如果你经常爬楼梯,请举手示意。拎着沉重的杂货袋? 接送孩子或孙子? 我们中的大多数人都会举起手来,因为我们每周甚至每天至少要做其中一件事。
随着年龄的增长,完成某些体力活动会变得越来越困难,甚至是那些日常活动。然而,在这时将身体健康放在首位有助于你完成日常工作,而且不会在一天结束时感到身体疲惫。
这还有助于你继续与家人和亲人留下特别的回忆,但如果你不积极锻炼身体,你可能无法拥有这些回忆。例如,在我父亲60多岁时,我曾和他一起跑过两次半程马拉松!
我是一名运动生理学家,研究人们如何利用阻力训练来提高人体机能,无论是在运动和其他娱乐场合,还是在日常生活中,或者两者兼而有之。我还是一名经过认证的体能专家。我的职业生涯让我有机会为儿童、大学生运动员和老年人设计锻炼计划。
随着年龄的增长,保持体育锻炼并不一定要跑半程马拉松或成为健美运动员。这可以很简单,只需在爬楼梯后不感到上气不接下气即可。虽然随着年龄的增长,我们的肌肉力量自然会变弱,但我们可以通过一些方法来解决这一问题,从而提高我们的老年生活质量。
肌肉流失与慢性疾病
无论我的训练对象是谁,锻炼计划中最重要的部分之一就是进行适当的阻力训练,以增强肌肉力量。随着年龄的增长,肌肉功能会出现一定程度的减退,这是正常的,也是不可避免的。但是,通过结合安全的且适合任何能力水平的阻力训练,可以减缓肌肉功能衰退的速度,甚至在一定程度上防止肌肉功能丧失。
这一与年龄有关的肌肉功能和质量丧失的疾病的医学术语是肌肉减少症。肌肉减少症可能早在40岁就开始了,但在60岁及以上的成年人中更为常见。肌肉减少症与许多健康问题有关,如跌倒、心血管疾病和代谢疾病等风险增加。
在团队之前的一项研究中,我们发现患有肌肉减少症的健康个体在向肌肉输送重要营养物质方面存在问题。这可能会导致患各种疾病的可能性增加,比如2型糖尿病,并减缓运动后的恢复速度。
最近的估计表明,全球老年人口中有10%至16%患有肌肉减少症。但即使一个人没有被临床诊断出肌肉减少症,仍可能有一些潜在的症状,如果不加以处理,就可能导致肌肉减少症。
力量训练是关键
那么问题来了,怎样才能扭转这种衰退呢?
最新证据表明,导致肌肉减少症的关键因素之一是肌肉力量不足。换句话说,对抗或逆转肌肉减少症,或两者兼而有之,最好的办法可能是以提高肌肉力量为重点进行适当的阻力训练。事实上,肌肉力量的下降速度似乎比肌肉体积的下降速度要快得多,这就强调了随着年龄的增长进行适当力量训练的重要性。
事实证明,继续定期进行中等到高强度的力量训练,不仅能有效地对抗肌肉减少症的症状,而且如果方法得当,还非常安全。确保力量训练正确的最佳方法是寻求具备相关资格的人士的指导,如私人教练或体能专家。
尽管力量训练有明显的好处,但事实表明,在50岁及以上的美国人中,只有约13%的人每周至少进行两次某种形式的力量训练。
找到适合自己的方法
那么,随着年龄的增长,如何进行适当的力量训练呢?
美国国家体能协会(National Strength and Conditioning Association)是世界范围内促进体能训练的领先组织,该协会指出,对于老年人来说,每周进行两到三天的力量训练对保持肌肉和骨骼健康以及对抗多种慢性疾病大有裨益。
该组织建议的锻炼包括一到两次涉及各主要肌肉群的多关节锻炼,每组重复6到12次。该训练的强度是所谓的单次重复训练最大强度的50%到85%——单次重复训练中你能承受的最大强度——但使用自身体重作为阻力的体重训练(如俯卧撑)除外。
我还建议在每组动作之间休息2到3分钟,如果这组训练具有挑战性,甚至可以休息5分钟。对于老年人,尤其是60岁及以上的老年人,美国国家体能协会的指南建议,每周进行两到三天这样的锻炼,两次训练之间间隔24到48小时。
让生活变得更轻松
上述指南只是众多方案中的一种,但提供了相关框架,你可以根据该框架制定自己的计划。不过,我强烈建议你向该领域的专业人士寻求具体的锻炼计划建议(可以根据你的需求和目标量身定制)。
遵循这样的计划会给肌肉带来极好的刺激,增强力量,同时还能有足够的恢复时间,这是随着年龄增长一大至关重要的考虑因素。你可能会觉得这看起来需要投入大量时间,但这样的日常锻炼可以在一小时内完成。这意味着,每周不到三小时的力量训练就能帮助你改善肌肉健康,降低患肌肉减少症和相关健康问题的风险。
同样重要的是要注意,阻力训练没有唯一正确的方法,也不需要使用传统的负重器械。普拉提和瑜伽等集体课程,或者那些涉及循环训练和使用阻力带的课程,都能产生类似的效果。关键是要定期出门锻炼(不管需要做什么运动)。(财富中文网)
译者:中慧言-王芳
如果你经常爬楼梯,请举手示意。拎着沉重的杂货袋? 接送孩子或孙子? 我们中的大多数人都会举起手来,因为我们每周甚至每天至少要做其中一件事。
随着年龄的增长,完成某些体力活动会变得越来越困难,甚至是那些日常活动。然而,在这时将身体健康放在首位有助于你完成日常工作,而且不会在一天结束时感到身体疲惫。
这还有助于你继续与家人和亲人留下特别的回忆,但如果你不积极锻炼身体,你可能无法拥有这些回忆。例如,在我父亲60多岁时,我曾和他一起跑过两次半程马拉松!
我是一名运动生理学家,研究人们如何利用阻力训练来提高人体机能,无论是在运动和其他娱乐场合,还是在日常生活中,或者两者兼而有之。我还是一名经过认证的体能专家。我的职业生涯让我有机会为儿童、大学生运动员和老年人设计锻炼计划。
随着年龄的增长,保持体育锻炼并不一定要跑半程马拉松或成为健美运动员。这可以很简单,只需在爬楼梯后不感到上气不接下气即可。虽然随着年龄的增长,我们的肌肉力量自然会变弱,但我们可以通过一些方法来解决这一问题,从而提高我们的老年生活质量。
肌肉流失与慢性疾病
无论我的训练对象是谁,锻炼计划中最重要的部分之一就是进行适当的阻力训练,以增强肌肉力量。随着年龄的增长,肌肉功能会出现一定程度的减退,这是正常的,也是不可避免的。但是,通过结合安全的且适合任何能力水平的阻力训练,可以减缓肌肉功能衰退的速度,甚至在一定程度上防止肌肉功能丧失。
这一与年龄有关的肌肉功能和质量丧失的疾病的医学术语是肌肉减少症。肌肉减少症可能早在40岁就开始了,但在60岁及以上的成年人中更为常见。肌肉减少症与许多健康问题有关,如跌倒、心血管疾病和代谢疾病等风险增加。
在团队之前的一项研究中,我们发现患有肌肉减少症的健康个体在向肌肉输送重要营养物质方面存在问题。这可能会导致患各种疾病的可能性增加,比如2型糖尿病,并减缓运动后的恢复速度。
最近的估计表明,全球老年人口中有10%至16%患有肌肉减少症。但即使一个人没有被临床诊断出肌肉减少症,仍可能有一些潜在的症状,如果不加以处理,就可能导致肌肉减少症。
力量训练是关键
那么问题来了,怎样才能扭转这种衰退呢?
最新证据表明,导致肌肉减少症的关键因素之一是肌肉力量不足。换句话说,对抗或逆转肌肉减少症,或两者兼而有之,最好的办法可能是以提高肌肉力量为重点进行适当的阻力训练。事实上,肌肉力量的下降速度似乎比肌肉体积的下降速度要快得多,这就强调了随着年龄的增长进行适当力量训练的重要性。
事实证明,继续定期进行中等到高强度的力量训练,不仅能有效地对抗肌肉减少症的症状,而且如果方法得当,还非常安全。确保力量训练正确的最佳方法是寻求具备相关资格的人士的指导,如私人教练或体能专家。
尽管力量训练有明显的好处,但事实表明,在50岁及以上的美国人中,只有约13%的人每周至少进行两次某种形式的力量训练。
找到适合自己的方法
那么,随着年龄的增长,如何进行适当的力量训练呢?
美国国家体能协会(National Strength and Conditioning Association)是世界范围内促进体能训练的领先组织,该协会指出,对于老年人来说,每周进行两到三天的力量训练对保持肌肉和骨骼健康以及对抗多种慢性疾病大有裨益。
该组织建议的锻炼包括一到两次涉及各主要肌肉群的多关节锻炼,每组重复6到12次。该训练的强度是所谓的单次重复训练最大强度的50%到85%——单次重复训练中你能承受的最大强度——但使用自身体重作为阻力的体重训练(如俯卧撑)除外。
我还建议在每组动作之间休息2到3分钟,如果这组训练具有挑战性,甚至可以休息5分钟。对于老年人,尤其是60岁及以上的老年人,美国国家体能协会的指南建议,每周进行两到三天这样的锻炼,两次训练之间间隔24到48小时。
让生活变得更轻松
上述指南只是众多方案中的一种,但提供了相关框架,你可以根据该框架制定自己的计划。不过,我强烈建议你向该领域的专业人士寻求具体的锻炼计划建议(可以根据你的需求和目标量身定制)。
遵循这样的计划会给肌肉带来极好的刺激,增强力量,同时还能有足够的恢复时间,这是随着年龄增长一大至关重要的考虑因素。你可能会觉得这看起来需要投入大量时间,但这样的日常锻炼可以在一小时内完成。这意味着,每周不到三小时的力量训练就能帮助你改善肌肉健康,降低患肌肉减少症和相关健康问题的风险。
同样重要的是要注意,阻力训练没有唯一正确的方法,也不需要使用传统的负重器械。普拉提和瑜伽等集体课程,或者那些涉及循环训练和使用阻力带的课程,都能产生类似的效果。关键是要定期出门锻炼(不管需要做什么运动)。(财富中文网)
译者:中慧言-王芳
Raise your hand if you regularly find yourself walking up a flight of stairs. What about carrying heavy bags of groceries? How about picking up your child or grandchild? Most of us would raise our hands to doing at least one of those weekly, or even daily.
As people age, it can become more and more difficult to perform some physical tasks, even those that are normal activities of daily living. However, prioritizing physical fitness and health as you get older can help you go through your normal day-to-day routine without feeling physically exhausted at the end of the day.
It can also help you continue to have special memories with your family and loved ones that you might not have been able to have if you weren’t physically active. For example, I ran two half-marathons with my dad when he was in his 60s!
I am an exercise physiologist who studies how people can use resistance training to improve human performance, whether it be in sports and other recreational settings, in everyday life, or both. I am also a certified strength and conditioning specialist. My career has given me the opportunity to design exercise programs for kids, college athletes and elderly adults.
Staying physically active as you get older doesn’t need to include running a half-marathon or trying to be a bodybuilder; it could be as simple as trying to get through the day without feeling winded after you go up a flight of stairs. Although our muscles naturally get weaker as we age, there are ways we can combat that to help improve quality of life as we get older.
Muscle loss and chronic disease
One of the most important parts of exercise programming, no matter who I am working with, is proper resistance training to build muscle strength. Some amount of age-related loss of muscle function is normal and inevitable. But by incorporating resistance training that is appropriate and safe at any ability level, you can slow down the rate of decline and even prevent some loss of muscle function.
The medical term for a condition that involves age-related loss of muscle function and mass is sarcopenia. Sarcopenia can begin as early as age 40, but it tends to be more common in adults age 60 and older. Sarcopenia is associated with a number of health issues such as increased risk of falling, cardiovascular disease and metabolic disease, among others.
In one of our team’s previous studies, we saw that otherwise healthy individuals with sarcopenia had issues delivering vital nutrients to muscle. This could lead to greater likelihood of various diseases, such as Type 2 diabetes, and slow down recovery from exercise.
Recent estimates suggest that sarcopenia affects 10% to 16% of the elderly population worldwide. But even if a person doesn’t have clinically diagnosed sarcopenia, they may still have some of the underlying symptoms that, if not dealt with, could lead to sarcopenia.
Strength training is key
So the question is, what can be done to reverse this decline?
Recent evidence suggests that one of the key factors leading to sarcopenia is low muscle strength. In other words, combating or reversing sarcopenia, or both, may be best done with a proper resistance-training program that prioritizes improving strength. In fact, the decline in muscle strength seems to occur at a much faster rate than the decline in muscle size, underscoring the importance of proper strength training as people age.
Continuing to regularly strength train with moderate to heavy weights has been shown to be not only effective at combating the symptoms of sarcopenia but also very safe when done properly. The best way to make sure you are strength training properly is to seek out guidance from a qualified individual such as a personal trainer or strength and conditioning specialist.
Despite the clear benefits of strength training, it’s been shown that only about 13% of Americans age 50 and older do some form of strength training at least twice a week.
Finding what works for you
So how does a person properly strength train as they age?
The National Strength and Conditioning Association, a leading organization in advancing strength and conditioning around the world, states that for older adults, two to three days per week of strength training can be incredibly helpful for maintaining healthy muscle and bone and combating a number of chronic conditions.
The organization recommends that these workouts involve one to two exercises involving multiple joints per major muscle group, with six to 12 repetitions per set. These are done at an intensity of 50% to 85% of what’s known as one-repetition maximum – the most weight you could handle for a single repetition – with the exception of body weight exercises that use one’s own body weight as the resistance, such as pushups.
I would also recommend resting for about two to three minutes between sets, or even up to five minutes if the set was challenging. For older adults, particularly those age 60 and older, the National Strength and Conditioning Association guidelines suggest that a program like this be performed two to three days per week, with 24 to 48 hours between sessions.
Making life’s tasks lighter
The guidelines above are only one example out of many options, but they provide a framework that you can use to build your own program. However, I would highly recommend seeking out a professional in the field to give specific exercise programming advice that can be tailored to your own needs and goals as you age.
Following such a program would give your muscles an excellent stimulus to enhance strength, while also allowing enough recovery, a very important consideration as people age. You might think it looks like a huge time commitment, but an exercise routine like this can be done in less than an hour. This means that in less than three hours of strength training per week you can help improve your muscle health and reduce the risk of getting sarcopenia and associated health issues.
It’s also important to note that there is no one right way to do resistance training, and it needn’t involve traditional weight equipment. Group classes like Pilates and yoga or those that involve circuit training and work with resistance bands can all produce similar results. The key is to get out and exercise regularly, whatever that entails.