The segments that I put up in this e-book are not just theory. I am completely sold on the value of the science I am bringing to you, and I try hard to use it in my own life to stay healthy longer. One of the previous posts concerned progressive resistance exercise training. I am 74 years old, and my balance is poor because of aging and nerve damage from chemotherapy. More strength helps me compensate for poor balance. Because I am fully vaccinated, I can see my family safely for the first time. This last weekend I took three of my older grandchildren on a fishing trip in Lake Hartwell. The trip was great in most ways, but I found I needed help to step up from the boat deck to the pier. Last year I did not need that help and the ability to have fun with those boys is a priority to me. It is clear that I need to do something.
Muscles shrink and become weaker once you pass 50 and the process accelerates as you age. This is one of the problems that dramatically reduces our quality of life as time goes by. We can dramatically improve our ability with just a little effort. The main issue is leg strength. That determines our ability to walk, get up from a chair, and climb independently. I returned to the gym yesterday and I documented the problem. There is a machine for leg extension against resistance. You sit on the seat and there is a padded bar in front of your leg just above your foot. You press your leg against the bar and straighten your leg. Before the pandemic, I could do two sets of 15 repetitions with 105 pounds pretty easily. Yesterday, I could only manage 80 pounds for 15 repetitions. In one year, I have lost 25% of my strength and it is affecting what I can do.
The path forward is clear. I need some intensive leg work with leg presses, curls, and extensions. I fully expect to see rapid improvement. Individuals in their 90s can increase their muscle strength, on average, an astounding 174% and their gait speed 48% with just 8-weeks of high-intensity progressive resistance exercise training. All exercise does not produce that result. This is another example of a best practice in chronic disease. It is not that hard. It takes 30 minutes to an hour of exercise three times a week to make that kind of progress. Use the amount of weight that you can move 15 times before you must stop. As you continue these sessions, you will be able to move more weight. You should slowly increase the weight to match your capability. That method is very powerful to preserve your ability and make progress. I am presenting this because it demonstrates how quickly and seriously we can become weak when we are older. The good news is we can regain our strength more quickly than we lost it and then maintenance is not that hard.
The safest way for me to do resistance exercise training in on a machine where I am moving weight. My back is supported, and the weight is controlled safely. Prior to the COVID pandemic, I had gone to the local YMCA on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday very faithfully, and despite my age I was getting progressively stronger. When COVID hit, I knew that was a much greater threat to my health than weakness and I stopped going to the gym. I did what I could to preserve my strength but that was not nearly as effective as my program at the Y. Now I am fully vaccinated, and the calculation is different.
Weakness and poor balance can be slowed down. That is a big factor in preventing falls. It is a big factor in maintaining your activities, quality of life, and independence. Many Medicare Advantage programs pay for a gym membership. Do what you need to do and keep enjoying your family and friends.
Great article D.
Very motivating article!