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Why is weightlifting beneficial for seniors?
Weightlifting benefits seniors in a variety of ways. It is vital to keep your body active after retiring from the workforce, and weightlifting is a great way to strengthen your body’s muscles and mind. Exercise that includes a strength program will help individuals trade body fat for muscle mass. Aging can impact the vitality of seniors, but lifting weights can help preserve and enhance muscle mass and strength. Weightlifting also helps improve cognitive abilities by decreasing the chances of developing dementia. You feel encouragement and a sense of accomplishment when you are more active and see improvement in lifting weights.
What is weightlifting?
Weightlifting is strength training that uses weights for resistance. This type of exercise can involve free weights or weight machines. One does not have to use heavy weights to get benefits and see results. You can use smaller weights that allow enough resistance to build your muscle strength. A repetition and a set are words often used in exercise terminology. A repetition is completing one motion of exercise activity. A set is a group of repetitions performed one after another.
What are the benefits of weightlifting for seniors?
Medical professionals have found that a consistent strength program can help seniors:
- build strength
- maintain bone density
- improve balance, coordination, and mobility
- reduce your risk of falling
- maintain independence in performing activities of daily life
How can seniors safely lift weights?
It is crucial to conduct all exercise activities safely. Whether you are just starting your journey into weightlifting or you have years of experience, it is essential to gradually increase the amount of weight you are lifting and the number of repetitions.
- Before lifting weights, you should ask a professional fitness trainer about the proper technique to avoid injury.
- Warming up your muscles with aerobic exercise before weightlifting can reduce the risk of injury.
- The appropriate weight to lift is strong enough to tire your muscles after one set of 12-15 repetitions.
- Completing one set of 12-15 repetitions that exhausts your muscles can be as effective as three sets of repetitions.
- If you are new to weightlifting, you will need to start with a small amount of weight.
- Once you reach a plateau of ease in the weight you lift, you can steadily increase that amount.
- Make sure you give your muscles time to recover. For example, you can exercise your upper body muscles one day and work out your lower body muscles the next day.
If you would like to learn more about taking care of your body, please read about Earthing: The Zero-Effort Health Booster for more helpful content on our website.
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We hope that this information on weightlifting benefits for seniors is useful to you.
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Joey Hinojosa graduated with a bachelor’s degree in broadcast journalism and a master’s degree in mass communications. He began working at Empower Brokerage in early 2022 and enjoys being creative in his writing, photography, videography, and other projects.
