What are some physiological changes our bodies go through as we age, and can any of those be addressed with exercise?

There are so many changes that our bodies go through as we mature. Some that can be addressed through strength and conditioning are reaction time, arthritis or other joint aches and pains, depression, decrease in bone density, and lean muscle.

 What aspects of life are improved with consistent exercise or strength training?

 Aging with grace! I tell my clients this all the time as we practice simple life skills like getting up and down off the floor. Every exercise we do at Get Fit NH can be translated back into real life. We take a functional approach and that is truly what we should associate exercise with. Weight loss is the happy side effect of longevity and independence. I joke with my clients about staying out of the nursing home as long as possible, but it is true! The stronger and more independent we can stay the longer we get to live freely. What do we need to be able to do to maintain our independence and freedom? Get in and out of the car, up and down off the toilet, up and down off the floor. Those things require strength and repetition. Going for walks in the park won’t maintain our strength. We need resistance training to improve strength and main bone density.

I am sure most of us know someone who was in their late 60s or older and took a fall or had some sort of freak accident occur that completely ripped their independence from them. It is often times a death sentence. I hate to say it like that, but it’s true. But what if they had resistance training under their belt? Would they have been able to catch themselves before the fall or would their body have been able to withstand the fall? At Get Fit NH we train clients primarily in their 50s, 60s, and 70s and I have clients tell me all the time about how they fell and got back up or how they almost fell and caught themselves. It is not a coincidence. We train our bodies to resist it and it responds.

What prevents seniors from participating in exercise/strength training classes?

 So many reasons!

1.) I think it is the assumption that they are just too old to start

2.) They are in too much pain to start

3.) They are afraid to get hurt

4.) They don’t know where to start

5.) Lack of knowledge regarding the benefits

I have clients in their 80s. I have clients with arthritis, osteoporosis, osteopenia, cancer, diabetes, unable to get on the floor entirely, knee replacements, hip replacements, rods in their back and even amputees! We have trained thousands of people in Concord and for the past 11 years I have never met one person we could not help.

What changes have some of your clients over age 55 experienced as a result of exercise?

Strength and conditioning training has helped clients over 55 lose weight, lose fat, gain lean muscle, get stronger, gain confidence, improve nutrition habits, improve stress management, improve sleep patterns, and increase energy. Those are all happy side effects of strength training, but let me put that into real life...

We have helped clients:

Feel confident in their kid’s wedding pictures

Have the strength to get up and down off the floor with their grandchildren and pick them up with ease

Have the strength to travel with confidence! Lug a bag around the airport and put it in the overhead compartment by themselves

Be able to travel in retirement and do fun excursions like hike and biking.

I think my favorite is my 74-year client who is back to water skiing in the summer with her teenage grandchildren. Could you imagine having that confidence?

If your body already feels stiff and achy, would exercise hurt, or help?

It would help tremendously. You’re body is designed to move. Stiff and achy joints are quite literally your body giving you feedback. It’s like, “HELP ME!!!” The more you ignore it, the louder the scream!

It’s not just strength training, it’s mobility, flexibility, and foam rolling to keep the joints primed and youthful.

What types of exercise do you recommend for seniors? Why?

Strength training/resistance training and I absolutely recommend working with a professional at least to start. Teach your body to withstand a fall. More than one out of four Americans age 65+ falls each year. Falls are the leading cause of fatal and nonfatal injuries among older adults.

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