Aging And What To Focus On In The Gym

We are all going to age eventually…it’s inevitable! The aging process takes a big toll on the body, but there are ways to make the process a little easier. Most of these involve focusing on the basics: eating whole foods, exercising, staying mentally “fit”, etc. Today, we’re going to focus on the exercise piece of the aging puzzle.

As we age, building strength becomes more and more important. Having proper strength can be the difference between a broken bone from a fall and simply having a bruise from that same fall. Any and all movement is encouraged, but there are a few specifics to focus on when in the gym. 

The first focus point is general muscle strength. It’s super important to continue building or at least maintaining muscle mass. This is easier said than done given that we naturally lose muscle mass at exponential rates as we age. However, strength training (and focusing on HEAVY weightlifting) can help save and build muscle mass in any human at any age. The next point of focus is balance. Training unilateral movements is an excellent way to enhance balance. Having adequate balance can help aging adults to avoid injury. The third point of focus is grip strength. This one may seem unimportant, but the reality is that our grip strength is what allows us to do so many things: think carrying groceries (or carrying pretty much anything!). Training grip strength helps aging adults to be independent for longer. Finally, it’s important to work on cardio. Training cardio regularly can help prevent a plethora of diseases that can lead to fatality. 

Four points to focus on. Once again, all movement is good, but having a more focused training plan will give you a real chance at staying healthy and mobile as you age!