Newsflash: You can still put on muscle even if you are eligible for AARP
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Well the holidays are definitely in full swing. 4 different social engagements this week alone! I’m doing my best to get my workouts in, limit unhealthy foods and keep the wine consumption in check.
How are you doing with all of that? Get in touch if you need some help staying accountable.
The Washington Post recently published an article discussing a new study which focused on strength training and the elderly. The takeaway is that healthy older people can respond to resistance training! Before we get into specifics, let’s get into some caveats:
The sample size was small and the duration was only for three months.
All participants were supervised with real-time feedback on form and amount of weight lifted/moved.
Each person was considered healthy for their age and did not have any physical impediments.
Now for the positive takeaways!
What this study found is that healthy people in their 60s, 70s, 80s and 90s can safely start lifting weights to:
Build muscle mass
Increase strength
Improve mobility
I found this statement all too familiar:
“This idea took hold partly because the oldest old so rarely were studied. Past weight-training research often capped volunteers’ ages at about 75, because of worries that older people would be unable to handle the training or that their muscles wouldn’t respond if they could manage to lift.”
Credit: iStock
Researchers making assumptions about what people could and could not handle based on their own preconceived biases. Ugh.
None of the participants had completed strength training in the past. And yet, they all made gains.
Think you’re past the point of being able to make strength gains? Think again. Subscribe to Go Long to learn how you can take charge of your health.
The study consisted of 29 healthy women and men who were all at least 65 years old and lived independently. They were broken up into 2 groups and listed 3 times per week:
17 people between the ages of 65-75 years old - “younger old”
12 people aged 85 and older - “older old”
After 3 months, the “older old” made more gains than the “younger old” group. Why? The researchers have speculated that the older group had an extra decade of declining muscle size and strength, compared to the younger cohort. In other words, they started with less to work with.
This was not what the researchers expected. In fact, they expected the opposite.
Let’s talk numbers with the results after 3 months:
“Older old” people added an average of 11% of muscle mass and 46% of strength.
“Younger old” people added an average of 10% of muscle mass and 38% of strength.
On a more practical level, the “older old” improved their ability to get up from a chair and move around by roughly 13%, as opposed to 8% by the “younger young” cohort.
Michael Roberts, a professor of kinesiology at Auburn University in Alabama, said he was encouraged by the oldest group’s improved mobility. Why? “Loss of physical function is ultimately what defines frailty.”
It’s never too late to start
As mentioned above, the participants had supervision while they were lifting. Finding the right program for you and/or your parents is time intensive with so many variables to take into account. That’s where Go Long can help you.
Tommy Lundberg, the author of the new book, “The Physiology of Resistance Training” said the results show “it’s never too late for older people to start lifting weights.” The results speak for themselves.
On the other hand, I wouldn’t wait until 65 to start weight training either. It’s definitely better for you to start as early as possible to prevent more muscle and bone loss. As noted in the caveats, all of the participants did not have physical limitations and lived independently.
If you’re concerned about being able to “age in place” for yourself and/or your parents, starting sooner rather than later is the way to go.
Before starting any new exercise regimen, you should check with your doctor. Some training programs are covered by Medicare, HSAs or health insurance. Go Long can help with this research for you.
Which leads to…..
I had the opportunity to be on Laurie Hardie’s podcast called “Interrupted: Act 2 Reinventing Your Legacy”. Laurie’s focus is on people 60 and above, so it dovetails well into the above mentioned article. The podcast dropped yesterday and you can find it here. It’s 27 minutes long.
Laurie’s story is very compelling. She was a single mom raising three kids on her own and felt life was passing her by. Like many in her position, she was focused on making decisions that where good for the family but not in line with the dreams she had.
Laurie was over 50 when her youngest graduated high school. After realizing she was struggling from depression and feeling as though her best years were behind her, she reinvented her dream and started a new path for herself.
I’m grateful for Laurie for sharing her platform to help amplify Go Long’s message. She is now a grandmother and takes significant pride being able to be active with them.
Remember. It’s never too late to make the changes in your life that you want to make. Laurie is a great example of that.
Need help on making those changes for yourself?
Go Long can help.