| You don't have to be Charles Atlas to power up with | | | | around them respond like plants to sunlight - they |
| strength training. This kind of exercise is a key to | | | | grow. |
| fitness for everyone - especially seniors. Stacks of | | | | Resistance training helps maintain bone density at any |
| scientific studies prove this. In fact, senior muscles | | | | age. It doesn't take much. Just a little stress on the |
| may benefit more from strength training than young | | | | bones to mitigate the bone loss that is inevitable as |
| ones. | | | | you age. |
| Strength training has many names. Resistance | | | | And it doesn't matter how old you are when you |
| training, weight lifting, working out, and pumping iron | | | | start. "Even seniors with osteoporosis can benefit |
| are just a few. Whatever, you call it, it's more | | | | from low-weight, high-rep resistance training," says |
| valuable, easy, and fun than you probably imagined. | | | | White. "It's never too late to start preventing bone |
| For instance, you may not know that strength | | | | loss." |
| training can rev up your metabolism and help you | | | | Stronger muscles and bones could help you preserve |
| burn off more calories around the clock. | | | | your freedom and your ability to take care of |
| It gets results by "stressing" your muscles more than | | | | yourself. After all, you need muscles to walk up stairs |
| your humdrum daily activities do. This stress could | | | | and climb out of bed, not to mention carry your |
| come from doing pushups, pressing a dumbbell above | | | | groceries and pick up your grandchildren. |
| your head, or curling a coffee can. Believe it or not, | | | | When you follow a regular lifting program, you'll start |
| muscles live for this extra work. It makes them | | | | seeing muscles you haven't seen since you were 30 |
| stronger and healthier. | | | | years old. Strength training carves muscles until they |
| Put the brakes on aging | | | | become lean and well-defined. |
| You lose as much as 40 percent of your muscle | | | | And unlike fat, muscles do more than take up space. |
| strength during your adult life, health experts say. | | | | They're constantly eating up calories - three times as |
| This process - called sarcopenia - starts in your 40s | | | | many as fat. They keep churning even when you're |
| and 50s, when your muscle fibers begin to shrink, | | | | not exercising. Don't stop working out for long, |
| become less efficient, and disappear altogether. | | | | though. The more you strength train, the more |
| Sarcopenia leads to the weakness, poor coordination, | | | | muscles you'll build, which will help your body burn fat |
| and bad balance that many seniors suffer. | | | | faster. So add some muscles and watch the fat melt |
| Strength training halts this process and may even | | | | away. |
| reverse it. According to the latest research, your | | | | Strength training could also add 20 yards to your golf |
| strength could jump by an amazing 100 percent if | | | | drive, or some extra "umph" to your tennis serve. It |
| you're a weight-lifting senior. Pumping iron works | | | | may take you to a higher level in whatever sport |
| because it encourages your muscles to grow and | | | | you're active in. Moreover, extra muscles helps |
| become more responsive and powerful. | | | | protect your joints and lower back during |
| Lifting weights can also build up your bones. What | | | | cardiovascular exercises such as jogging and bicycling. |
| muscles flex during strength training, the bones | | | | |