscles will deteriorate if we don’t use them regularly. You can combat this by exercising. Weight training as a senior will not only improve your overall health, but it will also boost your self-esteem and give you more energy to do more activities.
Weight training can be done for health and potentially increased longevity, for socialisation and happiness, and prevention of physical injury such as falls. We suggest older adults try weight training because beginning or continuing weight training could mean a healthier and happier life.

Conclusion

Lifting weights may make you feel good, but there are many other reasons it is necessary to begin a weight training program. Muscular strength is inversely related to mortality. (In other words the stronger you are, the longer you will live.) It also correlates with a lower rate of depression and suicide.
Weight training for senior’s when done correctly and with proper supervision can help us maintain our muscle mass and bone density, increase our energy levels, improve our sleep quality, help us prevent injuries and illness and even give us a better memory.
Strength training can be your answer if you have been struggling with insomnia, high blood pressure or cholesterol levels, diabetes, heart problems, depression, or arthritis. As we get older we must keep up with regular physical activity.

What do you need to get started?

A qualified personal trainer or coach will help guide you through safe, effective exercises that work for you. They can create a personalised workout plan that will help you optimise and achieve your goals safely. If you are new to exercise or have just been cleared by your doctor to begin an exercise program, it is very important that you start slowly with the correct form and technique. Slowly increase the weight as you become more confident with weight training. When you have developed better strength and stamina over time, then increase the intensity of the exercises.

A personal trainer or coach can also help you come up with a workout plan that is specific to your goals and needs. Whether you want to lose weight, gain muscle mass, improve bone density, or all of the above, a trainer or coach can help you safely achieve those goals by keeping track of each exercise you do, the weights used and reps performed. All while making sure your form is correct.

A good trainer or coach will ensure a positive environment, perform accurate assessments, cater to personal requirements and keep you accountable for your workouts.

Get started today!

Principle Trainer

Posted by
Matt Faataui
March 4th, 2022

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