By Nancy Alexander, PT, CSCS
Your body goes through many phases as you age. Did you know losing muscle strength is one of them? This process, known as sarcopenia, involves a gradual decline in muscle mass and strength, typically starting around age 30 and accelerating after age 75. While it’s a natural part of aging, sarcopenia can significantly impact quality of life, potentially leading to disability, falls, and reduced independence. But know there is something you can do about it.
We can, in fact, overcome this with exercise, particularly strength training. And there are no limits, as you can improve your strength at any age. Why bother? The reasons are many:
- Strength training helps counteract muscle loss, enabling you to maintain your independence and perform daily activities like lifting groceries or climbing stairs.
- It can help increase your bone density, reduce the risk of osteoporosis, and improve your overall bone strength, particularly when done regularly and with proper technique.
- Stronger muscles improve your balance and coordination, which is vital for preventing falls and related injuries.
- It can aid in weight management and improve your energy levels.
- It can help you manage chronic conditions like arthritis, diabetes, and heart disease.
- Exercise – including strength training – can improve your mood, reduce stress, and better your cognitive function.
- It can help you remain independent and live a longer, healthier life.
It does not have to be too strenuous as strength training can be remarkably easy to do. And why not combine strength training with activities you want to keep doing every day. Talk about a win-win. Consult with your physician for specific guidance for your own health needs. When you’re ready, here are five exercises to get you on your way.
1. Mini squats
Stand with feet shoulder-width apart with a slight bend in both knees. Arms are down at your side.
Perform a mini squat as if you are going to sit on something behind you. Think of hinging low at your hips and keep your back in natural curves. At the same time reach arms out in front of you or fold them to your chest. You can perform a shallow squat or a deeper one if it is comfortable for you. Always keep your knees behind your toes. Return to your starting position.
2. Heel raises
Stand near your kitchen counter for safety with feet as wide as your hips. Try to raise both heels up as far as you can without holding on. Then slowly lower your heels back down to the floor.
3. Shoulder blade squeezes
Stand or sit comfortably at the edge of a firm chair. Bring your shoulders back, as if you are trying to squeeze your shoulder blades together. Hold 3 seconds and release. Be careful not to raise shoulder up towards your ears as this is a natural reaction. Keep them in their normal resting position.
4. Push-ups
As we age, this is often performed at a raised surface such as a wall or counter. It can also be done with hands on a step at your stairs. The higher the surface, the easier it will be.
While keeping your shoulders in line with your wrists, bends elbows as much as you can and then push back up. There is no hold, just perform slowly and steadily.
5. Dead bug
This is a fun one and is done on a mat while lying on your back. Raise your arms and legs straight up toward the ceiling. Bend your knees so that your shins are parallel to the floor.
Keep your trunk strong and still (pulling in your belly button while breathing normally can help). Lower one foot to tap down on the mat while the opposite arm extends overhead. Return to the starting position and repeat as above with the other opposite leg and arm. Perform this slowly and steadily and try to eliminate any movement at your trunk.
Here is a bonus exercise that will help you improve your balance and strength:
6. Single leg stance
Stand near your kitchen counter for safety with feet as wide as your hips. Raise your left foot off the floor and stand only on your right leg. Try not to hold onto the counter but feel free to use it if needed. Count how long you can hold this position.
Then switch to your other leg and repeat as above. Also count how long you can hold this position. You can make this a game of sorts as you try to hold longer as your balance improves.
In my experience, these are foundational exercises that should be practiced continually. They are so important that they are all included in my online classes. Remember, form matters. It is more important to use proper form for a few repetitions than do many of them in poor form. Proper form ensures you will benefit from the exercise as intended and helps you perform exercises with increased safety and decreased risk of injury. You might try for 5 repetitions of each exercise above and increase reps all the way up to 30 over time to increase your strength and endurance. As an aside, this would not apply to the single leg stance exercise. Here, you can try to hold your balance on each leg once for up to one minute.
There is no rule as to how slow or fast to progress these exercises. That is completely up to you. Make sure you can perform each with proper form always and watch for any ill effects. For example, please stop any exercise that produces joint pain that is not easily relieved and consult with your physician. Always keep in mind that you should consult with your physician anytime you start a new exercise program, even this one. This is especially true if you have not exercised for a while.
The above exercises are for those who are already active but want some focus to create a strength training routine. But what if you have never strength-trained before or have been sedentary for a very long time. How do you start? Keep it simple. First, see your physician for guidance specific to your health and fitness level. Then simply start by doing what you know you can do, and repeat it.
So, what does that mean? It means if you can rise from your chair and walk to the bathroom and back a couple times a day, do that more. Perhaps work up to doubling how many times you can do that. If you can do that for a few days with apparent ease, try to increase your frequency even more. Or, try to walk longer every time you walk. Eventually, you might consider taking your walks outside to walk even longer. You may even want to invite a friend to join you. Granted this could take months to progress to this level. Just know that how far and fast you progress is very individualized. There is no right or wrong. Honor where are you and just start.
Another option is to move your extremities repeatedly while sitting. For example, if you can raise both knees up in an alternating manner, repeat that for a targeted number of reps. You might start by performing 5 – 10 reps each leg and try to increase your repetitions over time as able.
Perhaps you can kick your legs out straight at the knee. Perform these by alternating these kick-outs in the same manner as the march above. If that goes well, try to increase your reps as noted above. This exercise is great for strengthening the front of your thigh, also known as the quadriceps muscle group. Strength of this muscle group is extremely important for the health of your knees and is critical to help you stand from a seated position and even climb stairs.
Whether you are starting from being completely inactive or are active and want to find some focus to your fitness routine, strengthening exercises as described above can be a great way to start. They work by strengthening large muscle groups first giving you more bang for your buck. And they are functional. That means they can help you with real-life activities required to live a safe and healthy life.
Move. And keep moving. See where your body can take you.
Sources:
https://www.nia.nih.gov/news/how-can-strength-training-build-healthier-bodies-we-age
https://www.silversneakers.com/blog/strength-training-for-seniors-2
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