Did you know we hit our peak strength at around 30-35 years of age, and after that we need to keep working it, to slow our decline in strength and build up reserves, particularly before we hit 65 to 70. If you are past 70 don’t worry you can still increase your strength at any age, and it doesn’t necessarily need to be in the gym, although the gym is great for many people.
Strength activities can come from a number of different things. There are the traditional machines and free weights found in every gymnasium and some homes, but medicine balls, resistance bands or using your body as a weight for doing things like push ups, squats, tai chi or yoga are all different types of strength training. The best thing too is many are free (you just need your body) or can be low cost. If you think outside the square with some of the heavy things we have around the house they can be included too.
I ran a strength training research program for 12 weeks at home with older people and saw a significant improvement in activities such as getting up off a chair more easily and faster walking and getting in and out of the care more easily. Some of the best results though were in how people felt after the 12 weeks. Strength training is fantastic for helping to alleviate pain, in particular for people with osteo-arthritis. One of my research participants was very candid with me about their lack of interest in doing exercise, but thankfully they stuck with the strength training program and this is what they had to say after it:
“I hate exercise with a passion, but I knew I needed to so that was good. So my motivator, James, was good. I found it difficult and at first the pain in my joints was worse for the first few weeks. I actually spoke to my doctor about it and he said persevere because eventually it will help. And I could not believe it in the last month I think, the last few weeks of doing it. Because of the strength training, when we’d go walking, I would start and I started with no pain. Normally the pain is just there. So that to me was a huge thing. So I found big benefits just from the pain relief. So from that it made me feel better in myself.
So I enjoyed that.”
There are many other benefits from doing strength training. Such as, you live longer, you have better physical function, your cardiovascular health improves (better heart health) and you will have improved psychosocial wellbeing too. The big one for me though is having better physical function. When I say physical function, I mean the ability to perform basic and instrumental activities of daily living. These include going to the toilet, showering and dressing yourself independently, eating, walking around the house, garden and shops, cooking, cleaning and caring for yourself and others.
I don’t know about you, but my preference is to do all of these myself for as long as I am alive, and because of this I do strength training in my garage twice a week at 4.30 in the morning. Why so early you ask? I know that if I wait till the end of the day, I will have so many excuses as to why I can’t do it today that I just won’t do it! So, I worked backwards from when I need to leave for work, and this is the time I need to get up AND DO IT. This is not for everyone. I get that. I have another friend who loves doing exercise in the evening and it suits them perfectly so that’s what they do. The answer is finding the time that works around your schedule and make it a priority within your other life priorities. On the mornings when it is really hard, I remind myself why I am doing this and living independently for life is my biggest reason and it makes it much easier to get through the session. I might be trying to help you to live independently for as long as you choose with these monthly blogs and information, but please don’t fear, I am on the other end doing the stuff each day that I write about because I know it works and I know what my end goal is.
One last story before I wrap this up because this is important. I have listened to and asked questions of thousands of older people from around the world over the last 15 years and one thing most older people tell me when I ask them about exercise or physical activity is, “I walk every day, that’s enough I don’t need to do other things.” Now don’t get me wrong, walking is very good for us, and more Australians walk as their preferred form of physical activity than any other, but walking doesn’t help us to get up off the toilet by ourselves, or get out of the chair and it also doesn’t help to stand up and dry ourselves after finishing in the shower. They come down to strength and balance. But today I am talking about strength! So, the next time you think about walking being enough, hopefully you will think of this blog and the many benefits of strength training and get out and do some.
If you are currently doing strength training twice a week or more just keep going, well done you!
WHEN you start strength training for the first time ever or in years, start slowly, this is a lifelong habit you are building, not a 12-week research project
Remember to warm up and cool down before and after each session
Do it at a time of the day that suits you and you know fits in well to your routines and leaves no room for excuses
You will likely feel sore for the first few days after starting. You need to hang in there, it is called delayed onset muscle soreness, and it usually lasts a few days then goes, over time you won’t have this at all, just like the person in the quote above
Build up slowly, progressing how much you do every few weeks and try and do it at least twice a week
If you are a social person, look out for strength training programs for older people, in Western Australia there is one called Strength for Life at multiple sites. They do strength (and balance) training and then they have morning tea and socialise, they add in Melbourne Cup and end of year lunches along the way and although most go for the social occasion, they are also feeding their body by improving their strength on a regular basis
Keep it fun, try and do strength exercises you enjoy, they don’t have to be difficult, even picking up your grandchildren numerous times is good training, especially as they get bigger. Remember though once they become too big you’ll need to swap them for something else which keeps you strong
Make sure you are using good technique, sometimes lifting heavy weights means our form goes, this is not good. Being able to lift something 12-15 times comfortably in good technique is a good place to start
Lastly don’t forget to breathe, it’s really important and makes you feel good!
Live the good life!
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