If you think 20 to 30 minutes of cardio a few days a week is all
you need to keep your health in check over the next few decades,
it's time to wake up and smell the iron.
In August, the American College of Sports Medicine and the American
Heart Association updated their physical activity guidelines,
encouraging Americans to strength-train at least twice a week and
work out all of the major muscle groups on top of regular cardio
activity.
They now recommend that adults perform eight to 12 reps of eight to
10 exercises on the chest, back, shoulders, upper legs, lower legs
and arms, via either free weights, machines or weight-bearing
activities. Adults 65 and older should strength-train two to three
times a week, doing more reps with lighter weights, taking into
account their fitness levels beforehand.
These organizations are catching on to what many trainers and body
builders have known for years that no matter what your age,
regular strength training builds up more than just muscles; it
builds a healthier body.
"More people are starting to realize that strength training doesn't
have to be getting out, lifting a ton of weight and being really
sore," says Amanda Carlson, a registered dietitian and director of
performance nutrition and research at Athletes' Performance, an
intensive training facility based in Arizona. "People are training
to live better."
Declining muscle mass over years
The benefits of building and preserving muscle are just about
endless, and they include a better body composition and
immune-system function, and a faster metabolism, says Bill
Sonnemaker, 2007 IDEA Health & Fitness Personal Trainer of the
Year and owner and founder of the Atlanta-based personal-training
facility Catalyst Fitness.
Working our muscles is also particularly important as we age.
It's estimated that unless we exercise them properly, we can lose
five to seven pounds of muscle tissue each decade of our adult
lives. In addition, we tend to gain fat as we grow older, due to
the slowing of our metabolisms and usual decline in activity,
making for a nasty double whammy, Carlson says.
Research by Tufts University has found that strength training can
add to bone density, potentially preventing osteoporosis. From food
cravings to training
Use your whole body
But while aging impairs our ability to recover after a bout of
exercise (due to lower levels of testosterone and human-growth
hormone) and robs us of some flexibility, over time, the way we
build muscle stays pretty much the same. Experts say, overall, it's
more important to pay attention to your strength training ability
level whether you're a beginner, intermediate or advanced than
your age.
"I train people in their 60s who can kick butt," says Robert
Reames, a Studio City, Calif.-based Gold's Gym Fitness Institute
expert. "If you're a 65-year-old in good shape, you can accomplish
what an average 25-year-old can accomplish."
Regardless of how old you are, experts say a crucial part of
strength training is working in movements that involve the whole
body . Exercises such as a squat to bicep curl to bench press give
you the best return for your time and energy, burning more calories
and addressing more muscles, says Sonnemaker. They also more
closely simulate motions you regularly make, like lifting luggage
or groceries.
Change it up
Once you come up with a successful strength training routine, your
work isn't done. You should aim to change your program every four
to six weeks to prevent the plateau period that comes when your
body adapts to stress, Sonnemaker says.
This technique will also give you a chance to evaluate and increase
the intensity of your workout, whether it's by the amount of weight
you're lifting or the number of reps, says Edward Jackowski, CEO of
the motivational fitness company Exude Inc. and author of the
exercise guide "Escape Your Shape."
"The key to keeping muscle tone is not how much weight you lift,
but your intensity," Jackowski says. "It must match your current
level of fitness. You have to do what you're capable of
doing."
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/20515088/