A truly effective sports routine.
Muscle function naturally declines with aging. After age 60, it may be accompanied by a loss of autonomy. To remedy this, it is advisable to exercise regularly, but it is not easy to find the right activity when the body tires quickly and the joints are painful. A Danish study looked into this problem by analyzing exercises that could preserve leg strength in seniors. Their results published in the journal “BMJ Open Sport & Exercise Medicine” suggest that one type of exercise would be particularly effective.
The scientists carried out a randomized controlled trial in 369 healthy retired adults aged 64 to 75. The participants were divided into 3 groups:
- a group following intense physical training 3 times a week
- another moderate exercises 3 times a week
- the last one who didn’t change his usual exercise routine
The experts measured the subjects’ bone and muscle strength as well as their body fat levels at the beginning and end of the one-year program, then 2 and 4 years later. Result: one year of intensive resistance training at retirement age made it possible to maintain the muscular strength of the subjects 4 years after the start of the study, while it decreased for the other groups. “This study demonstrates that resistance training with heavy loads at retirement age can have long-term effects over several years” commented the authors. The preservation of strength in the legs is attributed to a neural adaptation allowing better activation of muscle fibers and improved coordination between muscles. The proposed sports routine is also effective in maintaining lean muscle mass, which is crucial for maintaining muscular fitness according to researchers.
Intense resistance exercises include a variety of movements aimed at working several major muscle groups:
- Of the squats with dumbbells or barbells on a machine
- Of the deadlifts (deadlifts) performed with a barbell and weights
- Of the leg presses (leg press) performed with a barbell and weights on a weight bench
- Of the bench press performed with a barbell and weights on a weight bench
- Of the rows with bar performed by pulling a bar toward the torso in a bent over position
- Of the shoulder presses with dumbbells or barbell, either sitting or standing
- Of the vertical prints performed on a machine where a barbell is pulled down to the chest
- Of the leg extensions on a machine where you push a bar with your legs
- Of the leg bends on a machine where you bend your legs against resistance
The effectiveness of this routine also lies in the fact that the subjects practiced it over the long term. The duration of the study was one year, but the experts suggested that through habit, it allowed them to be more active in general.