American Fitness Professionals & Associates

 Strength Training for Seniors During the past 15 years studies have demonstrated resistance strength training produces multiple fitness benefits for older adults. Based on the research consider the following 12 benefits of resistance training:

Benefit One: Minimizing or avoiding the loss of lean body mass. Adults lose between 5-7 pounds of muscle every decade after age 20. Only strength training prevents muscle loss.

Benefit Two: Maintaining an active metabolic rate. Physically inactive adults experience a 2-5 percent reduction in their basal metabolic rate per decade.

Benefit Three: Increase lean muscle mass. Research has shown that a program following ACSM strength training guidelines (2-3 sets of 8-12 reps) working for 25 minutes three times per week, increased lean body mass an average of 3 pounds over an eight week period.

Benefit Four: Increased Resting Basal Metabolic Rate. Adding three pounds of muscle can increase an individuals resting metabolism 7 percent, and the daily calorie requirements by 15 percent. At rest a pound of muscle burns approximately 35 calories per day.

Benefit Five: Lowering Body Fat. Research in strength training has demonstrated a 4 pound fat loss after 3 months of training, even though the individuals in the study increased their daily caloric intake by 15 percent.

Benefit Six: Bone Mineral Density. Research has shown a significant increase in muscle myoproteins, and bone osteoproteins and mineral content after 4 months of training.

Benefit Seven: Improved Glucose Metabolism. Research has demon-strated a 23 percent improvement in glucose uptake after 4 months of strength training. The American Diabetic Association states that resistance training is critical in improving glucose clearance.

Benefit Eight: Increase Gastrointestinal Transit TimeStudies have shown a 56 percent increase in gastrointestinal transit time after 3 months of resistance training time.

Benefit Nine: Reduce Resting Blood Pressure. Strength training reduces resting blood pressure an average of 5 mm Hg. Both systolic and diastolic values after 2 months of training.

Benefit Ten: Improved Blood Lipid Levels. Several studies have revealed improved blood lipid profiles after several weeks of strength training. The improvements noted are similar for both endurance and strength exercise.

Benefit Eleven: Reduce low back pain. A 1993 study found that low back patients had significantly less back pain after 10 weeks of specific (full range) strength exercise for the lumbar spine muscles. It is important to note that over 80 percent of American adults suffer from either chronic or acute back pain.

Benefit Twelve: Tufts University Diet and Nutrition Letter (1994) published a study on sensible strength training resulting in reducing the pain of osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis.

Remember the Goal for Our Clients.
Improve Functional Strength. By im-proving strength through a resistance training program our client at any age will improve:

- Physical Capacity for tasks/work
- Improve athletic performance
- Reduce Injury
- Enhance personal Appearance
- Improve Self Confidence