The third age phase can mark several changes in life, including difficulty in moving around. To facilitate this process, strength training for the elderly is a great solution and offers numerous advantages.
In today’s post, Dream Fitness will show you everything about this practice, such as how to get started, the role of the gym for seniors and, most importantly, the precautions to take. Keep reading and stay up to date with everything we have prepared!
What is the role of bodybuilding in old age?
Weight training in old age serves to strengthen muscles and make movements more agile, providing the elderly with greater activity and autonomy.
There is a natural process known as sarcopenia, which is the decrease in muscle mass. The progression of sarcopenia affects individuals over the age of 60 , who begin to notice the negative effects on their quality of life.
This is why weight training for seniors is so important to ensure healthier aging. When done regularly, it brings a variety of benefits, such as controlling a range of diseases, from osteoporosis and heart disease to diabetes and arthritis. These benefits can also be seen with regular physical activity at home .
Main advantages of bodybuilding for the elderly
Weight training for the elderly not only helps control some diseases, but also has different benefits, such as:
Pain relief and reduction of disease symptoms
The first benefit that we can list from our list of main advantages of weight training for the elderly is that it provides relief from pain and stiffness that appear in old age, such as lower back , spine and back pain.
Strengthening joints
Physical exercise can strengthen ligaments, joints and tendons, providing the elderly with greater stability and control over their movements. It also ensures that exercises are performed more safely and independently.
Increased bone mass
Problems such as osteoporosis are very common in old age, which can cause falls. Therefore, weight training strengthens and improves bone density , preventing this type of problem and making fractures less and less recurrent.
Maintaining a healthy weight
We can say that weight training in old age helps with weight loss and even speeds up metabolism. With a slimmer body, the heart has less work to do, which benefits the health of the cardiovascular system.
What precautions should be taken when starting bodybuilding in old age?
Before starting a weight training program for seniors, it is essential to take certain precautions to ensure that the physical activity is safe and beneficial. First, get a physical and medical evaluation to be aware of any existing health conditions that arise in seniors, such as high blood pressure, joint or respiratory problems.
A special individual exercise program best meets the needs of each individual, also considering the goals of each individual. Furthermore, stretching and warming up are essential before any exercise , whether for the elderly or not. They can result in an increase in body temperature and blood circulation in the muscles, in addition to improving flexibility and reducing muscle injuries.
Tips for starting bodybuilding for seniors
Now that we have discussed some of the precautions to take when exercising in old age, we will give you some tips on how to get started. To begin, you need to:
- Know your current physical condition and speak to a doctor to find out more details;
- Do the exercises in a safe place free from any type of obstacle;
- Eat and hydrate well during all intervals and just before starting weight training;
- Always keep your posture straight and breathe in and out well;
- In the beginning, it is important to do the exercises calmly and gradually increase the difficulty so that the body gets used to them.
The support of some professionals in the area of physiotherapy and physical education is super important in times like these, helping to maintain an ideal intensity in the exercises.
In addition to weight training, what exercises can seniors do?
The most important thing is for the elderly to move around at this stage of life and, in addition to weight training, there are other exercises that can be done, such as walking , either outdoors or at home on the treadmill .
This exercise has several benefits, such as strengthening bones, controlling anxiety and reducing cardiovascular diseases. As we mentioned earlier, you can start walking slowly, gradually increasing your pace over the weeks.
We also have stretching exercises that can be done anywhere, before or after exercising. They should be done regularly, especially for seniors who have limited mobility and limitations, as stretching is essential . In addition to these two, there are other types of exercises for seniors , such as water aerobics, Pilates, yoga and swimming.
Strength training for seniors is extremely important, not only to treat sarcopenia, but also to maintain a healthier lifestyle and balance some hormonal and nutritional functions. We hope this post was useful and be sure to follow other posts on our blog!
