Key Takeaways

• Strength training builds muscle, but it has a lengthy list of health benefits that are especially important for senior citizens.
• In the process of building stronger muscles, strength training also builds stronger bones. Bone density is closely tied to independence for older adults.
• Strength training can also help seniors lose weight and maintain that loss, which can reduce the risk of chronic disease, improve mobility, and reduce strain on the heart.
• For many senior citizens, knowing how to begin is the hardest part. Paul Fischer, a certified personal trainer here in Reno, specializes in senior fitness.

If you want to build muscle, you lift weights. But what if you want to boost bone density, improve balance and stability, build confidence, and sleep better? Then you should also lift weights. That’s because strength training for seniors here in Reno and anywhere builds so much more than muscle.

Building Strong Muscles Means Building Strong Bones

As we age, our bones begin losing mass—about one percent every year after we turn 40. That loss means bones that are more frail and far more susceptible to injuries like fractures. Even mild stressors, like bending over or coughing, can cause damage to the fragile bones of someone with osteoporosis. It’s a condition that affects some eight million women and two millions men here in the United States, and it’s the cause of over two million fractures annually. The statistics are sobering—out of every ten people who break a hip, six will never regain their former level of independence.

Bone density and strength is closely linked to independence for older adults, since hip fractures are one of the main reasons for many nursing home admissions. Strength training and weight-bearing exercises put stress on muscles and bones, which can prompt specific cells into action. The result is stronger bones everywhere,but particularly in areas that are prone to fractures for senior citizens, like the hips, spine, and wrists. Resistance workouts that emphasize power and balance not only build muscle and stronger bones, they improve stability, which means fewer falls. Plus, it can help boost confidence levels in older adults.

Strength Training Helps You Lose Weight—And Maintain It

Anyone who’s ever dieted knows that dropping weight is one thing. Keeping it off is quite another! Fortunately, strength training can help you maintain weight loss by speeding up your metabolism, increasing the number of calories you burn in day-to-day activities, and not just during your workouts. Unlike cardio, when you burn calories during the workout only, strength training means you continue burning those calories for a few more hours. Plus, carrying more muscle means your body is more efficient at burning calories around the clock.

For seniors, maintaining a healthy body weight contributes to better mobility and flexibility. Excess weight puts more pressure on joints. A healthy weight also reduces the risk of chronic disease, like heart disease, type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, and even some types of cancer. Plus, it means less strain on the heart.

Strength Training Helps in Disease Prevention

Physical benefits aside, research links strength training to improved wellness. In fact, it’s as effective as medication intreating arthritis pain. It improves bone density which reduces the risk of fractures, and it can also improve glucose control for the millions of Americans living with type 2 diabetes.

How to Get Started with Strength Training in Reno

Working with a personal trainer is a good place to find guidance and support. It can be intimidating to step into a gym or pick up weights for the first time, no matter your age, and a certified personal trainer like Paul Fischer here in Reno has the experience and credentials to guide you safely and effectively. He’ll work with you to create a personalized plan that accounts for your current fitness level and abilities, and you’ll be pleasantly surprised at the improvements and changes you begin noticing early on.Consult with your doctor first, and then schedule a free consultation with Paul so you can learn more about strength training and his experience with clients of all ages.