Quality of life is something everyone would love to have! When we were young, we took it for granted. Quality of life, as we age, is something that must be earned. We have all heard the saying, ‘use it or lose it’. I’m sorry to say, but it’s so very true. The best way to assure quality, in the second half of life is to be fit enough to enjoy it.
We are unable to turn back the clock, as time passes by. But, we most definitely can give the hands of time a run for its money. The secret: more recognized now than ever is safe, structured exercise. Exercise performed for only one reason, the most important reason, to improve functional ability.
Yes, exercise can help you live a functional and complete life.
Exercise in on everyone’s mind these days and with good reason. Consider what happens to our strength and body composition as we age and become more sedentary. The truth is as sedentary individuals become older, they lose 10 to 12 percent of their muscle mass, 20 percent of their strength, and 20 to 30 percent of their cortical bone thickness. The loss of lean muscle tissue accounts for the decline in basal metabolic rate, leading to an increase in the loss of muscle and increased deposit of fatty tissue. All this can happen without a noticeable change in body weight, making the scale a very deceptive tool.
The search for the fountain of youth is attainable, but it does have a price. If you want to avoid or help minimize present aches, pains, stiffness, lack of mobility, or just look younger, it will require ‘meaningful exercise’. Exercise will stimulate results in functional ability and strength, flexibility and cardio-respiratory conditioning. It’s simple, but you must understand the following points.
1). Our muscles are not there merely to look at. The stronger our muscles, the better we move and support our skeleton. This point is very important pertaining to our spines. About 94 percent of back trouble is linked to musculature problems, as we know, ‘de-conditioning’.
A sensible exercise program will emphasize building strength. Having been neglected by the medical community, recent research has proven the benefits of strength training. It has been proven that strength training can reverse and slow age related muscle loss and strength loss, prevent the loss in metabolic rate, reduce body fat, improve and maintain bone density, reduce the risk of osteoporosis, reduce the risk of all causes of osteoporosis fractures, reduce risk of heart disease, reduce back pain, reduce risk of diabetes and help to diminish the pain of osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis.
What’s amazing is that all of these benefits can be realized in as little as two hours per week!
2). Enhance flexibility will ensure a greater range of movement as we age. Stretching exercises performed in a controlled manner will increase flexibility safely within an individuals’ potential. Proper and efficient stretching can be performed on properly built strength and stretching equipment. Using proper equipment can work a muscle from a full stretch to a full contraction and will ensure functional use of our musculature.
3). We’ve all heart the word, “Aerobics” - the intended benefits of aerobic exercise it to improve heart-lung efficiency, allowing us to perform endurance activities of daily living with greater ease and with less fatigue. Regular aerobic exercise can reduce the risk factors associated with coronary heart disease. It’s obvious that the potential benefits of aerobic exercise are enormous. Still, aerobics does have its limitations.
Aerobics alone cannot adequately strengthen the muscles, which support our joints. Aerobics also cannot substantially strengthen our bodies. This shouldn’t be a surprise – strength was never the intended function of aerobic exercise. Aerobic exercise is great for improving heart-lung efficiency, but not for developing a stronger body. The solution is obvious, a combination of the two type of exercise – aerobic (heart-lung) and anaerobic (muscle-bone). The combination of the two no more than three times per week will yield the extra benefit of raising your basal metabolism. You’ll actually burn more calories even when you’re not working out!
If you decide after reading this article that a structured exercise program is for you, you are taking the appropriate step to enrich your life. Make no mistake; what we are discussing is serious business, not “fun” fitness.
If fun is what you’re looking for, then enjoy your favorite activity, you have earned it.
If you’re looking to live life to the fullest and you’re committed, then you’re rewards will be immeasurable
Tom Sliney III of CORE is located in Bend and can be reached at 389-6595 |
WELLNESS 