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| Edna Levitt Personal Trainer at 72. |
Successful
Agers are referred to as people with better than average physiological and
psychosocial characteristics in late life and healthy genes (Rowe and Kahn
1987). The current life expectancy in most developed countries is 80 years
old. By the year 2030 one quarter of the
population in these developed countries will be over the age of 65. This means that many are now entering into their
50’s and, according to the US General Surgeon, 1/3 – 1/2 of this population engages in no leisure time physical activity at
all. A powerful motivator for many in
their 50’s has been vanity, looking and feeling good, but as the years advance
vanity no longer is the primary fitness focus. Independence, defined as caring
for oneself without assistance or aids, like walkers, scooters and canes, and
remaining emotionally optimistic about life becomes the primary focus as we
enter into our 70’s and 80’s. Being and
remaining physically active throughout one’s life is the key to successful
aging.
COMMON MYTHS ABOUT PHYSICAL ACTIVITY AND AGING
Myth 1: You have to be healthy to exercise.
Physical
activity can improve quality of life and may be most effective for those
suffering with chronic health conditions and disease.
Myth 2: I’m too old to start exercising.
Physical
activity can benefit individuals of all ages including those as old as 90 or
100 years of age.
Myth 3: You need special clothing and equipment.
Safe and
effective exercise can be performed while wearing comfortable street shoes and
loose-fitting everyday clothing.
Inexpensive equipment such as elastic bands and small portable dumbbells
can be used for effective strength training.
Myth 4: No pain, no gain.
It is now
recognized that physical activity does not need to be strenuous or exhaustive
to provide significant health benefits.
Myth 5: I’m too busy to exercise.
Exercise can
be easily built into daily activities such as shopping, gardening and household
chores and done any time of the day.
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| Fauja Singh, 100-yr-old Briton, becomes the oldest marathon runner . |
EXERCISE COMPONENTS FOR OLDER ADULTS
Resistance Training: Using weights, resistance bands or
body weight to perform exercises that help improve the function of the skeletal
muscles. The goal should be to target most muscles groups during a training session
and to train 2-3 times a week. Benefits
include reversing sarcopenia - muscle weakness, improving bone health, postural
stability, increased range of motion and flexibility, decrease body fat mass,
and maintain metabolically active tissue in healthy older adults.
Cardiovascular Training: Activities such as biking, swimming, walking or jogging can help
improve the function of the heart, lungs and vascular system. The goal should be to perform these
activities most days of the week for a minimum of 60 minutes. They can be
divided into 10-20 minute increments throughout the day. A minimum level of aerobic capacity is
necessary for older adults to continue independent daily functioning.
Balance and Coordination: Good balance and coordination are essential to the successful
performance of most activities of daily living as well as a number of
recreational pursuits. Adding activities
that challenge balance and compound movements can reduce the number of falls
which pose a serious health problem in North America.
Flexibility: Declines 20 – 50% between ages 30-70 years of age. Loss of
flexibility includes reduction in daily tasks, prone to injury to joint or
muscle crossing the joint as well as likelihood of falls from loss of balance
and stability. The goal should be to
stretch most major muscles 3-5 times a week.
Proper Warm Up and Cool Down: Done before and after physical exertion to prevent
lightheadedness, injuries and reduce fatigue.
