You’ve worked hard for a long time building your life, succeeding in your career, raising your kids…
Now that you’re in your best years, you should slow down and take it easy. Your strength training days are over, right?
Well, it’s true that your body needs to rest to recover, but that doesn’t mean you should live the rest of your life as a couch potato. The World Health Organization recently estimated that inactivity is responsible for around 5.5 percent of deaths.
Your body deserves more and you deserve more!
The old adage is true: A body in motion stays in motion.
Strength training can be a great way to keep your body stay in motion and help to build confidence in yourself. The more you exercise, the more you lift, the stronger you will become both mentally and physically.
It’s normal to feel a bit uneasy when you’re trying something new (or for the first time in a while), but strength training is just that: training! You aren’t expected to know exactly what to do the first time you step into the gym or the first time you try an exercise. Remember your first day at work? Surely you had similar feelings of uncertainty, but look at you now!
Our trainers have worked with all kinds of people. From those who have never stepped into a gym before to those who are looking for extra tips and techniques for their heavier lifts—we’re here to help everyone! Our goal is to make you feel comfortable and confident. We don’t care if you look like a fitness model, we are here to make sure you feel good doing each exercise and that you walk out of the gym feeling proud of the work you put in.
So, where do you begin?
It may have been a long time since you’ve hit the gym, or maybe you haven’t stepped into a gym ever in your life. But here’s the honest truth:
Exercising is NOT about when you start, it’s about whether you start at all!
Here are 3 simple exercises you can get started with:
Leg Lifts
Starting with both feet flat on the floor, lift your left leg until it touches the underside of your desk (or as high as you can lift). Return to the starting position and repeat with your right leg.
Do ten sets of eight reps to strengthen your thigh muscles and your core.
Thoracic Rotations
Strengthen your core by rotating at the waist while remaining seated. Get into the proper position by sitting with your legs shoulder-width apart and your knees bent over the edge of your chair.
Rotate as far to the left as you can and hold for three to five seconds, then repeat on the right.
Calf Raises
Give your calf muscles a workout by raising your legs up on the very tips of your toes while remaining seated. Your calf muscles should start to burn after a few seconds.
Hold for two to ten seconds, return to the starting position, and then repeat eight times.
Even if you tried those exercises just once, you’ve already taken your first step! But don’t stop there!
The benefits of exercising can have a lasting impact on the rest of your life. This is especially true for those of us over 40 who are at higher risk of conditions such as osteoporosis or heart disease.
Did you know?
- About one in two women and up to one in four men over the age of 50 will break a bone due to osteoporosis
- 1 in 3 US adults has high blood pressure
Participating in regular strength training and exercise can reduce our chances of suffering due to these conditions. Our bodies are incredible machines that always have the ability to get stronger, even as we age.
Need some more proof?
Here are some facts for you to consider:
- Older adults who engage in 150 minutes per week of moderate-intensity exercise had a 14% lower risk of coronary heart disease than those who do not exercise
- Exercising helps people with chronic, disabling conditions improve their stamina and muscle strength.
- A recent longitudinal population study in Australia showed that physical activity was associated with a substantially reduced risk of falls
- Resistance exercise using light weights or exercise machines will enhance muscle mass and strength and preserve bone calcium
- One Harvard study found that previously sedentary men who began exercising after the age of 45 enjoyed a 24% lower death rate than their classmates who remained inactive.
Don’t let inactivity take your life! You have the power to start moving, today!
We’d like you to meet some of our very own community members who have committed to their health and wellness through movement!
At our facility, we help members in their 40s, 50s, 60s, & 70s + to achieve their goals!
Join our supportive community today! Our Stronger For Longer Program is a 6 Week introductory program is the perfect place to start. We have room for just 5 new members into this program this month. You can see more details by clicking here
We would love to help you get moving and help you achieve your health & fitness goals!
