A study published by Harvard Medical School, shows that after age 30, people lose as much as 3% to 5% muscle mass per decade. People with muscle loss have a greater risk for low trauma fractures from a fall like a broken leg, hip, collar bone, arm or wrist.
There has been much noted evidence of the benefits of weight lifting, and its effects on slowing down the process of muscle loss through muscle growth. Yet a common fear and misconception of older people experiencing this muscle loss, is that they are too old, too weak, and incapable of weight lifting through lack of confidence.
No one is ever too old to start weight training, and once people do, studies have shown that they like it enough to continue on their own. The increase of strength, stability and control over one’s body increases a person’s abilities, confidence and independence.
An article in the NY Times referenced a study done by the University of Jyvaskyla in Finland regarding the effects of weight training on both mind and body, on elderly populations, between ages 65-75, who never weight trained before. They trained groups for 6 months, where strength gains and health marker improvements became evident, and then abruptly stopped the training. They contacted the groups 6 months and then again 1 year later, and discovered that almost 50% of the people in the study had enjoyed the weight training and its benefits so greatly, that they continued it on their own for a good year after the initial study had ended.
Weight lifting will not only make you more physically powerful, but it will improve your capabilities, your independence and your mental wellness. Here at MakeYourBody we are experts in special populations. We teach injury free weight lifting techniques, to help people incorporate this critical practice into their lives.