A Healthy Aging Guide to Strength Training and Stretching at Home

Weight lifting and stretching are useful at any age, but there are specific benefits for older adultsWith aging comes concerns about strength, balance, and mobility. But integrating resistance training and stretching into your routine can keep you feeling healthy and sNot sure where to start? Read on for a primer on how aging affects your body and how movement can make a difference, plus a full-body workout and stretching routine that you can do at home.

ALTO IMAGES/Stocksy UnitHow does aging impact our bodiesAge may just be a number, but some physical changes do occur as we get older — and these can affect our health. They includeDecreased range of motNotice that your shoulders, hips, or knees don’t move as well as they used to? As you age, your range of motion — the full movement potential of a joint — decreases due to changes in connective tissue, arthritis, loss of muscle mass, and moreBy how mucIn a study published in the Journal of Aging Research, researchers analyzed shoulder abduction and hip flexion flexibility in adults ages 55–86.

They found a decrease in flexibility of the shoulder and hip joints by approximately 6 degrees per decade across the study participants, but also noted that in generally healthy older adults, the age-related loss of flexibility does not significantly impact daily life (1Trusted Source)Strength losDeclining strength is another hallmark of agingOlder research found that muscle mass decreases by approximately 3-8% per decade after age 30, and this rate increases after age 60 (2Trusted SourceMore current research found the rate of muscle atrophy was closer to 1% per year after age 50, which has an exponential (continually increasing) effect when considered over time (3).

This phenomenon is known as sarcopenia — a loss of muscle mass and function as we get older. This decrease in muscle mass comes fromaincludinghormonal changdeclines in activian unbalanced diet that’s low in calories and proteSarcopenia is strongly related to falls and overall frailty, so it’s an important factor to address as you get olderDecreased balaIf your balance isn’t what it used to be, there’s an explanation for that as welYou maintain yusieyesigyour

vestibular system (structures in the inner eafeedback from joints in the spine, ankles and knThese systems send signals to your brain to body maintain its balance as you move about your dayAs you age, however, these signals aren’t communicated as effectively. Your eyesight gets worse, your cognitive abilities start to decline, and your joints become less mobile.