Importance of Fitness Training As We Age
According to American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM), one of the top fitness trends for this year is fitness training for older adults. With many baby boomers aging, older adults are seeking out certified fitness professionals to create custom programs that are age appropriate. For me I think one of the most fundamental programs necessary to any well rounded training routine is grounded in strength and core training.
Strength training focuses on working major muscle groups in the body. It’s mantra is ” use it or lose it”. Many problems with muscular system that are associated with age are caused by disuse.
“If you don’t do anything to replace the lean muscle you lose, you’ll increase the percentage of fat in your body,” says Edward Laskowski, M.D., Co-Director of the Mayo Clinic Sports Medicine Center. “But strength training can help you preserve and enhance your muscle mass — at any age.”
Simply forcing the muscles to work on a regular basis significantly improves their capacity to do work. Resistance training can also improve circulation, coordination, balance, bone and ligament strength. Functional fitness trend uses strength training to improve balance and ease of daily living. It is popular among babyboomer and greatest generational adults.
Core training emphasizes only the conditioning of the middle-body muscles, including the rectus abdominus, internal obliques, external obliques, transverse abdominus, the erector spinae, pelvis, lower back, and hips. Since your core muscles are a major connecting link of the limbs, they are a key factor in your mobility. In order to remain active as you age, you need to make sure to engage your core muscle groups often during training. Stronger core muscles equates to reduced back pain, improved posture, and an increase in your range of motion.
I have discovered that after strengthening the core it is possible to balance on a trampoline or vibration plate and do hundreds of curls, presses and squats with less effort. The added vibration stimulates the lymphatics, shortens recovery time and builds endurance with strength. The result is a younger, firmer, athletic looking body.