Weight Lifting and the Elderly

by Michele Cheplic | More from this Blogger

24 Oct 2008 07:40 PM

It's never too late to start lifting weights. At least that's what the authors of a new fitness study maintain.

A recent study published in the Journal of Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise found that individuals should be hitting the weights as they age. The reason: As time goes on people gradually lose muscle mass and become more prone to falls.

Researchers say as individuals age they lose fast-twitch muscle fibers, used for activities such as running, kicking a ball, or getting up and down from a chair. To reverse the effects, scientists say older people need to increase muscle fitness.

The new study focused on 49 inactive women, half of them were 18 to 33 years old while the other half was comprised of 65 to 84 years olds. Both groups participated in an eight-week strength-training program consisting of knee-extension exercises that concentrated on quadricep muscles, which support the body's weight when climbing stairs, or getting up or down from a seated position.

According to the study, the younger and older women showed about a 12% increase in muscle strength, which researchers called "a huge benefit."

However, researchers also noted that just arbitrarily lifting weights will not preserve those all important fast-twitch muscle fibers. Scientists say people need to workout with weights heavy enough to cause them to fatigue in eight to 12 repetitions.

The study concluded that having increased muscle mass as you age could help prevent falls that cause serious injuries in older people.

Researchers recommend that women and men of all ages include weightlifting in their daily exercise routines. Even if you are beyond retirement age it's never too late to start a weightlifting program. Whereas you don't have to spend hours in the gym pumping iron, researchers note that you should get in at least 20 minutes of exercise with weights (either with free weights or machines) to help preserve fast-twitch muscle fibers.

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Learn more about Michele Cheplic

Michele Cheplic was born and raised in Hilo, Hawaii, but now lives in Wisconsin. Michele graduated from the University of Wisconsin-Madison with a degree in Journalism.

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