Many bodily changes occur by the time a person celebrates their 70th birthday. These changes happen on a physiological and physical level respectively. It is inevitable that muscle and strength loss will occur as the aging process continues. The loss of muscle mass is know as sarcopenia. “Sarcopenia can be considered for muscle what osteoporosis is to bone,” according to John E. Morley, MD, geriatrician at Saint Louis University School of Medicine.” The good news here is you can slow or retard this process by strength training on a regular basis.
Here is a statistic that I like to keep in mind whenever I need a little motivation to exercise:
You lose 40 percent of your muscle mass and 30 percent of your overall strength by the time you reach 70-years old.
Strength Training Prevents Loss of Muscle Mass
Research shows we lose 3-8 percent of our muscle mass per decade of life starting around age thirty. The goal for strength training is a simple one. If you’re doing it now, keep doing it until you no longer can. For those who have taken a break or are a strength training novice, start today! Participate in strength training about 2-3 times a week. Perform a full body workout that involves all major muscle groups. This can be on separate days or in a single training session depending on your time commitment. The major muscle groups that we’re referring to are the following:
- Legs
- Back
- Chest
- Shoulders
- Arms
- Core
It is important to understand that as you grow stronger, you’ll need to stress your muscles more. This means lifting more weight, or slowing down the tempo of each repetition. This typically happens when you can perform 12 or more repetitions of a given exercise. Mix in light, moderate, and heavy strength training days as part of your routine. Rest 24-72 hours between training sessions. Take a week off every so often. Plan out your week or full training plan prior to heading to the gym. Use the award-winning Jefit app for all your strength training planning & tracking needs.
Building More Muscle Increases Strength Level
You can cover all your bases with regular bouts of strength training. Meaning, when you engage in strength training, 2-3 times a week, over a period of time – you build both muscle and strength! With more muscle you’re able to generate more force and in turn lift more weight. This is a “must do” activity not something that is done once in a while. Why? Because after middle age, adults lose, on average, 3 percent of their muscle strength every year. Research also demonstrates that strength declines at a greater rate than the loss of muscle of about 12-15 percent per decade after the fifth decade of life.
Final Thoughts
It does not require a degree in exercise physiology to understand, that if the goal is to slow the loss of muscle and strength, you need to strength train. You need to do it on a regular basis. Make sure it’s progressive. Finally, continue to do it until you lose the ability to do it.
Use the Jefit App to Make Life Easier
Jefit, was named best online strength training choice for 2022. Read the article published by the University of Colorado at Boulder. The app, with now more than 10 million downloads, comes equipped with a customizable workout planner and training log. The app has ability to track data, offer audio cues, and features to share workouts with friends. Take advantage of Jefit’s exercise database for your strength workouts. Visit our members-only Facebook group. Connect with like-minded people, share tips, and advice to help get closer to reaching your fitness goals. Stay strong with Jefit.
