Training for the elderly!

Ok so for starters, at Genesis Fitness Club in Doncaster where I work, I take regular COTA (over 50's) classes for men and women every week. I've been doing this for the past year, and have picked up a few tips if you're elderly and want to keep fit and strong (who doesn't?!).


1. JOIN A GYM! Yes, the place were people go to improve their already sculpted bodies... right? Wrong!! If you want to improve posture, protect against osteoporosis, improve joint strength, decrease risk of heart disease and diabetes, or just lose a few kilo's, then your local gym is the place for you!


2. Strength training can help;
a) decrease blood pressure
b) decrease risk of, or help maintain, osteoporosis by increasing bone density
c) improve joint strength and help protect against injury
d) protect against arthritis


3. Circuits! Mix up your training with circuit work... this will work all of the muscles in your body and work your cardiovascular system as well.


4. Balance work is essential, as proprioception (sense of ones body in space) and balance tend to go out the window when we age. Try walking along a 'tightrope'. Find a line drawn across the ground and try to walk along it as though you were walking along a tightrope; walk along the centre of the line with your arms outstretched, walking toe to heel along the whole line.

Women and strength training...

Strength training is extremely important to a womens regular workout. It increases the metabolic rate by producing more lean muscle (burning more fat), it will help to improve the shape of your body, improve bone density and joint strength, decrease risk of injury and muscles also play an important role in certain hormone production. It also has a role in reducing blood pressure and the risk of diabetes...pretty much everything will improve!

Ok so I'd like to debunk a few misconceptions before we go any further:

1. that strength training is only for men who want to be Shwarzenegger; and
2. that strength training will cause women to bulk up.

First off, for muscles to increase in size requires testosterone, a hormone which is predominant in men. Women who strength train will not become big and bulky, because testosterone levels are much lower in their bodies. only a small percentage of the population of women will be able to increase their muscle size dramatically, and this would take a very long time to achieve. So to conclude, women who strength train will not end up with enormous biceps. You do not have the necessary hormones to increase muscle size to the proportions that a lot of men in the gym can.

you can, however get all of the benefits of strength training. ever wanted to be more toned, have less fat, fit into your old clothes or just feel heaps better? Then it's possible you aren't doing enough strength training, if any! The thing is, if you do a strength training session then your body will continue to burn calories even hours after the session is finished. The mojority of calories that the body burns is actually not at the gym...it's throughout the day when you're doing everyday things (ie. sitting to drink coffee with a girlfriend after your session) also, after a session your metabolism will be working overtime to restore equilibrium to your body, which burns even more energy. think of how much more fat you would be burning if you exercised like this?!

Check this out;

1. increase metabolism,
2. decrease fat,
3. body burns calories throughout the day to recover muscle cells,
4. body burns more calories during and after strength training than it ever will during a cardio session!

Finally, cardio...it has its place definately. However I should tell you that point 4 of above is scientifically proven (as are the other points), that the body stops burning calories as soon as the heart rate returns to normal after cardio, whereas after strength training it will continue to burn fat for a few hours! Bearing this in mind, your cardio should take place after a strength session, and to optimise fat burning, use intervals. this will allow your heart to peak, therfore burning more fat than it would at a steady state. Remember, the higher your heart rate, the more calories are burned.

To finish, your body has two major energy sources;
1. glycogen (carbs), and
2. fat

Strength training will burn through your bodies carb source, so that when you do your cardio training afterwards, you will be cutting straight into your fat sources, in stead of burning mostly carbs when you do your cardio! This is a much more effective way of training which will get you long term results that you can stick to, and will be rewarding for the rest of your life.

Overdoing it?

not getting the results that you have been working hard for?

chances are that you might be overdoing it...if the body does not get adequate recovery time then it will not grow and become stronger. it will in stead be in a constant state of fatigue. if you are also lethargic, tired or depressed, then you should consider a break from training for a week or so to let your body recover completely.

if you're worried that this will be detrimental to your training, look no further than professional body builders, who take regular breaks every few months to allow their bodies proper rest. when the body is resting, it has a chance to regenerate mucle and connective tissue cells...have a break every few months, and have at least one or two days every week were you only do light intensity training.

this will leave you feeling energized and healthy, and best of all, a lot stronger than you were previously!

Chronic Compartment syndrome

Normally a throbbing pain in the lower extremeties, felt after a few minutes continuous exercise and causing the sufferer to stop exercise. The lower leg is divided into four compartments; anterior compartment, deep posterior compartment, superficial posterior compartment and the lateral compartment.

If the amount of blood entering the compartment exceeds the amount being transported away, then compertment syndrome occurs. It is merely a build up of pressure inside one of the compartments, due to a collapse in the blood vessels that take blood away from the muscles and back to the heart.

If you are suffering from this, see a myotherapist to have it treated asap, as it will continue to interupt your training.

Did you know...?

That plyometric training can help improve your vertical leap? Plyometrics is where the muscle is placed under load whilst stretching out, then contracts rapidly to perform a fast and powerful movement. A common exercise of this type is skipping. Plyometric or jumping lunges are also a great exercise for improving the response of your leg muscles.

Exercise of the week: isometric squat against wall

Awesome for toning the thighs and creating definition, the isometric squat against a wall is a very good exercise. The quadriceps and gluteus muscles have to contract to hold your body weight in a seated position with nothing other than a wall to lean on. This means that these muscles are placed under a lot of tension, burning a lot of calories and toning up at the same time. Leaning against a wall, slide down until you are in a squat position. Make sure your whole back is against the wall and that both your knees and your hips are bent to 90' to each other. It is as though you are about to take a seat, except obviously no chair to rest on! Give this exercise a go even though it is hard...the rewards of great toned thighs are well worth the effort!!

Tennis elbow

Tennis elbow (or lateral epicondylitis as it is technically known), is a chronic condition that can take from months to years to resolve fully, and is not necesarily limited to tennis players. If you are a carpenter, builder or any other job where you use a lot of repititious movements, and have a dull achy pain in/around your elbow, the chances are you may have lateral epicondylitis.

Lateral epicondylitis is a condition whereby the tendon that attaches your wrist muscles to the bone in your elbow becomes inflammed and irritated due to overuse. This happens at the attachment sight of the tendon onto the humerous. The bone has an outer layer called the periosteum (the periosteum is to the bone what the skin is to our body) which becomes inflammed as the muscle pulls excessively on it.

Myotherapy treatment is great for this condition and can drastically aid in the body's natural healing process, reducing recovery time. Eccentric (negative) exercises can be beneficial in the regeneration of the tendon, as can stretching out of the muscles. Consult your myotherapist for treatment and strategies to improve your chances at recovery.

Benefits of eccentric (negative) training

The eccentric part of an exercise is the part when the muscle is lengthening while under tension (contracting). The benefits of this are twofold:

1. much better for muscle hypertrophy, and
2. improves tendon strength and helps injured tendons to heal.

During the eccentric part of the exercise, the muscle is trying to contract at the same time as it is lengthening...this causes more significant muscle tearing, hence bigger muscles as the muscles rebuild and adapt to the excessive stress placed upon them.

There has also been significant research to suggest that negative reps will help with tendon strength and also with repair of injured tendons. If you have an achilles tendinopathy, tennis elbow or any other chronic or acute injuries that involve the tendon attaching muscle to bone, you should definately explore the possibilty of doing eccentric work ie. heel drops for achilles etc.

Great ab exercises; V-snaps

• V-snaps; lie on your back with your arms stretched out above your head. Squeeze your abs together to lift your legs and torso off the ground simultaneously, so that from side on your body makes a V shape. Slap your hands on the ground when your body and legs are in the air (making the V shape), then return to the starting point. Alternatively, you can reach for your toes in stead of slapping the ground with your hands, if this is too hard.

10 Benefits of Strength Training (weights)

Benefits include:

1. Protects against bone diseases-arthritis, osteoporosis-by increasing bone mineral density
   
2. Decreases blood pressure
   
3. Decreases your risk of type II diabetes
   
4. Increases your metabolism
   
5. Increases your energy levels
   
6. Increase power and sporting performance
   
7. Increase functional strength
   
8. Increase joint strength and stability
   
9. Improve posture
   
10. Decreased risk of degenerative joint disease