John Wood, co-owner of Final Results Fitness in Gilbertsville with his wife, Jen, has been in the fitness industry for 40 years, which gives him a unique vantage point.
What’s standing out to him, now that the new year has ramped up with many people on their new or renewed commitment to fitness, is a heightened interest in strength training for seniors.
“People are looking to enhance their quality of life,” Wood said. “As we get older, we want to be able to participate in the activities of life.”
He’s also seeing that seniors are looking for ways to avoid being sedentary.
“We get weaker and lose function over time and we want to do activities to reverse that — deliberate activities that are designed to do that, like strength training,” he said. “We’re trying to halt or reverse the normal process of aging.”
Live independently, confidently
The alternative is losing the horsepower that is necessary to enable you to continue doing the things you have always done or participate in new things you might want to try.
“It’s all the things that help you live independently, confidently,” Wood said. “It helps you get up the steps, shovel snow, pick up your grandkids and put things up on the shelf.”
If you are brand new to strength training or haven’t done it in a while, Wood offers some expert advice.
“We always suggest that, even if they think they know what they’re doing, things may have changed, so we want to make sure they are up-to-date,” he said.
Meaningful and safe
He’s referring to the type of strength training that is meaningful, safe and sensible to avoid injury.
“There are trends out there where people are flipping tires and swinging ropes, and that’s not the way to go for someone out of their 40s,” he said. “Seniors are looking for something to get strong, but not get hurt on their quest to health and fitness.”
Some ways to learn to train properly are doing a couple of sessions with a personal trainer to customize a workout for you and show you the ropes before you set out on your own.
“It’s helpful to find someone to help you rather than searching online for something that fits you,” Wood said.
A more economical route is to partake in group fitness classes that incorporate a strength training component that comes with an instructor who will have oversight on all participating.
“You need to find something that fits your disposition and schedule,” he said.
Circuit training approach
If you are limited in time and have just 30 minutes to devote to your workout, for example, Wood suggests a circuit training approach.
“I would do strength training in a way that incorporates a cardio element,” he said.
Properly performed strength training can yield results after one session.
“This will be especially apparent if you have not been doing anything, he said. “You are not just building muscle, but you will see gains in strength and function because you are reversing the effects of disuse atrophy.”
You will feel different even if you don’t look physically different.
“Putting on new muscle is a much slower process,” Wood said.
Recommended frequency
As for the recommended frequency of workouts to get the best results, Woods suggests three non-consecutive strength training sessions per week.
“If you’re doing less than two sessions, it’s hard to make good progress,” he said, adding this gives you some wiggle room to shoot for three and be happy with two if you have to miss one. “You can do it in as little as two to three times a week for 30 to 40 minutes — it doesn’t have to be a part-time job.”
Wood said it’s about how much time you’re willing and able to devote.
“If you’re looking for fellowship and friendship, the gym can kind of be your hangout,” he said. “If you’re coming every day, I would do an upper and lower body program.”
Overall, Wood suggests giving your workout routine a high rank on your priority list.
“You will go into your later years being fully functional and doing the things you enjoy doing,” he said.
For more information about Final Results Fitness, visit www.finalresultsfitness.com or call 610-367-6611
Source: Berkshire mont
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