Come Join the Bandwagon!

I’ve long been a strong proponent of weight training for overall physical fitness, and have made several posts about the importance of maintaining your musculature for later on in life. Posts such as Osteoporosis Isn’t Only A Concern For Women; and Losing It: The Difficulty Building and Keeping Muscle as We Age; and Free Weights & Home Gyms, all emphasize weight lifting. Last month the American College of Sports Medicine and the American Heart Association updated their physical activity guidelines and now encourage Americans to strength-train all of the major muscle groups at least twice a week on top of regular cardio activity. It’s important to note they’re calling for full workouts too – no ‘get a least twenty minutes a day’. They’re recommending adults perform eight to 12 reps of eight to 10 exercises on the chest, back, shoulders, upper legs, lower legs and arms, via either free weights, machines or weight-bearing activities. They also specifically single out adults 65 and older, whom they recommend should strength-train two to three times a week. I must say I think they’re being very optimistic prescribing such a ‘heavy’ exercise program but it might well prompt the sort of person who would read this blog to get out there and start lifting. Let’s hope you do!

Go to the ASCM Healthy Adults Manuscript
Go to the ASCM Older Adults Manuscript