Exercise for seniors
This Week In The HSI Healthier Talk Community
“Great Exercise for Seniors” is the title of this Healthier Talk community posting by an HSI member who goes by “djc50”:
“I came across this exercise suggested for seniors, to build muscle strength in the arms and shoulders. It’s so easy, I thought I’d pass it on.
“The article suggested doing it three days a week. Begin by standing on a comfortable surface, where you have plenty of room at each side.
“With a 5-LB. potato sack in each hand, extend your arms straight out from your sides, and hold them there as long as you can. Try to reach a full minute, then relax.
“Each day, you’ll find that you can hold this position for just a bit longer.
“After a couple of weeks, move up to 10-lb. potato sacks, then 50-lb. potato sacks, and eventually try to get to where you can lift a 100-lb. potato sack in each hand and hold your arms straight for more than a full minute.
“Once you feel confident at that level, put a potato in each of the sacks.”
Here’s the question: Is djc50’s post intended to simply be funny, or is it good advice with a joke at the end?
However he may have intended it, weight training for seniors is actually an excellent idea. Studies have revealed the following weight training benefits:
- Reduces the risk of falls and fractures
- Promotes healthy bone density
- Improves insulin sensitivity
- Increases peak oxygen capacity
- Increases exercise capacity
- Reduces the risk of sarcopenia (age-related loss of skeletal muscle)
For more details about the advantages of weight training, see the e-Alert “Muscle Up” (2/12/04), which you can find at this link:
http://www.hsionline.com/ealerts/ea200402/ea20040212.html
Other topics being discussed this week in the Healthier Talk community forums include:
- Diabetes: Unexplained muscle burning
- Hormones: Hypothyroid, soy and lecithin
- Allergies: Chemical sensitivity web site
- Headaches: Massage therapy for headaches?
- General Health Topics: High blood pressure
- Vitamin Questions: Research backs theory that vitamin C shrinks tumors
