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

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.

Safe and Effective Strength Training Very Important for Mature Adults

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.

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

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."

To Avoid 'Boomeritis,' Exercise, Exercise, Exercise

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.