What category do you fall into? Strength training vs Cardio. Many people are confused or at least undecided about what mix of strength and cardio training they should engage in especially when they reach that magical age of 50 plus. Your body may not be as nimble and agile as it once when you were doing hours of aerobics exercises, jogging, swimming and the like. On the other hand you may have maintained a healthy and active lifestyle but just want to make sure that your muscles and bones remain strong in the later years of your life.
Over the years I have favoured strength and resistance training allowing me to feel stronger and firmer. I was always told that strength training was the primary form of exercise for developing a toned and firm body with great muscle mass that will definitely improve one’s posture and quality of life in their later days.
On average people lose about 30 percent of their strength between ages of 50 and 70 and almost 1% of their lean muscle mass after the age of 40. So it would be worthwhile to consider strength exercises over cardio. This does not mean that you should stop your cardio workouts. If it is something that you enjoy and it increases your feeling of wellbeing then continue with it.
Aging:
As we age our skeletal muscle mass starts to deteriorate. Age-related muscle loss is known as sarcopenia, which means vanishing flesh. Sarcopenia is the result of the loss of around ten ounces of muscle a year that isn’t replaced due to a sedentary lifestyle. Our muscles keep us strong and burns calories helping us to maintain our weight. It also affects our bone strength and balance. Without strong muscles we can lose our independence and our mobility
Exercise:
Through exercise we can regain our muscle mass, improve our flexibility and live a healthier lifestyle. We can slow down the degenerative process by using strength exercises. If you prefer a cardiovascular workout why not compliment it with a short but intensive weight training exercise. It will strengthen your muscles, tone and redefine your body and get you into the best shape of your life. You will see and feel the changes in a short period of time. 50’s is the new 30’s. Who said 50 was old?
