Nick the Expert

In my previous two posts on strength training for older adults (65+) I discussed the importance of using proper exercise technique and appropriate tempo in raising and lowering the weight. Today, we'll look at the importance of lifting the correct amount of weight.

The amount of weight you choose to lift is influenced by both your technique and your ability to control the raising and lowering (eccentric) phase of the weight. The most common mistake is to use either too light or too heavy an amount of weight. Here's an example of choosing a level of weight that's too light: Your goal on the leg press machine is to complete 3 sets of 10 reps. You choose a weight and perform 3 sets of 10 reps, but you could have lifted the weight 5 more times. So, you should have chosen a weight you could lift for 11 to 12 reps for those 3 sets. If you are able to do more than 12 reps, then you should increase the weight you lift on your next set or next workout.

To get the greatest benefit from strength training, your muscles need to be exhausted to adapt to the stressors your are placing on them. Lifting too light a weight will not allow you to reach your full potential. On the other hand, lifting too heavy a weight may distort your lifting technique and tempo and may lead to injury or overtraining. Choosing the correct weight and progressing gradually with each exercise will help you reach your strength training goals. You can easily attain improvements in strength at any age through challenging your muscles by lifting the correct weight and increasing the weight when lifting becomes too light or easy. The hard work will pay off over time and your body and your sense of functional fitness will thank you for your efforts.

My last post shared some of the benefits of strength training for older adults (65+) and some tips on the importance of achieving proper technique. In this post, we'll look at the importance of the tempo of the exercise.

The tempo is the time it takes to raise and lower the weight. This is an important aspect of strength training because it helps prevent injury and can help maximize muscle growth. Thus tempo is an important part of proper exercise technique.

Research has shown that slow eccentric movements, or the lowering phase of the weight, cause more muscle damage and lead to more muscle soreness but can build more muscle than faster eccentric lifting. Therefore, using a slow and controlled lowering phase is important for older adults. A good rule of thumb is to take about 3 seconds to lower the weight, then pause for 1 second, and then raise the weight for 1 second. Controlling the weight you lift can be a challenge, especially if the weight is too heavy to control for a 3 second lowering phase.

That brings me to the topic for next week's blog: how to judge the correct amount of weight to lift.

Older adults (65+) often overlook strength training as a very important component of physical fitness. Training with weights has a multitude of benefits: improving bone mineral density, strengthening muscles, building muscle mass, improving the ability to perform daily functions and improving metabolism and more. As you get older, your risk of osteoporosis increases, muscle mass decreases, and functional fitness decreases as well. To live life to the fullest as you get older, strength training is vital.

Older individuals (65+) should follow a varied weight training approach. Three aspects are important to success: 1) exercise technique, 2) the tempo at which weights are lifted, and 3) the amount of weight lifted. In this post, I cover exercise technique. I'll cover the next two topics in my next two posts.

Using proper exercise technique for older adults. No matter what type of resistance training equipment you use--cables, machines, dumbbells, etc--you must use the proper technique to avoid injury and a subsequent trip to your local rehab clinic. The best way to learn proper technique is to work with a knowledgeable and credentialled trainer in the exercise field. You can find such experts in fitness centers, rehab clinics, and many retirement communities. Hands-on, one-on-one interaction with such qualified trainers will yield the best results because you receive timely feedback on whether you are performing the exercise correctly or not. You want have to worry about guesswork. I recommend that older adults begin with machine exercises because it's easier to maintain proper form on machines that place your body in one plane of motion. As you progress on machines, then you can make a gradual transition to dumbbells and free weights to focus on recruiting more muscle fibers, promoting more bone growth, and improving muscle mass.

Next week, we'll look at how to achieve the right tempo in strength training exercises.