Article Link 78 Science-backed Benefits of Weightlifting for Seniors

[Vintage VFer]

Originally Posted by yogapam

I totally appreciate the benefits of strength work and lifting weights, but IMO it’s only part of a big picture that includes joint mobility, flexibility, & balance.

I agree!

Some strength moves can improve balance, mobility and flexibility.

[hch]

Originally Posted by Vintage VFer

I agree!

Some strength moves can improve balance, mobility and flexibility.

In fact, all three of those words appear in the article--as do related things, like "functional capabilities."

[Sue B]

Thanks for sharing this!

[Hattie]

Thanks for the great article, Alta and especially nice that it included references.

I enjoy weightlifting and will continue to do it as long as I am able.

[Messe]

Originally Posted by Hattie

Thanks for the great article, Alta and especially nice that it included references.

References to peer-reviewed studies, at that. Thanks so much for sharing the article! I know someone who's going to be redoubling her strength-training efforts after reading it.

[Pam61]

Alta, such a wonderful article! Thank you!

Pat, I also have relatives with so many health issues from years of inactivity (and now homebound) or passed away from heart disease or Cancer. It's so sad to see someone in those type of situations.

[furmomof6]

My grandma lived to be 99, and she was able to walk, carry things, go shopping, etc., until around the last year of her life (she didn't even need a walker until around 97). She never did formal workouts, but always stayed very active. Even when she was wheelchair bound the last year, we had PT come to the home and she did every exercise without complaint, including standing up. Her PT used to say she was her best patient.

[hch]

I've had the chance to read the "78 benefits" more closely (though I still haven't read it thoroughly).

Yes, I'm wondering about how some points are worded. Yes, I do agree that some readers can misinterpret this article and consider one form of movement a panacea, even the Only Workout Worth Doing, and I wish that the article were clearer about dissuading such thoughts. (I do appreciate that this article concludes with useful tips and warnings.)

What still strikes me overall is that appropriate weight training appears to be more beneficial than many of us once thought.

The list reminded me--and recent VF conversations have also reminded me--that not very many years ago, there were mainstream exercise recommendations that consisted of mostly cardio, with a bit of stretching tacked on.

Some 20 years ago, in books considered good enough to merit being acquired by a public library maybe 30 or 40 years ago, I saw fitness advice that called strength training useful only for aesthetics, useless for health (largely because it supposedly wasn't "aerobic" enough for the author's liking), or even harmful.

Here's a good example of not believing everything in old library books. Even if I weren't already reading those books skeptically, contemporary thinking 20 years ago had already begun to change. Still, there were years when this sort of dismissive thinking was more prevalent, and I shudder to think of how much ill this thinking did and how much good it thwarted.

From the article:

Many people know weightlifting is hugely beneficial but think light walking or recreational activity is “good enough” for seniors. There is this misconception that older aged individuals should stay away from any strenuous activity that can build strength like weightlifting.

And I wonder how much that faulty "fitness advice" and other regrettable thoughts (such as about limiting what old people can do, especially older women) are responsible for these and other misconceptions. (I can't point to the specific posts without more help, but I've read multiple posts on VF expressing the idea that people should stop weight training because they're getting "old.")

Now this list has headings like "Supporting functional independence," "Improving quality of life," "Immproving osteoarthritis and bone health," "Greater cardiovascular health," "Improving mental health," "Better cognitive functioning," and "Reducing mortality risk." How useless those things are!

[JackieB]

I find articles like this misleading. Exercise science is in its infancy and there's so much that researchers don't know. 100 years ago nobody worried about getting in their "workout" as life provided plenty of physical work just to live.

Exercise is a piece of the puzzle...and an important one. I can't help but think of Michael Mosely's PBS piece "The Truth about Exercise" and comparing executives and waitress and in between. An hour long workout paired with sitting the rest of the day does not equal a fit person. Varried movement throughout the day seems to be key to maintaining and improving mobility...loss of mobility is what shrinks muscles, creates the stiffening and adhesions of fascia.

Just like Katy Bowman's Movement Matters....we need bites of nutritious movement through the day. Body weight counts as resistance training. There's no end all be all to exercise...the important thing is we all find movement we love because if we hate it, we won't do it.

If you love to weight train, yay. If not, find some other things to keep active. Keep moving, whatever you choose because ultimately if you don't use it, you lose it.

Again....exercise is a small piece of the equation. Sleep, nutrition, stress, supplements, hormones, psychological health, support, toxins, digestion....look at the big picture.

[kittybug]

Originally Posted by JackieB

I find articles like this misleading. Exercise science is in it's infancy and there's so much that researchers don't know. 100 years ago nobody worried about getting in their "workout" as life provided plenty of physical work just to live.

Exercise is a piece of the puzzle...and an important one. I can't help but think of Michael Mosely's PBS piece "The Truth about Exercise" and comparing executives and waitress and in between. An hour long workout paired with sitting the rest of the day does not equal a fit person. Varried movement throughout the day seems to be key to maintaining and improving mobility...loss of mobility is what shrinks muscles, creates the stiffening and adhesions of fascia.

Just like Katy Bowman's Movement Matters....we need bites of nutritious movement through the day. Body weight counts as resistance training. There's no end all be all to exercise...the important thing is we all find movement we love because if we hate it, we won't do it.

If you love to weight train, yay. If not, find some other things to keep active. Keep moving, whatever you choose because ultimately if you don't use it, you lose it.

Again....exercise is a small piece of the equation. Sleep, nutrition, stress, supplements, hormones, psychological health, support, toxins, digestion....look at the big picture.

YES YES YES THIS!! Thank you JackieB, well said!