The Importance of Strength Training for Seniors
When you first think of strength training, what image comes to mind? For most, it’s young, muscular individuals, athletes, or strength sports. However, strength training is not just for the young and agile, in fact – if you’re over 50, strength training is something you absolutely should be doing!
While most seniors practice daily walking, one study found that 40% of people over 65 do not strength train at all. Many trainers, including Casey Hewitt at Speedflex, believe that strength training for seniors has major benefits for those in their 50’s, 60’s, and even older:
“Regularly working out in this way builds muscle and replenishes the muscle mass that steadily declines as we age. It also boosts bone density and aids the metabolism. Over time, this could reduce your chances of suffering with arthritis, as it supports muscles around the joints, and diabetes, due to a boosted metabolism,” Hewitt said.
Stop for a second and consider a few of the many benefits of strength training for seniors: …