Strength training reduces the effects of sarcopenia!
It doesn’t matter what you’ve been through before. If you are a woman or a man nearing the halfway point of your life expectancy, you will be at a time in your life when you owe it to your responsibilities. Work, studies, family. All the time you have seems little to you to satisfy your daily debts.
They talk to you about fitness exercise and the first thing you say is “I don’t have time for that. Maybe on vacation”. It is logical for adults with responsibilities… But it’s all a matter of priority.
However, I would like to introduce one more variable that should come into play:
Sarcopenia.
It is a term that refers to the loss of muscle tissue and strength over time. It starts to suffer from the age of 30 and from the age of 60 onwards it is drastically increased. It is responsible for the loss of independence (functionality due to loss of power) and mobility (dynapenia) of individuals. It’s a risk factor that will worsen health and quality of life.
Undeniably, it goes hand in hand with the deterioration of the nervous system and other organs. If we add to this the adipose tissue gain typical of the developed world, we have a cocktail that is a catalyst for old age.
We lose about 2% of our muscle strength every year from the age of 50 onwards.
Fortunately, numerous studies have revealed that strength training reduces the effects of sarcopenia even in older people who have not trained before.
If done properly, it will result in improvements in strength, body composition, balance, mobility, independence, and fall prevention. Improving the quality of life substantially.
I hope you will keep this phenomenon in mind when addressing your priorities and position your strength training accordingly.
To the goals of getting strong, losing weight, etc., you can add the goal of fighting sarcopenia.
We can’t go against nature. The truth is that, if we behave, we will all go to Valhalla. But it does not mean that we should let ourselves get carried away and assume that aches, ailments, and illnesses are typical of the age.
You may think that what you already do is enough. Sure, any sport or group activity is great at any age, but strength training requires a level of individualization that you’ll only get with a program that’s customized for you. You may combine it with any other activity, what’s more, if you are stronger, besides fighting sarcopenia, your performance will be much better.
So don’t be afraid to learn the basics of strength from a professional, if you do it with good technique it is not dangerous.
Finally, I’ll tell you a secret: moving heavy loads is a lot of fun!
