Did you know that shortly after the age of 50 most people will start to notice a decline in muscle
strength? Studies have shown that after the age of 50, you begin to lose close to 2% of your
body’s muscle fibers EVERY YEAR. This rapid decline in muscle fibers lead to a 3-fold reduction in
STRENGTH and POWER, which then correlates to falls, disability, osteoarthritis, diabetes, stroke,
heart disease and cognitive decline. Our goal is to help your body continue to function at its
optimal level to ensure good health into the future.
Even though your body can’t replace lost muscle fiber, you can do things to maintain those you
have and prevent the aging process. It’s known that lifting multiple sets of 8-12 reps of a heavy
weight results in strong muscle gains. But current research shows that light resistance training
(20-60 reps) produced the same gains in muscle volume as high intensity (8-12 reps) lifting.
lifting lighter weight produces more protein for muscle remodeling.
Try these 5 exercises focusing on lighter loads and increasing the number of reps. This will aid in far less injuries and help you maintain your muscle mass.
- Straight arm pull back. Attach a band to a door and pull straight back, moving your shoulder
blades down and back. Perform 1 set of 60, followed immediately by 1 set of 12 to fatigue. - Oblique twist and lift. With the band at waist level, step sideward until the band is on tension
(horizontal arrow). Raise and lower the band 25 times. Face the opposite direction and repeat. - Partial forward lift. Hold a weighted sandbag or backpack just above the knees and use your
knees, hips, shoulders, and arms to lift the bag upward. The lumbar spine should be maintained
in a neutral position. Perform 25 repetitions. Repeat 2 times. - Heel raises. While standing on a ToePro exercise platform, perform heel raises while
vigorously forcing your toes into the foam. Perform one set of 60, followed immediately with
one set of 12. Maintaining toe strength is important because toe weakness is the single best
predictor of falls in the elderly. - Lateral step-ups with weighted bag. Using the same weight used in exercise 3, place one foot
on a 4- to 6-inch platform and do 25 repetitions stepping up onto the platform while holding
onto a wall or stable surface. The stepping knee should not twist in, and it should bend only a
small amount. Bending the knee more than 45 degrees produces dangerous amounts of
pressure on the back of the kneecap. Perform 2 sets of 25 repetitions on each leg.