Why strength training is so important for people over 55

Strength training. Endurance and cardio work. Body flexibility.

Those constitute the pillars of any well-rounded fitness program, but exercise coaches and physiologists say sometimes people are hesitant about the strength aspect.

“It takes too much time. I’m intimidated by others I see at the gym. I’m afraid of getting hurt.” The list goes on.

“If you’re feeling intimated by joining a gym, you’re not alone,” said Dina Sexton, a national trainer with the Silver Sneakers senior exercise and fitness program. “Sometimes the hardest part is showing up.”

That can be a tall order for older adults plagued by aches, pains and chronic diseases and perhaps trying to start moving after a long stretch on the couch. But for those who tackle a strength-building regimen the benefits are many, say Centers for Disease Control and National Institute on Aging experts.

“For me the most important component of fitness … with seniors has to do with muscle strength and bone density,” said Bradford Bailey, an exercise psychologist and founder of Senior Fit Atlanta.

He works his clients major muscle groups at least two times a week, in line with American College of Sports Medicine guidelines.

“As we age, we lose muscle mass, we lose bone density, and resistance training, strength training helps to combat both,” Bailey said.

The NIA and CDC also tout better mobility. The lack of mobility has been linked to falls and chronic disease issues. Improved mobility leads to more success in navigating everyday activities and increasing the proportion of healthy years in a lifetime. On the more intangible level, there’s increased confidence and better mental health.

Sexton and others say their older-targeted classes stick with lighter weights and lower-impact moves. No 300-pound bench presses.

Jennifer Rewkowski, vice president of Community Health and Wellness for the metro Atlanta YMCA, notes one of their most popular classes (Geri-Fit) starts with 2-pound weights and increases gradually over 12 weeks.

Those thinking about strength training may tend to put dumbbells, barbells, medicine balls and weight machines as top of mind. But there are other ways to pump up your power.

Trainers say the simple squat is a prime example.

As Tim Dombrowski with Exos Sports Performance in Alpharetta relates, “The squat is super important. It’s 100% a coordination movement, 100% a balance movement, 100% a trunk stability movement.” And a strong functional movement mimicking getting out of a chair or exiting a car.

Other strength builders: Yoga increases strength as a body-weight exercise, as do push-ups and other calisthenics. The same for water aerobics.

At least one health coach says adults from 55 all the way to 100-plus look noticeably better if they get with the program.

Bailey of Senior Fit Atlanta says he’s training several centenarians right now, plus a number in their 80s and 90s. “They’re a lot steadier on their feet,” he says. “And they’re able to come from a sitting position to standing more efficiently.”

Starting on a strength and fitness journey involves checking with your doctor, working with a properly certified trainer, and making sure you find an activity you’ll stick to.

Rewkowski says that “in a perfect world,” fitness buffs would weave the three exercise pillars — cardiovascular, strength and flexibility training — into a consistent routine.

But in a practical sense “as we look to keep folks exercising, we really want to keep them participating in activities they prefer to participate in.”

Some aspects of a strength routine look much more nonnegotiable, namely form and posture. An improperly performed squat’s potential for knee problems can be daunting, for example.

Dombrowski also says full range of motion is important. “It’s activating the muscles like they’re supposed to be in, sequential order,” Fitness experts say resistance and stretch training can help seniors who don’t have that full range.

If you’re still fearing a case of nerves about walking into a gym or exercise class, Sexton says it helps to pay attention to your goals.

“Are you looking to improve posture? Are you focused on bone health? Do you want to pick up your grandkids more easily? Find your ‘why.’”