Shore Fit
By Bonnie Miller
The 50’s are real years for change and I’m getting closer and closer to that number. It’s so important to take a proactive approach to aging. Strength training is the key factor for an active aging process. You need it to engage in all the physical activities that you love. When you keep strength and stamina in your body, there are no limits. Being strong, fit and flexible is very empowering and gives you great confidence.
Also, as we approach middle age, strength training keeps you lean by building muscle and lean body mass burns calories at a much higher metabolic rate when at rest. The goal for middle age is to maintain bone mass and bone density to ward off osteoporosis in your later years. Another huge benefit to weight training is balance and stability. Improved coordination will prevent falls and injuries as we age. Balance training such as standing on one leg or using a stability ball are great tools to keep us healthy and free from injury. Strengthening the leg muscles and the core keeps us functional and independent. We never want to lose our independence or the ability to perform our daily living activities.
By age 50, your body composition changes and strength training is imperative. Most people don’t realize that strength training will in fact make you a better runner, cyclist, swimmer, skier, tennis player, etc.. You will develop more power by strengthening your muscles. You’ll never get stronger by doing the same repetitive movement over and over. Use me as a prime example. I started teaching indoor cycling (spin) almost thirteen years ago but it wasn’t until I started weight training that I really saw definition in my legs. Recently, someone asked how to get quadriceps like mine? I explained it’s not a one size fits all. It’s a combination of various forms of exercise such as Spinning, squats, lunges, leg presses, etc.. It’s not one ingredient, it’s a recipe.
If you’re new to exercise or have been on an exercise hiatus, I would highly recommend a walking program but be sure to add exercise with weights for the upper body since walking is weight bearing on the hips and legs but leaves the rest of your body undeveloped. A few sets of 10-12 repetitions of bicep curls, lateral raises and tricep kickbacks is a great way to start.
We’ve all heard the term,”cross training” and I’m a firm believer in its effectiveness. You must keep your muscles alert and constantly guessing to yield results. Involving several different forms of exercise enhances overall health and prevents an overuse injury. If you enjoy swimming, water aerobics, and cycling that’s fantastic but these are weight supported exercises so you’ll need to add some weight bearing exercises to your fitness menu to create a well rounded exercise program. This will enable us to fully embrace life at every stage!
Bonnie Miller is certified fitness instructor at the Ocean City Aquatic and Fitness Center and the JCC in Margate. She is a mom of three and resides Somers Point.
