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Benefits of Exercise Resistance training is a vital physical activity for older adults. In addition to increasing muscle mass, muscle strength, and resting metabolism, resistance exercise provides benefits for the musculoskeletal system, cardiorespiratory system, gastrointestinal system, and endocrine system. Aerobic endurance training is equally important for senior men and women to enhance heart health and help with weight management.

Benefits of resistance training Decreased cardiovascular risk Reduced body fat Decreased resting blood pressure Improved lipid profiles Enhanced vascular function

Benefits of resistance training Reduced risk of colon cancer Reduced risk of diabetes Decreased incidence of osteoporosis Decreased incidence of low back pain Decreased incidence of arthritis Decreased incidence of depression Increased metabolic rate and reduced rate of muscle loss Increased functional abilities

Benefits of resistance training Resistance training guidelines Aerobic endurance training guidelines Screening and program design for seniors Exercise order Safety and comfort

Benefits of Aerobic Training It is well established that aerobic endurance exercise such as walking, jogging, and cycling is effective for increasing calorie utilization and improving cardiorespiratory fitness Six months of standard endurance exercise may be sufficient to increase older adults’ aerobic capacity by about 17%). Training at higher intensity levels (70% to 80% V . O 2 peak) for three months increased aerobic capacity by nearly 25%.

Benefits of Aerobic Training Aerobic endurance exercise is an excellent means for increasing calorie utilization, and reduced body weight may lessen the risk of high blood pressure, type 2 diabetes, and obesity. Other benefits of aerobic fitness include reduced risk of cardiovascular disease, stroke, osteoporosis, certain types of cancer, and psychological stress, as well as improved sleep, digestion, and elimination

Benefits of Aerobic Training Researchers have recently discovered that regular aerobic activity increases the volume of both gray and white matter in various regions of the brain after six months of training

Benefits of Resistance Training Although less well known, the health benefits of resistance exercise are equally impressive especially for older men and women. Shown to reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease, as well as to lower the probability of premature all-cause mortality

Benefits of Resistance Training Reduces body fat major preventive factor in both type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease. Due to the positive impact on resting metabolic rate, resistance exercise may have a greater effect on fat loss than aerobic activity

Benefits of Resistance Training Decreases resting blood pressure (systolic, diastolic, or both) Circuit-type resistance training may be as effective as aerobic exercise for reducing resting blood pressure Improves blood lipid profiles Produces effects on blood lipids similar to those seen with aerobic exercise

Benefits of Resistance Training Colon Cancer Resistance training may be an effective means for addressing age-related gastrointestinal modality disorders, as well as for reducing the risk of colon cancer. Type 2 Diabetes reduces the risk of type 2 diabetes Improve insulin response Improve glycemic control increase glucose utilization in older men.

Benefits of Resistance Training Osteoporosis effective for maintaining a strong and functional musculoskeletal system that resists deterioration and osteoporosis bone loss can be changed to bone gain through regular resistance training with older men and postmenopausal women

Benefits of Resistance Training Low Back Pain Strengthening the low back muscles may alleviate or even eliminate low back pain in some patients With respect to prevention, strong low back muscles provide better musculoskeletal function, support, control, and shock absorption, which should reduce the risk of both low back injury and structural degeneration

Benefits of Resistance Training Arthritis Studies indicate that stronger muscles may improve joint function and reduce arthritic discomfort Patients with advanced knee osteoarthritis can experience substantial gains in strength, and that resistance training actually eases the pain of osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis

Benefits of Resistance Training Depression Depression in older individuals may be associated with decreased functionality. In one study (159), senior subjects experienced significant reductions in depression after 10 weeks of resistance training. Although more research is needed in this area, resistance training appears to be beneficial for enhancing self-confidence and counteracting depression in older adults

Benefits of Resistance Training Muscle Loss and Metabolic Rate Resistance training offers even greater benefits for seniors with respect to replacing muscle tissue and recharging their metabolism. Evidence that the rate of muscle loss may double to 1 pound per year in people past 50 years of age

Benefits of Resistance Training Although the average aging American adds about 10 pounds of body weight each decade of adult life, this actually represents approximately 5 to 10 pounds less muscle and 15 to 20 pounds more fat. Loss of muscle may be partly responsible for the gain in fat. Researchers (52, 106) have found a 2% to 4% per decade reduction in resting metabolic rate attributed to decreased amounts of muscle tissue.

Benefits of Resistance Training Resistance training can help maintain muscle tissue that enables physical activity and enhances energy utilization throughout the senior years. In fact, resistance training is the only type of exercise that can maintain muscle and metabolism as people age and should therefore be an essential component of every senior fitness program.

Benefits of Resistance Training Mitochondrial Function Aging is associated with genetic changes that cause various degrees of mitochondrial impairment with respect to energy production and muscle performance. One study has demonstrated a reversal in mitochondrial dysfunction following six months of progressive resistance exercise

Benefits of Resistance Training Mitochondrial Function The older adults in this study (mean age 68 years) experienced reversal of gene expression in 179 genes associated with age and exercise, resulting in mitochondrial characteristics similar to those of moderately active young adults (mean age 24 years). This would appear to be a compelling reason for senior men and women to engage in circuit strength training as well as in standard resistance exercise.

Benefits of Resistance Training Functional Abilities Numerous studies have shown that resistance training can effectively reverse physical dysfunctions associated with sedentary aging by increasing muscle strength, power, and performance factors

Resistance Training Guidelines for Seniors Generally speaking, seniors should perform resistance training two or three nonconsecutive days per week. Using both single-and multiple-joint movements, seniors may perform single or multiple sets for a variety of exercises that address at least the following major muscle groups: quadriceps, hamstrings, gluteals, pectoralis major, latissimus dorsi, deltoids, biceps, triceps, erector spinae, and rectus abdominis.

Resistance Training Guidelines for Seniors Generally speaking, seniors should perform resistance training two or three nonconsecutive days per week. Using both single-and multiple-joint movements, seniors may perform single or multiple sets for a variety of exercises that address at least the following major muscle groups: quadriceps, hamstrings, gluteals, pectoralis major, latissimus dorsi, deltoids, biceps, triceps, erector spinae, and rectus abdominis.

Resistance Training Guidelines for Seniors Seniors should use controlled exercise speeds (typically 4 to 6 seconds per repetition) and full movement ranges (excluding positions in which discomfort is experienced). Older adults are advised to begin their strength training program with exercise resistances that permit 10 to 15 repetitions, corresponding to approximately 75% to 60% of maximum resistance. When 15 repetitions can be completed, the resistance should be increased by about 5%

Aerobic endurance Training Guidelines for Seniors The recommended training frequency is two to five days per week, and the recommended exercise duration is 20 to 60 minutes per session. An exercise intensity of 60% to 90% of maximum heart rate is acceptable, but training at about 75% of maximum heart rate is generally prescribed

Aerobic endurance Training Guidelines for Seniors Two aerobic activity protocols that may be performed exclusively or alternated on different training days. The first calls for 30 minutes of moderate-intensity endurance exercise (e.g., walking) five days a week. The second calls for 20 minutes of vigorous-intensity endurance exercise (e.g., jogging) three days a week.

Aerobic endurance Training Guidelines for Seniors We recommend that older adults who are beginning an exercise program perform lower-effort aerobic activities for a longer duration (e.g., 30 minutes of moderate-intensity activity) prior to progressing to higher-effort aerobic activities for a shorter duration (e.g., 20 minutes of vigorous-intensity activity).

Aerobic endurance Training Guidelines for Seniors Advisable to combine these training protocols, for example by performing vigorous-intensity exercise sessions on Mondays and Fridays and moderate-intensity exercise sessions on Wednesdays and Saturdays.