hands with dumbbells on color background

 

Strength Training is For Everyone!!

by Nicole Duda, Implementations Analyst

 

I have always believed that “If you don’t use it, you lose it.”  That saying applies perfectly to the muscles in our body.  As we age, we lose muscle mass.  It starts declining sometime during our 30s and continues throughout the remainder of our lives.  But there is something we can do to prevent this. Start using those muscles! It is never too late!

It doesn’t take a fancy gym membership or a lot of time.  There are plenty of “at home” strength exercises such as squats, chair dips, pushups, planks, lunges, burpees, and step-ups that don’t require equipment. If you have canned goods or empty milk or drink containers (a gallon of water weighs approximately eight pounds), you can use them for strength training. I have read articles from multiple personal trainers that if you are just beginning or getting back to training, it’s best to start with your major muscle groups, especially the glutes and the back muscles. Glutes are part of the rear chain muscles which can produce a lot of power for movement. Rear chain muscles are critical for posture, balance, running, jumping and lifting heavy things.

In my opinion, adding strength training to your schedule a few days each week will increase your quality of life. Imagine doing the same (or even more!) physical activities without a struggle. Not everyone wants to be a big muscle-bound person, and that is not the purpose of strength training. The intent is to have as much physical independence as possible, for as long as possible. Another added benefit to building more muscle tissue is that the more muscle you have, the more calories you burn (even while doing nothing). It feels great to feel strong! So why not get started now?