Abandon activities like lawn bowling or leisurely swimming; instead, seniors should consider taking up weightlifting for a healthier retirement, according to research.
Resistance training proved to offer lasting strength advantages well into retirement, making it an excellent choice for older adults.
As individuals age, they typically experience a decline in muscular functionality, which manifests as weakening grips and diminished leg strength. These factors are considered significant indicators of mortality in senior citizens.
Weightlifting, using your own bodyweight, or working with resistance bands has been demonstrated to aid in preventing such occurrences.
Scientists aimed to investigate the lasting impacts of a year-long guided strength-training regimen involving heavyweight exercises.
Among participants with an average age of 71, 451 retirees were divided into three groups: one engaged in intense strength training for a year, another undertook moderate-intensity workouts, while the third group continued with their normal activities without adding extra exercises.
Participants who were assigned specific weights engaged in programs three times weekly, whereas those involved in moderate-intensity training performed routines that included bodyweight exercises and resistance band workouts over the same duration.
Every workout in the strength-training section consisted of three series with six to twelve reps, using seventy to eighty-five percent of the individual’s peak lifting capacity for each rep.
At the beginning of the study, measurements were taken for bone and muscle strength as well as body fat percentages. These same metrics were assessed again after one year, two years, and four years.
After four years, individuals in the high-intensity weight training group managed to maintain their lower body strength, whereas those who did not exercise or engaged in only light activity experienced a decline in strength during this period.
Publishing their findings in the journal BMJ Open Sport and Exercise Medicine, the researchers determined that "for healthy older individuals around retirement age, engaging in intense strength training for one year can lead to enduring positive outcomes through maintaining muscular functionality."
None of the three groups showed variation in leg extensor power—the capacity to forcefully and rapidly push against a pedal—as well as handgrip strength (an indicator of general muscular strength) and lean leg mass (body weight excluding fat). All these measures saw reductions across the board.
The levels of visceral fat, which is located internally surrounding the organs, went up for individuals who did not work out. However, these measurements remained unchanged in both workout groups.
The researchers, which included members from the University of Copenhagen, stated that participants in the study tended to be more physically active, accumulating approximately 10,000 steps daily on average, compared to the general public.
They included: "This research demonstrates that engaging in strength training using heavy weights even after retiring can yield benefits lasting for multiple years."
Consequently, these findings offer tools for professionals and policymakers to motivate senior citizens to participate in intense strength training sessions.
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