Once you hit 30, changes in your body start if you don’t exercise. You start loosing muscle tissue and tone. Studies show that you lose between 3% and 5% per decade. That’s only if you don’t lead an active lifestyle, so it doesn’t have to occur. Loss of muscle mass can lead to loss of bone mass. That’s one of the benefits of strength training, particularly for older women. Women tend to be protected from loss of bone mass throughout life from estrogen, but at menopause, bone mass diminishes. How can it be prevented, strength training helps.
Muscle loss and bone loss increases as you get older.
As muscle tissue is lost, so is bone mineralization. When you workout, particularly weight bearing exercises, the muscles tug on the bones. That causes the bone to increase the mineral intake to build stronger. If you don’t have that type of workout, minerals are leached from the bone, causing as much as 1% bone loss per year after the age of 40. Many studies show strength training can prevent it. It causes the muscles to put stress on the bones, which in turn increases the actions of bone-building cells, making them stronger and denser. That increased density can help people live independently longer and help prevent fractured bones from falls.
Arthritis and other painful conditions can be relieved with exercise.
Back pain, arthritis and other painful conditions can be helped with strength training. It builds muscles, tendons and ligaments that help support joints to relieve the pressure and stress. It can also aid in reducing muscle pain by increasing the range of motion. Don’t jump into it with a rigorous workout and heavy weights if you have issues with pain. Start light, maybe just doing the movements before you add any additional weight. Then increase weights gradually.
Strength training can help control blood sugar levels.
Whether you have glucose resistance, are borderline or full-blown type 2 diabetes, strength training, like all types of exercise, can help. However, strength training seems to have the biggest effect on those blood glucose level numbers. It has shown dramatic improvement with just four months of strength training. Not only does it lower body fat and build muscle tissue, it improves glucose resistance issues. Whether you’re an older woman or not, strength training is good.
Strength training can improve the neuromuscular efficiency, which in turn, can help balance, agility and coordination. It helps seniors to more everyday types of tasks, such as walking, bathing and other daily tasks of living.
Falls account for many injuries that can limit the activities of seniors, whether male or female. You’ll improve your balance to help prevent falls, plus strengthen bones if falls occur.
It’s never too late to start strength training or any other type of exercise. Walking is one simple weight-bearing exercise that could be a mild way to begin, adding to your program as you get stronger.
Obesity is the leading cause of preventable deaths in the US. Strength training helps you lose weight in two ways. It burns tons of calories while you do it and builds muscles. The more muscles you have, the higher your metabolism.