Strength training is not about picking up the heaviest weights possible to boost your own ego.
Effective strength training is about efficiency in movement, freedom in range of motion and enjoyment of what your body is capable of.
When you follow a strength training plan built for balance and practicality you create programming that is effective for all stages of life – especially for older adults.
Unfortunately, many seniors suffer injury from falls and general loss of balance.
For a moment, think of strength training and personal training not as the ego-boosting gym guru yelling at you to push out one more rep, and instead as the process of growing your potential – building confidence and strength in the process.
In this article, I will break down why seniors fall and how a strength training program can limit falls and stabilize the body for protection against unintended injury.
Photo by Jonathan Borba on Unsplash
Why Do Seniors Fall?
In some cases, a senior may fall because they did not meet the critical point of grasping a stability device – like a bathroom handle or a bed brace. Yet, in most cases, seniors fall as a result of a lack of strength, balance and general mobility.
Lack of Strength
Strength isn’t about how much you can bench press – it’s about how effective your body is at moving through range of motion.
In senior citizens, this could be translated to how efficient you can move from sitting to standing.
Lack of Hip & Knee Mobility
Hip and knee mobility are crucial in determining how effective your body is at catching a senior the moment they start to fall.
If you have the strength to stabilize yourself the moment you are falling – it then comes down to the knees and hips to move your body in the correct pattern to stop the fall.
Weight and Balance
Overall bodyweight has a massive influence on the strength and overall functional capacity.
The heavier the senior – the more strength required to stabilize and prevent a fall.
Balance also has an important role to play in preventing the fall from occurring. If a senior commits to a consistent strength training and balance routine, their chance of falls will go down drastically.
Photo by Kelly Sikkema on Unsplash
How Strength Training Limits Falls in Older Adults
Strength training improves your health and functionality. Following a custom-built strength training program will also correctly teach you perseverance, regularity, and dedication.
Structured strength training under supervised guidance from a professional teaches you proper biomechanical movement patterns – essential for moving your body and external weights as efficiently as possible.
It’s never about trying to lift as much as possible with questionable form, risking injury, in an effort to impress others.
Here are 7 reasons you’ll want to include strength training as a part of your fitness plan:
- Increased Biomechanical Coordination
- Improved Balance and Proprioception
- Improves Confidence
- Reduce Pain
- Help Prevent Osteoporosis
- Helps to Control Medications
- Improves Metabolism
Take-Home Message
Strength training is not about lifting heavy weights, head-banging to loud music and staring at muscles in the mirror – for many populations, like baby-boomers, it is about developing confidence, balance and improving overall wellbeing.
If you are interested in having a professional design your fitness routine sign up for a free success session today!
Text or call 757 589 7028 Or email [email protected] with FREE SUCCESS SESSION in the Subject line.