Why lifting weights is essential for Healthy Ageing

Who likes to lift weights? I do and lucky for me I have been one of those females who has always enjoyed the feeling of lifting a dumbbell or barbell. I can’t explain it but I feel good with resistance equipment and I know it has contributed to my strength in these later years.

I highly recommend for both women and men, if you haven’t already, to include lifting weights as part of your fitness routine. It is even more important as you grow older. It is an uphill battle as we age, we need all the help we can.

You don’t need to use a personal trainer but they are the experts who have studied the benefits and applications for all ages. They push us in a controlled environment and work around existing issues with joints and flexibility.

Health and fitness gurus constantly reinforce the importance of lifting weights as a preventative measure to boost bone health and the prevention of osteoporosis through heavy lifting and resistance training.

Queensland’s Griffith University completed a world first study. ‘The Lifting Intervention for Training Muscle and Osteoporosis Rehabilitation (LIFTMOR)’ research project trialled two groups of women with low bone mass.  One group did two weekly sessions of bone-targeted impact loading. The other group did home-based low intensity workout. It was found if “women prescribed a regiment of heavy resistance training they had better bone mass than those who did low-intensity exercise”. They had better bone density and straighter backs than the home workout group. Within eight months of the trial, they already found a significant difference between the two groups.

The recommendation was women (and men) do muscle strengthening at least two days each week. It is unfortunate that according to the Australian Bureau of Statistics, this is not the case for a large percentage of people.

The younger you begin the better the outcome, however do not let this be a deterrent as it is never too late to begin. There are many seniors and retirees who have changed their outlook to life and improved their exercise regime. An inspiration not to give up as their life span shortens.

The challenges for first time weight lifters:

• get your head around the fact that you will not, build up huge muscles. It is a known fact that “women don’t have the hormone profile” as men do
• begin with moderate weights and choose how far to push yourself to prevent strains
• choose weights that are heavy enough for resistance
• you will have sore muscles to begin with, that’s a good thing
• build up to heavier weights e.g. from 2kg dumb bells in each hand up to 7-9kg
• if you can afford it, find a personal trainer, one who focuses on your individual needs
• alternatively, local community health & fitness sessions are available, many suitable for seniors
• a surprise positive outcome on there being rapid improvement, mentally and physically
• better late than never

On a personal note, I witnessed my mother suffer from osteoarthritis as she progressed into her seventies. She never let it stop her from doing physical work around a large property. Perhaps weight training may have helped but it ‘wasn’t what women did’ in those days. I will always remember my father’s emphasis on the need to ‘puff every day’. He believed in keeping fit and strong by regular physical exercise including mental exercises.  He was on the right track and in this day and age, at last lifting weights has become more the norm for women, I see them in the gym.