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Bodybuilding
Program after 40-Male
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Hormone Replacement
Are
You Too Old to Pump Iron? by Jean Bowler
Are you too old for weight lifting? Will weight lifting
help you stay and look younger? The answer to the first
question is no and to the second is a resounding yes.
Weight lifting will help both men and women stay fit
and supple and might even help you look younger. And,
no matter what your age, you’re not too old to
start.
In 1982, Dr.Walter Bortz,writing in The Journal of
the American Medical Association, stated that a number
of the physical changes we undergo as we age, such as
loss of muscle tone, organ deterioration, and osteoporosis
are “indistinguishable whether caused by age or
inactivity.” He believed that exercise could delay
many of the diseases associated with aging, adding “at
least a portion of the changes commonly attributed to
aging are in reality caused by disuse and, as such,
subject to correction”.
As we age, we lose bone density and muscle mass. We
get stiff and our joints creak. Instead of using our
body, we “rest” it even more, starting a very
dangerous downward spiral. The synovial fluid dries
up, the tendons become brittle, the sinews grow weak.
It hurts to move, so we don’t.
More recently Dr Henry Lodge and Chris Cowley published
a new book on this theme, "Younger Next Year: A
Guide to Living Like 50 Until You're 80 and Beyond".
The premise of this book is that weight lifting will
help reverse the loss of both bone density and muscle
mass that begins to take place as we get older. And
they’re not talking about light weights, but rather
big heavy weights.
In July 1983, Terry Todd wrote in Sports Illustrated
that “Anyone who has spent much time in what is
sometimes called the "Iron Game" has, of course,
seen weight trainers over 40 whose physiques were…surprisingly
youthful. Apparently there is something about the act
of regularly stressing your body with heavy exercise
that gives it the wherewithal to resist the visual manifestations
of advancing age…research in this area suggests
that men and women of middle age will respond to systemic
progressive resistance with weights by becoming more
powerful and more flexible, with more endurance and
less fat.”
In 2003, the Centers for Disease Control reported that
strength training "can be very powerful in reducing
the signs and symptoms of numerous diseases and chronic
conditions, among them:arthritis, diabetes, osteoporosis,
obesity, back pain and depression."
Strength training will also increase your flexibility
and balance, which decreases the likelihood and severity
of falls. One study in New Zealand in women 80 years
of age and older showed a 40% reduction in falls with
simple strength and balance training.
I don’t agree that we need to undertake heavy
weight training to see substantial benefits.
The American College of Sports Medicine strength training
guidelines say we should start with at least two days
a week of any type of resistance exercise by doing 8
to 10 different exercises and doing 8 to 12 repetitions
per day. A repetition is how many times you lift the
weight or do the exercise.
So start off with a weight that you can lift correctly
for at least 8 reps, even if it’s only 2 to 5 pounds.
Rest between each set of repetitions and between each
exercise. If you can't make it to 8 reps during the
first few tries, don't give up. Do as much as you can
do. You'll be suprised at how soon you will feel like
you need to add a bit more weight.
But the goal is not to become a body builder, but rather
to restore your muscle tone and joint movement. You
can gradually work your way up to heavier weights if
you desire, but you will obtain the best benefit by
avoiding injury and sticking to the program – lifting
weights every two or three days.
An excellent resource on this subject is Getting Stronger:
Weight Training for Men and Women by Bill Pearl and
Gary Moran, Ph.D. I have the edition that came out in
1986. A newer one is now available. I have referred
to it constantly over the last 19 years.
The book gives you tips and pointers on how to set
up a strength training regime. There are illustrations
of every exercise with step by step instructions on
how to do them properly.
You can either learn beginning to advanced body building,
sports fitness routines to help you do better in 22
different sports, exercises to help prevent injuries
at work or just the principles of general conditioning
and strength training.
And you don’t need any fancy equipment to get
going. Almost all the exercises use cheap dumbbells
and weights that are available in just about every sporting
goods store. All in all, this is a very comprehensive
book on weight training and is especially helpful to
those of us who have never lifted weights before.
If you have any disease, injury or physical disability,
consult the doctor who has been treating you before
undertaking these exercises. Follow his advice on how
to get started and do not strength train if he says
not to.
Start off slowly with light weights. Follow the diagrams
in the book to make sure you’re positioning your
body correctly to avoid injury and obtain the best result
from your workout.
After several weeks, you will be well on your way to
improving your appearance, physique and general attitude
toward life, while doing wonders for you internal organs
and maybe even fighting off disease.
“Use it or lose it” applies to just about
every part of your body. Don’t “lose it”
because of inactivity and disuse.
This article is for informational purposes only. It
does not purport to offer medical advice. Consult a
qualified physician before undertaking any exercise
program.
About the Author
Ms Bowler has been a ballet dancer and teacher, a gynmastics
coach, and aerobics teacher and a private coach.She
has a strong interest in antiaging research.She is the
editor of Ageless Beauty, Your AntiAging Exercise Resource
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