THE BENEFITS OF STRENGTH TRAINING IN OLD AGE

Since in the previous post we decided to comment on the benefits of strength training in childhood, this time we have decided to comment on the benefits that this training causes in old age.

Fitness Portrait Old Man Trainer by Ireshapeu Pixabay License

In the first place, we can define ageing as a "dynamic process, individual, gradual, natural and inevitable, in which changes occur at the biological, psychological and social levels".

This process is associated with a progressive degeneration of tissues, which has a negative impact on the structure and function of vital organs and is among the most important known risk factors for most chronic diseases, being influenced by the environment, genetics and society (MacNee, A Rabinovich, & Choudhury, 2014).

One of the most significant biological changes is the development of sarcopenia, which is defined as the "syndrome characterized by progressive and generalized loss of skeletal muscle mass and strength, with risk of adverse outcomes such as physical disability, poor quality of life, and death" (Cruz-Jentoft et al., 2010).

In order to make this loss as minor as possible, physical exercise is a fundamental factor, specifically strength work (Fiatarone et al., 1990). However, we must bear in mind at all times, as has already been defined in previous lines, that this is a sector of the population which has undergone various changes at the physical, psychological and morphological levels, so that healthy physical activity patterns must follow standards appropriate to their specific needs (Chodzko-Zajko et al., 2009).

These standards will be defined in the following post in a specific way, carrying out a guide for the practical application of strength training in old age; however, as an introductory concept we can point out that:

1. Muscle endurance work will be beneficial in performing repetitive tasks in daily life (climbing stairs, gait pattern, etc.) (Rose, 2015).

2. The work of force-hypertrophy will be beneficial for the prevention of sarcopenia, helping to preserve muscle mass and strength (Fiatarone et al., 1990).

3. The power work (high speed execution) will be beneficial for the improvement of functionality and the prevention of injuries by falls or blows (Ramirez-Campillo et al., 2014).

4. The performance of strength exercise at these ages is also associated with a decrease in insulin resistance (Brochu, Ades, Dvorak, DeNino, & Poehlman, 2000).

5. It produces a significant increase in post-exercise calorie expenditure (Strasser, Arvandi, & Siebert, 2012).

6. Physical exercise, especially strength work, is a proven tool to combat metabolic disorders (Colberg et al., 2010).

7. It reduces the risk of osteoporosis (Hunter, McCarthy, & Bamman, 2004).

For all of the above reasons, we believe that strength training in old age, properly guided and performed, will provide innumerable benefits and significantly increase the quality of life.

See you in the next post.

May the force be with you!

REFERENCES

Brochu, M., Ades, P. A., Dvorak, R. V, DeNino, W. F., & Poehlman, E. T. (2000). Effects of Resistance Training and Endurance Training on Insulin Sensitivity in Nonobese, Young Women: A Controlled Randomized Trial1. The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism, 85(7), 2463–2468. https://doi.org/10.1210/jcem.85.7.6692

Chodzko-Zajko, W. J., Proctor, D. N., Fiatarone Singh, M. A., Minson, C. T., Nigg, C. R., Salem, G. J., & Skinner, J. S. (2009). American College of Sports Medicine position stand. Exercise and physical activity for older adults. Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise, 41(7), 1510–1530. https://doi.org/10.1249/MSS.0b013e3181a0c95c

Colberg, S. R., Sigal, R. J., Fernhall, B., Regensteiner, J. G., Blissmer, B. J., Rubin, R. R., … Braun, B. (2010). Exercise and type 2 diabetes: the American College of Sports Medicine and the American Diabetes Association: joint position statement. Diabetes Care, 33(12), e147-67. https://doi.org/10.2337/dc10-9990

Cruz-Jentoft, A. J., Schneider, S. M., Topinková, E., Vandewoude, M., Zamboni, M., Baeyens, J. P., … Rolland, Y. (2010). Sarcopenia: European consensus on definition and diagnosis: Report of the European Working Group on Sarcopenia in Older PeopleA. J. Cruz-Gentoft et al. Age and Ageing, 39(4), 412–423. https://doi.org/10.1093/ageing/afq034

Fiatarone, M. A., Marks, E. C., Ryan, N. D., Meredith, C. N., Lipsitz, L. A., & Evans, W. J. (1990). High-Intensity Strength Training in Nonagenarians: Effects on Skeletal Muscle. JAMA, 263(22), 3029–3034. https://doi.org/10.1001/jama.1990.03440220053029

Hunter, G. R., McCarthy, J. P., & Bamman, M. M. (2004). Effects of resistance training on older adults. Sports Medicine (Auckland, N.Z.), 34(5), 329–348. https://doi.org/10.2165/00007256-200434050-00005

MacNee, W., A Rabinovich, R., & Choudhury, G. (2014). Ageing and the border between health and disease. The European Respiratory Journal, 44. https://doi.org/10.1183/09031936.00134014

Ramirez-Campillo, R., Castillo, A., de la Fuente, C. I., Campos-Jara, C., Andrade, D. C., Alvarez, C., … Izquierdo, M. (2014). High-speed resistance training is more effective than low-speed resistance training to increase functional capacity and muscle performance in older women. Experimental Gerontology, 58, 51–57. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.exger.2014.07.001

Rose, D. J. (2015). THE ROLE OF EXERCISE IN PREVENTING FALLS AMONG OLDER ADULTS. ACSM’s Health & Fitness Journal, 19(3). Retrieved from https://dev-journals2013.lww.com/acsm-healthfitness/Fulltext/2015/05000/THE_ROLE_OF_EXERCISE_IN_PREVENTING_FALLS_AMONG.7.aspx

Strasser, B., Arvandi, M., & Siebert, U. (2012). Resistance training, visceral obesity and inflammatory response: a review of the  evidence. Obesity Reviews : An Official Journal of the International Association for the Study of Obesity, 13(7), 578–591. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1467-789X.2012.00988.x