- Exercise is an important part of lifestyle, especially at any age. For seniors.
- Recent studies have found that vigorous strength training is more effective than moderate-intensity exercise or no exercise in maintaining leg muscle function in older people.
- Findings showed that the benefits of strength training persisted for years after the intervention.
- Experts recommend that older adults interested in high-intensity training should seek proper guidance until they reach higher resistance levels.
Building and maintaining strong muscles helps improve function and contributes to good health.
Muscle function is usually
Researchers are interested in how best to use lifestyle interventions to help older adults maintain their health, and resistance training, which uses weights to build muscle strength, is one such intervention.
According to a recently published study, BMJ Open Sports & Exercise Medicine We investigated the long-term benefits of high-intensity resistance training in older adults.
A study found that one year of high-intensity training helped older adults maintain their isometric leg strength for up to four years. The findings suggest that high-intensity training may help maintain long-term muscle function.
The current study looked at the long-term benefits of high-intensity strength training. Active and Successful Ageing (LISA) Study, parallel group randomized controlled trial.
The study involved 451 older adults, split into three groups: the first group received one year of vigorous-intensity training, the second group received moderate-intensity training, and the third group was a sedentary control group.
As mentioned in the previous outline of the LISA study protocol, the high-resistance training group used exercise machines for exercises such as leg press, chest press, row row, and leg curl.
In contrast, the moderate-intensity training group performed exercises such as squats, push-ups, and seated rowing. The high-intensity training group used exercise machines, while the moderate-intensity training group used elastic exercise bands and their own body weight as resistance.
Both groups also performed abdominal and lower back exercises to strengthen their core. The high-intensity training group trained three times a week at a private fitness center, while the moderate-intensity training group trained once a week at the clinic and twice a week at home.
The overview also noted that the control group was expected to continue their habitual level of physical activity: less than an hour of regular vigorous exercise each week.
In the current analysis, participants were followed for three years after the end of the one-year intervention.
The researchers administered tests to measure visceral fat mass, quadriceps isometric leg strength, and quadriceps maximum isometric torque. They also performed MRI scans of participants’ brains and thighs, and tracked their daily steps. These were the same tests participants underwent at baseline, post-intervention, and one year post-intervention.
Overall, the benefits for the high-intensity training group were greatest in the fourth year.
The high-intensity exercise group maintained their baseline performance in isometric leg strength, while the other groups showed declines, but the researchers noted that the decline in isometric leg strength in the moderate-intensity exercise group was small.
Neither strength-training group saw a change in visceral fat mass over the four years, but the control group saw an increase in visceral fat mass. All three groups also saw similar declines in grip strength, lean leg mass, and leg extensor strength.
The researchers believe that the benefits of strength training for improving leg strength may be due to neural adaptations, even when lean body mass in the legs is lost.
Overall, the results suggest that high-intensity strength training may have long-term benefits for older adults.
The authors concluded that “among older adults of retirement age, one year of HRT: [heavy resistance training] Maintaining muscle function may have long-term beneficial effects.”
Despite these implications, this study has several limitations.
First, because this was an interim analysis of a previous intervention, the researchers are bound by the limitations of the LISA study. For example, the study was conducted in Denmark, so the results cannot necessarily be generalized to other population groups.
Additionally, these findings cannot establish causality and rely in part on participant report. Differences in how the interventions were delivered may have also led to differences in results.
The researchers also noted that the study participants were more likely to be healthy and active than the average older adult. Not all participants who started the study participated in follow-up assessments.
While the study points to the idea that high-intensity resistance training may be most beneficial for older adults, it doesn’t mean that other forms of resistance training aren’t useful.
“It’s not surprising that a year of high-intensity training has demonstrated long-term beneficial effects on maintaining muscle function in healthy older adults,” says Carly Mendes, a Canadian human performance expert. Memorial HermannAlthough not involved in the study, MNT.
“It’s never too late to start strength training, as it can help improve functioning in daily life. Older adults can experience significant benefits related to overall health, including muscle strength and bone density, that can be tailored to suit their age, ability and current health status,” added Mendes.
Non-study authors Ryan GlattCPT, director of the FitBrain program and senior brain health coach at the Pacific Neuroscience Institute in Santa Monica, California, pointed out some further considerations:
“With age, muscle size and strength decline (sarcopenia). Increased fat and connective tissue, decreased neuromuscular efficiency, and reduced activity levels exacerbate muscle loss. Studies on high-resistance training (HRT) suggest that strength may be maintained for up to four years in older adults, although long-term benefits require further replication. HRT performed better than moderate training, but certain populations limit generalizability. Claims regarding neural adaptations to muscle size require further evidence. Recommendations for HRT should be made with caution and consideration of individual health risks.”
Anyone interested in starting strength training can take steps to train safely and at a pace that suits them.
A doctor will recommend an exercise regimen and take into account any chronic diseases or other potential risks a patient may have. Working with a personal trainer or physical therapist can also help you safely incorporate resistance training into your daily life.
Strength training includes activities like lifting weights and using resistance bands. You should start out with lighter weights rather than heavier ones to build up your strength.
Mendes pointed out:
“When starting strength training, regardless of age or health, it’s best to start slowly. This is important to allow your body to get used to the training and reduce the risk of injury. A general rule is to start with barbells and light weights – 3-5 pounds, or start with bodyweight exercises like push-ups, lunges, squats and sit-ups.”
Glatt offered this advice to those new to strength training:
- Consult an Expert
- Start with some easy bodyweight exercises
- Focus on proper form
- Gradually increase the intensity
- Enabling recovery
- Be consistent
- Monitor your progress
