Mature Health and Fitness

Successful Strength Training for Mature Adults is Progressive and Allows for Sufficient Recovery

2010-10-05T14:37:00.005-05:00

Two equally important factors facilitate the strength building process. The first is progressive resistance exercise to stress the muscles and stimulate physiological adaptation. I often see programs for older adults listed as “mild” or “light.” While the program might seem mild or light to you, what is important is that it challenges your client and fatigues the muscles being worked. If the program does not fatigue the muscles and is not progressive, it will not be successful. The second is sufficient recovery time to permit tissue repair, building, and protein overcompensation, leading to larger and stronger muscles. If muscles are not given enough time to rest, clients may develop overuse injuries and/or muscles may breakdown rather than build up. Strength training expert Wayne Westcott recommends that older adults allow 72-96 hours for recovery before exercising the same muscle group again. This is considerably different than the 48-hour guideline that is typically quoted as the industry standard.

Here are minimum guidelines for mature adults who are beginning a strength-training program:

· One exercise for each major muscle group.
· Twice per week.
· One set of 8-12 repetitions (six seconds per rep). Frailer adults - 15 reps per set.
· Increase weight load 1-3 lbs. upon completing 12 repetitions with proper form (15 for frail).

The minimum recommendations are just that: the minimum needed to maintain health and see fitness benefits. If a person can exceed the minimum, he or she can further improve personal fitness, improve management of an existing disease or condition, and reduce risk for health conditions and mortality. Increasing the number of sets and including more exercises and other advanced training options should be the goal after an introductory program for a mature client new to strength training.

If this is an area of training that sounds interesting, you should consider continuing your education with advanced training to safely and effectively work with the mature adult who is experiencing the effects of aging. An excellent home-study CEC course that is recognized by all major certification organizations in the US and Canada is:

SrFit: Senior Fitness Specialty Certification

This in depth program (worth 19-24 CECs) will teach already certified and experienced personal trainers, lifestyle coaches, and athletic trainers to safely and effectively train adults age 45-62+ (Baby Boomers and Beyond). SrFit Home-study program

Personal Training Certification Organizations

American Academy of Health and Fitness: Fitness Specialty Certifications and Continuing Education Home Study Courses for Health and Fitness Professionals

Safe and Effective Strength Training Very Important for Mature Adults

2010-09-28T18:22:00.000-05:00

Once adults pass the physical prime of their teens and 20’s, they lose an average of 10 ounces of lean body mass a year. This is mostly in the form of muscle tissue. Few people actually lose 10 ounces of weight a year. Instead, most gain about a pound a year, so the loss of lean tissue is masked. Another way to look at this is the average person gains about one pound and 10 ounces of body fat per year. It is a process that is more insidious and crippling than osteoporosis but one few people notice until they realize it is getting difficult to climb the stairs or heft themselves off the sofa. This gradual loss of muscle strength is the main reason aging adults eventually have difficulty performing the tasks of daily living and ultimately lose their independence.

This phenomenon, called sarcopenia, is derived from Greek words for “vanishing flesh,” and is NOT an inevitable consequence of aging. It is instead an inevitable consequence of disuse.

Most of us have a good understanding of what is needed to successfully train the average middle age and younger adult, but fewer trainers understand the specifics of safe and effective strength training for the Baby Boomer and beyond client (age 47- 64+). Although the guidelines for older adults and adults with chronic conditions are similar to those for younger adults, there are key differences and points to consider.

When working with a deconditioned client, a primary goal is to build a solid base of strength. And, the most dramatic initial improvements in strength are realized when you use training methods that do not require great input from core stabilization muscles such as supported exercises with selectorized equipment. Why is this true? When the body calls on these stabilizing muscles, the targeted muscle, or muscle group, is worked at roughly 60% of its capacity. So you should initially begin with selectorized equipment if available. The next best option would be using bands, dumbbells or barbells and a seated (supported) position on a stable surface such as a weight bench. Unsupported exercises utilizing bands, balance balls, and dumbbells should be reserved for more advanced programs or in circumstances where other equipment is not readily available.

If this is an area of training that sounds interesting, you should consider continuing your education with advanced training to safely and effectively work with the mature adult who is experiencing the effects of aging. An excellent home-study CEC course that is recognized by all major certification organizations in the US and Canada is:
SrFit: Senior Fitness Specialty Certification

This in depth program (worth 19-24 CECs) will teach already certified and experienced personal trainers, lifestyle coaches, and athletic trainers to safely and effectively train adults age 45-62+ (Baby Boomers and Beyond). SrFit Home-study program

Personal Training Certification Organizations

American Academy of Health and Fitness: Fitness Specialty Certifications and Continuing Education Home Study Courses for Health and Fitness Professionals

SrFit: Senior Fitness Specialty Certification (19-24 CECs - all major certifications US and Canada)

2010-09-23T13:21:00.002-05:00

If this is an area of training that sounds interesting, you should consider continuing your education with advanced training to safely and effectively work with the mature adult who is experiencing the effects of aging. An excellent home-study CEC course that is recognized by all major certification organizations in the US and Canada is:

SrFit: Senior Fitness Specialty Certification

This in depth program (worth 19-24 CECs) will teach already certified and experienced personal trainers, lifestyle coaches, and athletic trainers to safely and effectively train adults age 45-62+ (Baby Boomers and Beyond). SrFit Home-study program

Personal Training Certification Organizations

American Academy of Health and Fitness: Fitness Specialty Certifications and Continuing Education Home Study Courses for Health and Fitness Professionals

Aging and the Organ Systems--A Good Fitness Trainer Can Make a Big Diffference!

2010-09-21T17:45:00.000-05:00

The interaction of many factors, including the aging process and lifestyle, decreases individual performance potential and increases the differences among individuals across their life spans. These differences can be striking. There are certain changes in the body that occur universally with age, but we can slow the progression of many of these changes with proper diet and exercise. Following is an overview for each organ system.

Integumentary (Skin) System
The major functions of this system are protection from environmental hazards and temperature control. Sweat glands become less active, and at the same time blood supply to the skin is decreased. This combination makes the older adult less able to lose body heat, so overexertion or exposure to extreme temperatures can cause dangerously high body temperatures.

Skeletal System
The major functions of this system are in structural support, protection of soft tissues, mineral storage, and blood production. Everyone begins to lose bone mass between the ages of 30 and 40. Over this period of time, the number of osteoblasts (bone building cells) begins to decline, while the number of osteoclasts (cells that break down bone) remains the same.

Muscular System
The major functions of this system are locomotion, support, and heat production. We are referring to skeletal muscle only (not cardiac or smooth muscle). As the body ages, there is generally a reduction in the size and power of all muscle tissues. In particular, skeletal muscle fibers become smaller in diameter.

Nervous System
The major function of this system is to direct immediate responses to stimuli by coordinating the activities of other systems. With aging, reaction times slow and reflexes become weaker. There is a decrease in the precision of motor control, and it takes longer to perform a given motor pattern than it did 20 years earlier.

Endocrine System
This system's major function is to direct long-term changes in the activities of other organ systems through the production of hormones. The most dramatic change is the decline in the concentration of reproductive hormones. In addition, age-related changes in other tissues affect their abilities to respond to hormonal stimulation.

Cardiovascular System
The main function of this system is the internal transport of cells and dissolved materials, including nutrients, wastes, and gases. Aerobic capacity decreases by 50% between ages 20 and 80, because maximum cardiac output decreases by 25% and peripheral O2 utilization decreases as muscle mass and strength decrease.

Lymphatic (Immune) System
The major function of the immune system is defense against infection and disease. With advancing age, the lymphatic system becomes less effective at combating disease and fighting off infections. The net result is an increased susceptibility to viral and bacterial infections.

Respiratory System
The major function of this system is the delivery of air to sites in the lungs where gas exchange can occur between the air and circulating blood. Regular aerobic training can substantially slow the age related decline in VO2 max. The age-related decrease in aerobic exercise capacity is due only in part to pulmonary changes and is mostly due to altered cardiovascular responses.

Digestive System
The major functions of this system are the processing of food and the absorption of nutrients, minerals, vitamins, and water. Because of the large functional reserve capacity of most of the gastrointestinal (GI) tract, aging has relatively little effect on GI functioning.

Urinary System
The major function of this system is the elimination of excess water, salts, and waste products.A decrease in the glomerular filtration rate, or the rate at which blood is forced through and filtered by the renal corpuscle in the kidneys, is the most important functional defect caused by aging.

Reproductive System
The main function of this system is to produce sex cells and hormones. The most striking age-related changes in the female reproductive system occur at menopause, while changes in the male reproductive system occur more gradually and over a longer period of time.

Yes, inevitably changes do occur with age. However, how successfully a person ages is 1/3 genetics and 2/3’s lifestyle. You, as a personal trainer, lifestyle coach or other fitness professional, can play a significant role in helping your client slow the rate of progression of most all of these changes through proper Diet and Exercise!

If this is an area of training that sounds interesting, you should consider continuing your education with advanced training to safely and effectively work with the mature adult who is experiencing the effects of aging. An excellent home-study CEC course that is recognized by all major certification organizations in the US and Canada is:

SrFit: Senior Fitness Specialty Certification

This in depth program (worth 19-24 CECs) will teach already certified and experienced personal trainers, lifestyle coaches, and athletic trainers to safely and effectively train adults age 45-62+ (Baby Boomers and Beyond). SrFit Home-study program

Personal Training Certification Organizations

American Academy of Health and Fitness: Fitness Specialty Certifications and Continuing Education Home Study Courses for Health and Fitness Professionals

93-year-old couple heroes to other gym rats

2010-09-14T21:39:00.000-05:00

by Michael Vitez

THE PHILADELPHIA INQUIRER

PHILADELPHIA - Moe drives to the gym every morning, but Fay always takes an extra set of keys because once he locked his in the trunk.

They prefer gray sweats to spandex, conversation to headphones. They are so unfashionable that they barely perspire.

Yet they inspire.

Moe and Fay Lurie are both 93. They go to the gym almost every day and are great examples of so many trends in healthy aging: The benefit of exercise is long established, as is what some aging experts call "the protective value of marriage."

"They're our inspiration," said Sonjia Stanton, 58, as she passed Moe and Fay on the track at Bally Total Fitness in Voorhees, N.J. "They start out slow, but by the end, they're zooming."

Moe and Fay met in 1941 at a dance. Both were almost 30. Moe, 5 feet 3, had his eye out for a short girl who could dance. On their first date, Fay was so happy, so cheerful, so sweet, Moe asked her: "Is this an act? " "No, it's not an act," she insisted. "That's how I am." After 62 years of marriage, Moe says, "That's how she is." "We're always together," Fay says. "We like the same food. We like the same exercise. And we like each other." Fay has a simple explanation for their longevity as a couple: "I just ignore the bad stuff." After walking, Moe and Fay hit the mats and stretch. Fay lies on her side, raises her top leg to the sky - perpendicular to her bottom leg on the floor. Then she raises her top arm to touch that top leg. Always with a smile.

Moe is next to her, doing stomach crunches.

Fay rolls on her back, brings her knees to her chest. She rocks forward and back to gain momentum - rolls onto her shoulder blades, and lifts her legs straight and skyward like the Eiffel Tower.

Fay is 107 pounds, the same weight as the day she graduated from high school. She has always worked out and persuaded her husband to join her once they married.

Moe also is the same weight he would have been when he graduated from high school - had he ever gone. But he was poor and went to work after eighth grade. He was a typesetter, retiring 30 years ago.

Moe is 115 pounds, his stomach as flat as a countertop.

Fay picks up 8-pound barbells, one in each hand, and swings them back and forth until she has enough steam to hold them high above her head.

Men stop and watch.

"She's great, and that's from an old gym teacher," says Jerry Shusterman, 71.

Fay enjoys the attention but wants to keep her perspective. "I didn't start yesterday." Both Fay and Moe have cut red meat out of their diet and avoid fatty foods. They eat oatmeal every morning. "What's the use of living long," she says, "if you can't feel good." Moe lifts 25-pound barbells. His biceps, if not Alps, are at least Poconos. Moe sits at a universal weight machine and pulls 72 pounds toward his chest - three sets of 15 pulls each. Fay waits her turn. "I do it, too," she says. "But not as heavy. More ladylike." She pulls 36 pounds a few times. She will be 94 in August. "To tell you the truth," Fay says. "I'm enjoying my life."

Has '50' Become the New '30'?

2010-09-07T21:37:00.000-05:00

by Frank Rosci

People these days are living longer than ever. And as they go through their longer, fuller, richer lives, they're taking better care of themselves and aging gracefully, so much so that even at 50 years of age and older - once upon a time considered "over the hill" - many are more like 30-year-olds in their thinking, behavior, viewpoint, attitude and even physique.

These baby-boomers are practically as active as their younger counterparts - they can still do many of the physically demanding things that younger people do, and they remain committed to staying that way for as long as humanly possible.

Why and how is this national phenomenon happening?
"One of the most important reasons are lifestyle changes, including far fewer people smoking than before, and a greater emphasis on diet and exercise," explained Hal Hockfield, M.D., an internist at Abington Memorial Hospital and a member of Abington Plaza Medical Associates.

"Everything has changed today. People are working longer, and thinking and dressing younger, staying involved in the things they love to do, and are more active overall," he said.

"They're not retiring early as they did, for example, 20 years ago. People today don't want to do that because they don't want to turn into couch potatoes. There are people who are 75 and 80 who are still working, keeping their bodies and minds active."

In his view, people age 55 today are the 40-year-olds of two decades ago, while those 75 now are the 55-year-olds of 20 years ago.

"Nothing makes me happier than having an 85-year-old come to the office on the way to work," said Hockfield, half of whose large patient population is made up of geriatrics.

"If someone makes it to 70, chances are good that person will live to at least 85," he added.

They've Got More Info

Contributing to the 50-plus fountain of youth is the socio-economic fact that people are much better educated today about key health issues, Hockfield continued, with more readily available literature and research to support healthy living, which means society is seeing the results in terms of not just quantity (living longer) but also quality (living better and smarter).

"It's a very real thing, even if the cause is peer pressure in some instances, and it's a contagious movement among those 50 and older, with the expectation that if people are living longer, they can maintain this lifestyle for as long as they want to in order to enjoy a higher quality of life," he stated.

Hockfield also noted that the quantity and type of exercises may change as people get older - such as walking in the pool and mild water aerobics, what he considers "an excellent exercise that's easy on the joints."

A number of 50-year-olds also have home gyms, and some even have personal trainers, he observed, as part of a general trend toward healthier living.

Personal trainer and sports nutritionist Joanne Sgro, 33, of Bala Cynwyd, has about 10 clients age 50 and older under her wing at present, she reported.

"Exercise and healthy living is part of their lives and always has been," said Sgro. "They are well-educated and well-off socio-economically, so they have the time and interest to take care of themselves."

Among them is a 49-year-old woman into horseback riding, who sought Sgro to work on increasing her strength, a key to a finely tuned metabolism.

"She and others think exercise is fun, and they want to stay in shape for as long as they can," the trainer explained.

Other clients are into tennis and dance, activities for which Sgro customizes exercise regimens. Some are into weight loss as well, Sgro confided, inspired by her own story of winning a long battle against obesity by losing 200 pounds. She's worked as a personal trainer since 2001.

"Those in shape at 50 today have many more opportunities to stay in shape, with the numerous health clubs now in existence, for example, and they are much more likely to stay in shape later in life," attested Sgro.

From a psychological perspective, psychiatrist Mitchell Cohen, clinical associate professor of psychiatry and human behavior at Jefferson Medical College of Thomas Jefferson University, noted that for 50-year-olds today, there isn't the same pressure there used to be 20 to 25 years ago.

According to Cohen, "Back then, many at that age would simply accept that they were getting older and say to themselves that it was their last shot at being able to perform - to have one last fling. Now, because the wall of illness many would hit at 50 has been removed, they're in great health and able to do what they want.

"Today, people are younger than they used to be at that age. And many of the tasks that were part of middle life - of middle adulthood - are gone, such as the burden of making major decisions about how to handle the future of aging parents, who themselves are living longer, allowing their children to adjust more gradually to the challenge of coming to real terms with parents," said Cohen.

Now, those at 50 can relax a bit more about this and other questions that were pertinent in the past, and avoid the need to act out, to go through a so-called mid-life crisis, he said.

"This spreading out of time and reduction in stress, plus the fact that there has been a tremendous education of people who are 50 and older, is allowing them to live more freely, to feel they have some control over their lives - to feel more comfortable about things and to enjoy their good health in as many active ways as there are," concluded Cohen.

Free to Be

Over at Temple University, Dick Goldberg, an expert on the boomer generation, works with the "Coming of Age" project - a partnership among Temple, AARP, WHYY radio and the United Way. Run by Dr. Nancy Henkin through the university's Center for Intergenerational Learning, it's designed to inspire opportunities for people 50 and older in civic engagement and education in Greater Philadelphia.

"There are 1.5 million people 50 and older in the Greater Philadelphia area, many of whom are in better health than previous generations. Research suggests they're that way not only because they're committed, but because they've maintained their health all along," explained Goldberg.

Another reason for the vitality of today's 50-plus set, he remarked, has to do with fewer familial duties on their daily schedules: "Their child-raising obligations have lessened. In general, their children are grown, and have moved on."

The project's 2005-06 "Boomervision!" series - called "What Boomers Want" - has presented lectures on topics such as "Brain Health" by Paul Nussbaum, Ph.D., a neuropsychologist from the University of Pittsburgh's School of Medicine; and by local radio personality and author Dan Gottlieb, Ph.D., who has talked about "Meaningful Relationships" and the manifold benefits of "Good Work." Brooklyn-based freelance writer Ellen Freudenheim has also spoken.

"Coming of Age" was created two year ago, said Goldberg, and is intended to be in place in perpetuity - just as a lot of baby-boomers hope to be.

Personal Training Seen As Boom Business In Next Five Years

2010-08-31T21:33:00.000-05:00

By Tracy Kershaw-Staley

Dayton Business Journal

When Karen Siebert began her career as a personal trainer three decades ago, most clients wanted to muscle up or slim down.

Today she encounters clients with a different motivation: to get healthy.

That change is helping fuel a boom in the personal training business. Baby boomers are seeking trainers as they look to keep active, lower their resting heart rate or lower their cholesterol, she said. The rising number of boomers, along with people searching for solutions to the country's growing obesity epidemic, is making personal training a lucrative career, industry observers say.
"More people are hiring trainers for the reasons of good health -- not to look like Arnold Schwarzenegger," said Siebert, athletic director at the Dayton Racquet Club. "I think that's why personal training is growing."

The number of personal trainers is expected to grow by 46 percent by 2012, according to the U.S. Department of Labor, which listed personal training as one of its top 15 most desirable fields in which to work.

And with growing awareness of the country's ever expanding waistline, more people are signing up for gym memberships and being exposed to the possibility of personal training. Many gyms offer free or discounted sessions to lure members to pay for the training later on.

"Nine out of 10 times people will take advantage of that and continue," Siebert said.

The earning potential is strong. Most trainers can charge about $50 per hour. Working for a fitness club, the trainer takes home about $35 an hour after the club takes its share, said Fabio Comana, exercise physiologist with the San Diego-based American Council on Exercise, one of the largest and well-respected accrediting organizations for trainers.

Siebert said she earned the most when training people in their own homes. While lucrative, going to client's homes often creates an erratic schedule for trainers, she said. Now all but two of her clients are Racquet Club members who come to the gym to exercise.

"I found it was better to have one location," she said.

Personal trainers create and oversee workout routines for their clients. Instead of simply going to a gym and lifting weights, clients get personlized workouts catered to their specific phyiscal needs. Plus, personal trainers watch their clients and make sure they're following through.

Most trainers grow their clients by word-of-mouth marketing, said Scott Beeson, general manager of NeoLimits Fitness Inc.'s gym in Centerville, which has about a dozen personal trainers on staff. Once they show results with one client, others follow, he said.

"After a couple years, a personal trainer doesn't have to do a lot of advertising because they have a network of people," Beeson said.

Personal training has gone from a cottage industry -- Siebert started as an aerobics instructor at her church -- to a field requiring certification and continuing education. It's also become more specialized, with trainers marketing themselves as experts in golf conditioning or pilates.

Another factor driving the growth of the industry is how easy it can be to enter, Comana said.

It takes about a year to study and complete certification, he said.

Trainers also are benefiting from professionals such as Dan Fischer, president of Key Bank in Dayton, who want to fit exercise into their busy schedules.

Fischer has been working with a trainer for about five years. Since moving to Dayton in January, he started working with Siebert, whom he jokingly calls the "workout nazi."

He likes the variety and expertise that comes with working with a trainer.

"I'm a person who doesn't have a lot time," he said. "For me it works because it's a scheduled appointment."

If this is an area of training that sounds interesting, you should consider continuing your education with advanced training to safely and effectively work with the mature adult who is experiencing the effects of aging. An excellent home-study CEC course that is recognized by all major certification organizations in the US and Canada is:

SrFit: Senior Fitness Specialty Certification

This in depth program (worth 19-24 CECs) will teach already certified and experienced personal trainers, lifestyle coaches, and athletic trainers to safely and effectively train adults age 45-62+ (Baby Boomers and Beyond). SrFit Home-study program

Personal Training Certification Organizations

American Academy of Health and Fitness: Fitness Specialty Certifications and Continuing Education Home Study Courses for Health and Fitness Professionals

THE BOOMING "BOOMER" MARKET: AN INCREDIBLE CAREER OPPORTUNITY--ARE YOU READY?

2010-08-24T21:30:00.000-05:00

ON JANUARY 1, 2006, THE FIRST BABY-BOOMERS, BORN BETWEEN 1946 AND 1963, STARTED TURNING 60. THIS IS THE GENERATION THAT CREATED THE MODERN HEALTH CLUB INDUSTRY. IT IS THE LARGEST (78 MILLION), MOST HEALTH-CONSCIOUS, AND MOST APPEARANCE CONSCIOUS GENERATION IN U.S. HISTORY. 60+ HEALTH CLUB MEMBERSHIP WILL SWELL FOR THE NEXT 10 TO 15 YEARS.

Twenty five percent (25%) of the nation's 41.3 million health club members are already over age 55, the quintessential statistic that -- according to American Sports Data, Inc. (ASD) president Harvey Lauer -- "represents not only a vast change in American attitudes and perceptions, but also an imminent restructuring of the health club and fitness industries, and most crucially -- the seed of monumental healthcare reform in the United States."

From 1998 - 2004, the number of frequent fitness participants aged 55+ zoomed by 33%, along with a growth rate of 13% for Baby Boomers aged 35-54, compared to zero growth for the "traditional" fitness participant aged 18-34. These were among the findings of the 18th annual SUPERSTUDY® of Sports Participation, conducted among 14,684 Americans nationwide in January 2005 by ASD. It was also reported that people aged 55+ represent 25% of the 6.1 million Americans who paid for the services of a personal trainer in 2004.

The aging of the American population has created a large group of older adults who are even more susceptible to the detrimental effects of physical inactivity than are younger people. This is not news to the fitness industry; however, many personal trainers are not adequately prepared to deal with this growing segment of the population.

Let's look at a few more statistics:

Americans over age 55 are the fastest-growing age group among gym members, up more than 266 percent since 1987 -- more than twice the rate for U.S. health club members as a whole.
In the year 2000, roughly 35 million people (13% of the population) were age 65 or older. By 2030, that number is expected to double to 70 million. According to the Active Aging Partnership National Blueprint, 88% of these people have at least one chronic health condition that in many cases could be improved or managed with physical activity.
Frequent health club attendance (100 days) has soared to a new high of 13.5 million. While they already account for 25% of the total memberships, people over 55 represent 28% of all frequent attendees.
According to IDEA Health and Fitness Association's research, 51 percent of all personal training clientele are over the age of 45. This would stand to reason as this group has more than 50 percent of the discretionary income, and they spend more of their income on health than any other item, according to the World Health Organization.

Consider this--
once adults pass the physical prime of their teens and 20's, they lose an average of 10 ounces of lean body mass a year, and this is mostly in the form of muscle tissue. And since few people actually lose
10 ounces of weight a year, instead, most gain about a pound a year, the loss of lean tissue is masked. Another way to look at this is the average person gains about 1 pound and 10 ounces of body fat per year. It is a process that is more insidious and crippling than osteoporosis but one few people notice until they realize it is getting difficult to climb the stairs or heft themselves off the sofa. Unchecked, the gradual loss of muscle strength is the main reason older Americans have difficulty performing the tasks of daily living and ultimately lose their independence. This phenomenon, which we call sarcopenia, is derived from Greek words for "vanishing flesh." This is NOT an inevitable consequence of aging. It is instead an inevitable consequence of disuse.

Another important reason for older people to strength train is that evidence suggests that exercise may decrease the rate of bone loss associated with osteoporosis and reduce the likelihood of falls that result in hip fractures. A frightening statistic is that almost 24% of people over age 50 who have hip fractures die within a year. Falling is a serious public health concern among elderly people because of its frequency, the morbidity associated with falls, and the cost of the necessary healthcare. According to Dr. Mary Tinetti, Yale University, approximately 30% of the people who live in the community fall each year. Unintentional injury, which most often results from a fall, ranks as the sixth leading cause of death among people over 65 years of age. Muscle weakness has been identified as one of the biggest potentially modifiable risk factors for falling. In the late 80's, early 90's, studies began being done which proved that despite a decrease in muscle fibers and strength, muscle function can be maintained and or improved with training, even in the very old.

A slight increase in muscle strength at any age can improve quality of life-and stave off the frailty that used to be considered a normal part of getting old. While strength training is not the only type of exercise that is important for older adults, it should be easy to understand that the frailer a person becomes, the greater the importance of strength training. And sometimes, strength training and flexibility are the only types of exercise in which the older adult can engage until they gain enough muscle strength to allow them to work on their endurance or aerobic capacity, and balance. According to Wayne Westcott, PhD, twelve health and fitness benefits result from strength training by older adults. They are: avoid muscle loss, avoid metabolic rate reduction, increase muscle mass, increase metabolic rate, reduce body fat, increase bone mineral density, increase glucose metabolism, increase gastrointestinal transit, reduce resting blood pressure, improve blood lipids levels, reduce low back pain, and reduce arthritic pain.

Although the benefits of strength training have been discussed exclusively to this point, older inactive adults also loose ground in three other areas that are important for staying healthy and independent, these are endurance, balance and flexibility. Endurance training can maintain and improve cardiovascular function and can reduce risk factors associated with chronic diseases associated with aging such as diabetes, colon cancer, heart disease, stroke, and others and reduce overall death and hospital rates. Balance exercises help to prevent falls and flexibility exercises help to keep the body limber by stretching muscles and tissues that hold the body's structure in place. Flexibility may also play a part in preventing falls.

Some types of exercise improve just one area of health or ability, but more often, an exercise has many different benefits. So, older adults should be encouraged to increase both the types and amounts of exercise and physical activity they do. According to an article in the winter 2002 newsletter, Aging Successfully, published by the St Louis School of Medicine and Geriatric Research, for the older adult, the goals of exercise should be to minimize the effects of aging and chronic diseases; to reverse the effects of disuse; and to maximize psychological health. This is different than those of younger adults for whom exercise helps prevent disease and increase life expectancy.

Contrary to traditional thinking, regular exercise helps, not hurts, older adults. Older people become sick or disabled more often from not exercising than from exercising. Almost all older adults, regardless of age or condition, can safely improve their health and independence through exercise and physical activity. There are few reasons to keep them from exercising, and "too old" and "too frail" are not among them!!

So, now that you have learned what a huge market older adults already comprise, and that this market will continue to increase dramatically for years to come, are you interested in training this market? If you answered "yes", then you must consider what it takes to be qualified to work with this population. Assuming that you already have a solid knowledge base in personal training, it is truly mandatory to build on that existing knowledge and skill to safely and effectively work with the ever-growing senior population.

More specifically you should be able to:

Appreciate how the aging process impacts the organ systems, as well as understand the risk factors associated with chronic diseases.
Identify dietary changes that may be needed as a result of aging, and also recognize how diet is related to the different chronic diseases that become more apparent as people grow older.
Utilize safe and effective training techniques for the older adult, including knowledge of guidelines specific to older adult flexibility, endurance and strength training.
Conduct comprehensive senior health assessment and fitness testing.
Understand chronic diseases and be able to design and modify programs for clients with specific chronic diseases.
Identify with what motivates the older adult and understand how to create an age friendly environment.
Find and appeal to senior clients, and identify ways to build your credibility and establish yourself as an expert in the field of senior fitness.

In addition to making sure you possess the skill to safely and effectively work with older adults, it also a good idea to understand what qualities and skill level that the older adult will be expecting to find in you when they are considering you as their personal trainer. The International Council on Active Aging (ICAA) has developed a very informative guide for older adults to help them find a qualified personal trainer. You should review use this guide for your own education, and keep copies handy to give to prospective clients. This will show them that you are aware of what it takes to be an "age friendly" personal trainer! The ICAA guide "How to select an age-friendly personal fitness trainer" is provided here for your review. You will find the guide available in printable pdf format at the ICAA website: http://www.icaa.cc/FacilityLocator/Public/icaapftguide.pdf.

To Avoid 'Boomeritis,' Exercise, Exercise, Exercise

2010-08-17T21:25:00.000-05:00

An apology to all baby boomers and beyond: I'm afraid that in our efforts to get everyone to become physically active, we've sold you a bill of goods. A 30-minute walk on most days is just not enough. There is much more to becoming - and staying - physically fit as you age than engaging in regular aerobic activity. (Of course, the same applies to those younger than 60.)

In addition to activities like walking, jogging, cycling and swimming that promote endurance, cardiovascular health and weight control, there is a dire need for exercises that improve posture and increase strength, flexibility and balance. These exercises can greatly reduce the risk of injuries from sports and endurance activities, the demands of daily life, falls and other accidents.

Musculoskeletal injuries are now the No. 1 one reason for seeking medical care in the United States. And falls, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported last month, have become the leading cause of injury deaths for men and women 65 and older.

Unless you do something to slow the deterioration in muscle, bone strength and agility that naturally accompanies aging, you will become a prime candidate for what Dr. Nicholas A. DiNubile, an orthopedic surgeon at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania, calls "boomeritis."

"By their 40th birthday, people often have vulnerabilities - weak links - and as the first generation that is trying to stay active in droves, baby boomers are pushing their frames to the breakpoint," Dr. DiNubile said in introducing a November press event in New York sponsored by the American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons and the National Athletic Trainers' Association.

"Baby boomers are falling apart - developing tendinitis, bursitis, arthritis and 'fix-me-itis,' the idea that modern medicine can fix anything," he said. "It's much better to prevent things than to have to try to fix them."

Dr. DiNubile pointed out that evolution had not kept up with the doubling of the human life span in the last 100 years. To counter the inevitable declines with age, we have to provide our bodies with an extended warranty.

Assess Your Fitness

In their recently published book, "Age-Defying Fitness" (Peachtree Publishers), two prominent physical therapists, Marilyn Moffat of New York University and Carole B. Lewis of Washington, D.C., provide the ingredients to help you make the most of your body for the rest of your life: a quick quiz and a five-part test to assess the status of your posture, strength, balance, flexibility and endurance, followed by five chapters with step-by-step instructions on how to safely improve the areas in which you are lacking.

The therapists describe what happens to these "five domains of fitness" as you age. Posture begins changing as early as the teenage years, the result of activities like prolonged sitting, carrying a heavy purse or briefcase, or working at a computer.

Strength declines as muscle fibers decrease in size and number and as the supply of nerve stimulation and energy to the muscles diminishes. Balance deteriorates as muscles tighten and weaken and joints lose their full range of motion.

Flexibility declines because connective tissue throughout the body becomes less elastic. And endurance falls off because of reduced flexibility, weakened muscles, and stiffer lungs and blood vessels.

Still not convinced you need to work on your fitness? See how you do on the therapists' quiz:

*Are you not standing as straight and tall as you once did?

*Is walking up a flight of stairs a strain at times?

*Are you getting up from a chair more slowly than you used to?

*Is it getting harder to look to the left and right while backing up?

*Do you get stiff sitting through a long movie?

*Is standing on one leg to put on your shoe difficult or impossible?

*Do you trip or lose your balance more easily?

*Does walking or jogging a distance take longer than it used to?

As a daily exerciser I consider myself a physically fit 65-year-old, and I did well on the quick quiz, but I flunked the tests for balance and flexibility. So I've added exercises to my weekly regime to improve these two domains of fitness.

"The antidote to aging is activity," the therapists wrote. "Inactivity magnifies age-related changes, but action maintains and increases your abilities in all five domains."

No Time to Waste,

Dr. Vonda J. Wright, a sports medicine specialist at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, said at the New York meeting that "boomers are 59, and we must intervene now to head off what happens to those who age in a sedentary way."

Injury and arthritis are the main reasons people stop exercising, she said. She urged those in need of a joint replacement not to postpone the surgery, which she likened to repairing a pothole.

Marjorie J. Albohm, a certified athletic trainer affiliated with OrthoIndy and the Indiana Orthopedic Hospital in Indianapolis, cautioned against "cookbook recipes" for exercise. "The key to a good workout is customization," based on a professional assessment of flexibility, cardiovascular endurance, strength and balance, she said. "The goal is to minimize symptoms and prevent new injuries," Ms. Albohm said, and she urged people to listen to their bodies to avoid making things worse.

Ms. Albohm emphasized flexibility, saying it is "not optional" as you age. "To prevent stiffness and maintain joint mobility you should stretch daily for 15 to 20 minutes," she said "using slow, controlled movements, before or after your exercise program."

For cardiovascular endurance, she recommended alternating between weight-bearing (walking, jogging) and non-weight-bearing (swimming, cycling) aerobic activities three days a week for 30 to 45 minutes each time.

Muscle strength, Ms. Albohm noted, can be increased at any age, even in one's 90s, to protect against falls, maintain mobility, prevent new injuries and empower individuals. Especially important is strengthening the muscles in the front and sides of the thighs, which help support the knees, and strengthening core muscles of the trunk (back, buttocks and abdomen) to protect the spine and support the entire body.

Finally, we need to worry about our bones. At least 1.5 million "fragility fractures" occur annually in the United States. These are breaks that result when someone falls from a standing height or less, trips over the cat or lifts something heavy, and they affect men as well as women, Dr. Laura Tosi, an orthopedic surgeon at Children's National Medical Center in Washington, D.C., said at the New York event.

"A history of a fragility fracture is far more predictive of future fractures than a bone density test," Dr. Tosi said, adding that a major cause is a shortage of vitamin D, which lets calcium into bones.

"The current standard for vitamin D is not adequate," she said, and predicted it would soon be raised to perhaps 1,000 International Units a day. Vitamin supplements are crucial, because adequate amounts of vitamin D cannot be absorbed through diet and sunshine alone.