FITNESS FOR AGE
Middle-age is the time to get fit for a rewarding old-age. How you cope when you reach retirement age depends on what you do now. Now is the time to act.
RESISTANCE TRAINING
Why is resistance training so important for us as we age? ‘Maintaining STRENGTH is the No 1 fitness concern as we age’ (Fiatarone & Evans 1993) As we age we lose muscle mass, muscle strength & flexibility. Over the years this results in loss of strength, mobility, bone density & metabolism. This in turn leads to difficulties in functioning properly, falls, fractures & an increase in weight. Resistance/strength training is a very cost effective way of prolonging the onset of all or any of the above. Engaging in regular physical activity, namely strength training, can delay the normal ageing process by 10 – 20 years. It is never too late to start. Anybody can do it, no matter what their physical situation is. The lost important thing you must have is the commitment to train.
How do you stick to your plan & not quit?
- Schedule your workouts & make an appointment with yourself. Mark it on your calendar or diary
- Set realistic goals of 2 or 3 sessions per week of about 45-60 minutes per session
- Keep a training diary, record your progress. Seeing results provides motivation
- If you miss a few workouts don’t give up, start again.
- Reward success
GETTING STARTED
Having established that middle-age is the time to get fit for an enjoyable old-age & the fact that being fit will slow down the ageing process, the big question is –‘How do I start?’
- Adopt a positive attitude, make a decision & set yourself some goals
- Seek help and/or advice. A large percentage of people who start a fitness regime quit between 6 – 12 weeks. The frustrating thing is they quit just when they are on the verge of success
- Don’t expect too much too soon
- Stick with it
- Give it a fair shot
- Set realistic goals
- Commitment will ultimately lead to success!
Stayin’Alive Personal Training
021 750762
www.stayinalive.co.nz