Why Exercise Is Important to Senior Health and Fitness

Why Exercise Is Important to Senior Health and Fitness

Fitness Blender

Comedian, George Burns, said at 100 years of age, "If I knew I was going to live this long, I'd have taken better care of myself." Many people will live to a ripe old age no matter how badly they take care of themselves strictly because of good genes. But the benefits of exercising well into your senior years can determine the quality of life you enjoy - or not.

As you age, muscle mass decreases to the tune of about three to five percent per decade after you're forty years of age. Since muscles keep us fit and strong and helps to burn calories and maintain weight, serious problems could develop if you let your muscles deteriorate.

Without strong muscles, which also contribute to our bone strength and balance, you could lose some of your mobility and much or all of your independence. The good news is that if you're a senior who has been a couch potato all your life, it's not too late to exercise and build muscle mass.

The best exercise for building muscle mass is weight lifting and/or resistance bands. In a recent study, when male and females ranging from age 72 to 98 years of age lifted weights three times per week for a total of ten weeks, they increased thigh muscle mass by almost 3%. After three months of lifting weights they were able to increase their walking ability from 25 minutes to 35 minutes. That's an amazing increase in endurance and vitality.

No matter what your age, you can be sure that strength and endurance will increase within days of beginning an exercise (weight and resistance) program. And, it's not just the muscle mass that will keep you going. The brain sends signals through the nervous system about which muscles are needed for the movement you're about to take. When you exercise, that signal becomes stronger and your muscles will get the signal more clearly.

Exercise for seniors is also vital because it increases endurance. When your endurance ability decreases as you age, you become more susceptible to diseases such as cardiovascular, mobility impairment and premature death. Severe fatigue, trouble breathing and muscle cramps are also results from lack of exercise in seniors.

Flexibility and balance are also good side effects from seniors engaging in exercise. Bones become brittle and balance may deteriorate enough to cause serious falls as you age, so exercise while you can to prevent a catastrophic illness or fall which could take away your independence and your overall health.