Review: Strength Training Important for Seniors
Just finished scanning a new review published in Deutches Arzteblatt (in English, natch!) on the effects of strength training for older men and women. The list of benefits is pretty darned impressive:
- Increase in muscle strength, mass, and intra/intermuscular coordination
- Reduction of sarcopenia
- Adaptation of tendons/bones (increase in collagen synthesis/decrease in bone loss)
- Prevention of falls and injuries
And the researchers aren’t talking about flapping tiny vinyl-covered dumbbells around either: intensities in the 70% – 80% max range appear to be ideal. As they write:
The view that at an advanced age, load bearing intensityshould be reduced in order to avoid injuries and chronic overuse is widespread. However, this effect is not supported by current evidence, and several working groups have pointed out the need for higher intensities for elderly as well as young people. In a meta-analysis of 29 randomized controlled studies including a total of 1313 subjects older than 65 years, Steib et al. showed a notable dependence of the improved strength capacity on the intensity of the weight training (21). High intensity strength (resistance) training (>75% of the maximal strength capacity) thus triggers higher increases in strength than training of medium or low intensity.
Old or young: it takes intensity and frequency to get results. But the older you are, the less time you have to get a prevention strategy in place. As I’ve written before, you’re never too old to begin a workout program; but if you want to get the most out of your ‘golden years’ it behooves you to start as soon as possible.
