Why Resistance Training is Essential for Older Adults

As we age, we naturally lose muscle mass and bone density, which can lead to decreased mobility, increased risk of falls, and a decline in overall health. However, resistance training helps to:

• Maintain Muscle Mass: Strength training counteracts age-related muscle loss (sarcopenia), helping older adults stay strong and independent.
• Enhance Bone Density: Weight-bearing exercises stimulate bone growth and reduce the risk of osteoporosis.
• Improve Joint Health: Strengthening the muscles around joints can alleviate arthritis symptoms and improve flexibility.
• Boost Metabolism: More muscle means a higher resting metabolic rate, which aids in weight management.
• Enhance Mental Health: Exercise releases endorphins, which reduce stress, anxiety, and symptoms of depression.
• Prevent Falls: Improved balance and coordination help reduce the likelihood of falls, a leading cause of injury in older adults.

Getting Started with Resistance Training

Older adults should start with a well-structured, low-impact strength program tailored to their abilities and needs. Here are some key guidelines:

1. Consult a Professional – Before starting, it’s best to consult a doctor or a certified trainer to assess your current health and fitness level.
2. Begin with Bodyweight Exercises – Movements such as squats, lunges, and push-ups (modified as needed) help build foundational strength.
3. Use Resistance Bands and Light Weights – These are excellent for providing controlled resistance without excessive strain on the joints.
4. Prioritize Proper Form – Focus on correct technique over heavy lifting to avoid injuries.
5. Start Slow and Progress Gradually – Begin with one to two sessions per week, gradually increasing frequency and intensity as strength improves.
6. Incorporate Functional Movements – Exercises that mimic everyday activities, such as lifting, bending, and reaching, can enhance day-to-day mobility.
7. Allow for Recovery – Muscles need time to repair and grow, so rest days are just as important as workout days.

Safe and Effective Resistance Exercises for Older Adults

Here are a few simple yet effective resistance exercises:

• Seated Leg Lifts – Strengthens quadriceps and enhances mobility.
• Chair Squats – Builds lower body strength safely.
• Wall Push-Ups – Strengthens upper body without excessive strain.
• Bicep Curls with Light Weights – Improves arm strength.
• Standing Calf Raises – Enhances balance and lower leg strength.

Final Thoughts

Resistance training is not just for the young—it’s a powerful tool for maintaining independence, mobility, and quality of life in older adults. By incorporating strength exercises into a regular routine, seniors can enjoy improved health, increased confidence, and a greater sense of well-being. It’s never too late to start building strength, so pick up those weights (or resistance bands) and take charge of your health today!

1. Enhanced Mobility and Flexibility

As we get older, our muscles and joints naturally become less flexible. Regular exercise, particularly stretching and strength training, helps maintain mobility, reducing the risk of falls and injuries.

2. Improved Heart Health

Cardiovascular diseases become more common as we age. Engaging in activities such as walking, cycling, or swimming helps improve circulation, lower blood pressure, and maintain a healthy heart.

3. Stronger Bones and Joints

Osteoporosis and arthritis are common concerns in older adults. Weight-bearing exercises like walking, jogging, or resistance training can strengthen bones and joints, reducing the risk of fractures and joint pain.

4. Mental Well-being and Cognitive Function

Exercise isn’t just for the body; it’s also great for the brain. Physical activity increases blood flow to the brain, which can help prevent cognitive decline and conditions like dementia. Additionally, endorphins released during exercise help reduce stress, anxiety, and depression.

5. Better Sleep Quality

Many older adults struggle with sleep disturbances. Regular physical activity can help regulate sleep patterns, leading to deeper and more restful sleep.

6. Weight Management and Metabolism Boost

As metabolism slows with age, maintaining a healthy weight can become challenging. Exercise helps boost metabolism, build muscle, and reduce excess fat, contributing to overall health and longevity.

7. Increased Social Interaction

Joining a fitness class, walking with friends, or participating in group sports provides social interaction, which is crucial for mental and emotional health as we age.

8. Greater Independence and Quality of Life

Maintaining fitness allows older adults to stay independent for longer, reducing reliance on assistance for daily activities and enhancing overall well-being.

Final Thoughts

Staying active as we age isn’t about pushing our limits; it’s about maintaining a lifestyle that keeps us mobile, healthy, and happy. Whether it’s a daily walk, yoga, strength training, or swimming, finding a physical activity that you enjoy can make all the difference. Start small, stay consistent, and enjoy the benefits of an active lifestyle at any age!

Today I started a virtual run to complete the Inca Trail.

Hiking the Inca Trail is an experience which should inspire excitement, invoke a little bit of fear, stoke jealousy amongst your friends, and stir a sense of wander in your soul.

One of the most popular things to do in South America – and one of the world’s most famous hikes – the Inca Trail is the sort of singular adventures for which we all travel. The hike itself, which brings you along ancient narrow paths deep into the Peruvian countryside and high into the Andean mountains, is gorgeous; perfect Incan ruins, cloud forest, and majestic valley views laid out like breadcrumbs along the way to perhaps the greatest end-point of any multi-day hike on earth, the iconic Machu Picchu.

The Inca Trail is a well-established and iconic 4-day, 3-night hike which leads travellers from km.82 (the start point 40 minutes outside the town of Ollantaytambo) all the way to Machu Picchu via its exclusive Sun Gate (also called Inti Punku).

The good news is that it’s a lot shorter than you may expect at only 40 kms (25 miles). The bad news? A significant chunk of that 40 kms is up steep, narrow Andean mountain paths at altitude.

The Incan Empire (which at its largest joined Peru, large parts of modern Ecuador, western and south central Bolivia, northwest Argentina, north and central Chile and a small part of southwest Colombia) created thousands of kilometres of trails to link its important settlements and centres of civilisation, but it is this specific 4 day route which is known as the one and only ‘classic Inca Trail’.

Do note that if you see a tour with fewer days offered, then you are only going to be hiking a small section of the route

• 1 scoop (30g) Protein pancake mix
• 1 egg
• 180ml milk of choice

Directions

1. Add all ingredients and whisk well.
2. Heat a small amount of oil in a frying plate.
3. Spoon one small ladle of pikelet mixture into the hot pan.
4. Cook until golden underneath.
5. Flip and repeat on the other side.
6. Continue cooking all mixture.
7. Serve with your choice of toppings. We chose berries and sugar-free maple syrup.

Preparation for this half was nowhere near as good as I would have hoped, my job kept me flying between Melbourne and Canberra and I did not have the luxury of being able to maintain my training regime. Long days, combined with plane travel meant that many of my scheduled training days either did not happen or were cut short. Long runs only happened within the last few weeks and I only managed one 18klm run prior to departing for NZ.

The same group that went to Queenstown in 2017, also decided to do the same run in Napier so we had lots of friends with us. We arrived in Napier a couple of days before the run and we only managed a short 5k run before the actual event. I felt a lot of anxiety as I felt that I had not completed enough training to run my best on the day.

The day of the half marathon

We all met first thing in the morning, slipping into our various groups of 10k, half, and full marathons. Kyle and I boarded the coach to the starting point of the half. It was a very cold morning with a temperature of 2 degrees. The grass was white with the morning dew and pealing of the layers of clothes getting ready for the run was very cold indeed.

Kyle ran with me throughout the run and he kept pushing me to maintain a solid pace. The first 10k went by and our pace was under 6-minute kilometers, or under an hour, and at this rate, we would finish the half in less than 2 hours, That was a big ask for me who had been training at a 6.10 pace. It is actually amazing how the pace can affect your overall performance.

At the 15k mark, I was starting to feel tired and our pace slowed down. And then at the 18k mark, I was toast and just wanted to walk, but Kyle was there and kept pushing me to continue to run. So we walked, ran, and finally crossed over the finish line.

I will give all kudos to Kyle for keeping me on track, although at times I could have just given up.

I finished the run at 2 hours 13 which was a personal best time.

There are many times in your life that you might want to have the help of a personal trainer, and doing aerobic exercise is certainly one of those times. This is a situation in which a personal trainer can really help you get the most out of your fitness goals and can really help you figure out where you should go next when it comes to working out.

It is very easy to find a trainer to help you with your aerobic exercise. The most important thing is that you are able to find a trainer that understands who you are and can help you be the best that you can be. There are many types of trainers that might fit this idea, so you have to be sure that you find one that really makes you feel comfortable. It might seem like a trainer that stresses you out would be good for your working out, but in the long run, you might end up getting more frustrated and you might not end up doing as well as you’d like to do.

The point of having a personal trainer is that you are really allowed to be yourself and to do the best that you can do on your own. This means that you have to be willing to work with the aid of a trainer, but when it comes down to it you have to be able to take care of yourself and get yourself in better shape. Your personal trainer must be someone who is going to encourage you but also someone who is going to be willing to let you be yourself and work at your own pace.

When you have a personal trainer for aerobic exercise, you can count on one thing—you are going to have motivation. Often, aerobic exercise is something that is easy to forget about and something that is easy to put on the back burner because of other things that come up. With your personal trainer, you’ll find that it is much harder to get out of working, so you are going to be more likely to get your workout done. As long as you can find a personal trainer that is willing to work with you and that is willing to work with any conditions that you might have, you will find that this can be most beneficial for you and you’ll be able to be very happy when it comes to the amount of work that you have done.

1 scoop (30g) Protein in Chocolate flavour
1 cup self raising flour
1/2 cup cacao
2 eggs
1/4 cup maple syrup
50g banana – mashed
1 teaspoon vanilla essence
1/2 cup soy or almond milk

For the white chocolate top:

1 scoop (30g) Protein in Vanilla flavour
1 cup self raising flour
1/4 cup almond butter
1/2 cup soy or almond milk
1 egg
1/4 cup melted coconut oil or butter
1/2 cup choc chips

Directions

Pre-heat the oven to 180 degrees Celsius and line a small baking tin with baking paper.
To make the dark chocolate base: Combine all dry ingredients in a bowl and slowly add the wet ingredients, stirring to form a thick batter.
Pour into the lined tin and set aside.
To make the white chocolate top: Place all ingredients except the chocolate chips in a food processor and blend until well combined. Fold in the chocolate chips.
Spread over the dark chocolate base layer.
Place in the oven for 20-30 minutes or until set.
Allow to cool before removing from the tin and slicing into 12 squares.

1 serve Low Carb Vanilla Cupcake Mix
1 scoop (30g) Bulk Nutrients WPI, WPC, Protein Matrix in Vanilla
2 tablespoons Oil
2 eggs
6 tablespoons Greek yogurt
Zest and juice of 4 lemons
3/4 cup milk of choice

For the icing:

Sugar free icing mix

Directions

For the base: Pre-heat the oven to 180 degrees Celsius and line a cake tine with baking paper.
Place all base ingredients in a bowl and whisk until well combined.
Pour into lined cake tin and bake for 40 minutes or until cake is golden brown.
Remove from oven and allow to cool slightly before removing from the pan.
For the icing: We used Sugar Free Icing Mix. Make according to packet directions and spread over cool cake.

However, sometimes it is important to target more than one area when it comes to aerobics. You might want to work on something in particular. Often, people have parts of their bodies that they don’t like as much as others, and this can be very stressful. Most of the time, workouts seek to make your whole body stronger, and while this is important, if you have a problem area, you might feel like you want to work out it.

In order to target the abdomen while you are doing aerobics, it is important that you remember what the abdomen is and why it is important. It is not just your tummy area; this is a whole range of muscles that help you move and stretch in every piece of your daily routine. This is why targeting your abdomen during aerobics is very important.

When you are looking at targeting your abdomen, think first of repetitions. The best way to work on your abdomen is to add stretches into whatever you are doing aerobically. If you are walking or running in place, you should be stretching your body and stretching from side to side as you move. You have to be sure that the movement you are making is coming form you abdomen, however. It is all too easy to move your arms and legs and think that you are stretching your abdomen.

Another great thing that you can do while you are doing your aerobics is to kneel down and to then use your abdomen muscles to move up and down into different positions. Remember that you have to keep doing repetitions at a high enough rate of speed to keep your heart rate up. The more that you move, the better in shape you are going to get. This is a great way to target your abdomen. Again though make sure that the movements are coming from your tummy area.

Don’t think that you have to start at the top right away. Advanced aerobics can be something that you have to work up to. This includes running in place and doing a series of movements that you might find very intimidating to start with. And also, it isn’t safe to start anywhere other than as a beginner, because you might hurt yourself and you also might run into problems. Therefore, you have to start form the beginning if you want to be able to get the most benefit from your routine.

Beginning aerobics are very easy and they are something that you can do even from home. The point is to get your blood flowing, so beginning aerobics using start with walking in place and moving your arms and legs in order to get your heart rate up. Then, you gradually proceed to doing more and more movements and to doing them faster.

A great thing to do for beginning aerobics is to start by walking or jogging in place. You can then start moving your arms up and down. The point of aerobics is to get your heart going, and the best way to do this is to keep on doing movements, like jumping jacks, for as many repetitions as you can do. This is the best way for you to start with aerobic training, because you are able to work your way up from nothing and really get in good shape as you do this.

Something else that you should keep in mind is that aerobics often work better to music. The way that it works is that you can use the music to keep your tempo and to keep your working hard. You can also time your exercises to music – you can do one set for an entire song, for instance. Music can be your motivator and it can help you keep working out.