News

Contact: Amy Blaser

(COLUMBUS, Neb.) – If you want to stay healthy as you age, make sure you're getting your exercise —
including regular strength training. It's never too late to start.

Why strength training matters

Strength training — also called resistance exercise — helps keep your body healthy and strong. That's
important as you age, since muscle mass naturally declines as you grow older. When you are stronger,
it's easier for you to safely move around, climb stairs and perform other tasks, like carrying groceries.

Resistance exercise also allows you to:

• Keep your bones strong. It may even help prevent or delay osteoporosis.
• Maintain a healthy weight by helping your body burn calories more efficiently.
• Reduce your risk of falling by improving your balance and muscle control.

In other words, strength training can help you live longer and better and stay independent in your
home.

Adding strength training to the mix

For greater overall benefits, you'll want to incorporate strength training into a well-rounded program
that includes aerobic exercise (like brisk walking) and exercises that boost your balance (like standing on
one leg). And you can accomplish strength training without joining a gym. Here's how:

• Use your own body weight for resistance. Try pushups, pullups, situps, planks, squats and
  lunges.
• Use resistance bands. These are stretchy, often elastic bands that create tension and resistant
  pressure when you pull on them. Resistance bands work much like lifting free weights to
  strengthen your muscles.
• Lift weights. Use handheld dumbbells or a weight machine.
• Try yoga or tai chi. Certain poses can improve your strength and balance at the same time

Getting started

These tips can help you start strength training — and stick to your routine.

• Talk to your provider, especially if you haven't been active in a while or have a health condition.
• Perform strength exercises two to three times a week. Aim to do at least one full set of each
  exercise. A set is eight to 12 repetitions, or reps, of an activity — for instance, one situp is one
  rep.
• Start slowly. Use lighter weights and do fewer reps at first.
• Work on different muscle groups, including your chest, arms, legs and shoulders.

Chris Holt, MS, CSCS, CPT, USAW, HSSCC, is the director of performance and training at Columbus Sports
Performance Center.