Slow the Effects of Aging

Part 2: Strengthening

It is our duty… to resist old age, to compensate for its defects, to fight against it as we would fight a disease; to adopt a regimen of health; to practice moderate exercise; and to take just enough food and drink to restore our strength.’” - Cicero 44 BC

As we advance in age, we begin to lose skeletal muscle strength and muscle mass. In the second part of Coach Amy’s Secrets to Combating the Effects of Aging on our Musculoskeletal System series, she addresses how you can combat the loss of muscle strength and mass with resistance exercise training. Let’s start by understanding what happens to our muscles and then dive into Coach Amy’s recommendations for slowing the effects of aging on your muscles with strengthening.

The Impact of Aging on Our Muscles

Sarcopenia - a loss of muscle mass

The combination of Sarcopenia and loss of muscle strength leads to significantly reduced physical performance and function. This loss of performance and function can lead to a vicious cycle of decline, as discussed in our article: The Secrets to Combating the Effects of Aging on our Musculoskeletal System.

Sarcopenia will affect over 200 million people in the next 40 years.

Sarcopenia is caused by a number of factors, including increased inflammation and a decline in the number of neuromuscular junctions. The good news is that we can control both of these factors. For information on minimizing and controlling inflammation, check out our articles on inflammation and aging/dry needling.

Neuromuscular junctions - the point where a nerve cell abuts a muscle cell and sends it a chemical message to contract, allowing the muscle to function.

Muscle strength and mass involve neuromuscular junctions. Muscles have many junctions. Imagine a room full of lamps, each with electrical cords that transmit electricity. Now picture that room is a biceps muscle, the electrical cords are the nerve fibers and each lamp represents the many muscle fibers of the biceps. As we cut the electrical cords, the room becomes dimmer, just like the loss of junctions causes the biceps muscle to weaken. 

We need the neuromuscular junctions not only to move the skeleton but also to maintain muscle tone and prevent the muscles from atrophy. How do we slow or stop the loss of these junctions? How do we gain more of them?

The answer is…progressive resistance exercise training (RET).

Progressive Resistance Exercise Training

RET often conjures up images of a 1980’s Arnold Schwarzenegger, but resistance does not have to come in the form of enormous barbells and snatches. Resistance can involve gravity, body weight, resistance bands, a jug of milk, elevation such as hills, the tension on a bike, and even water!

To get the most benefit from RET, it should involve multiple muscle groups at one time and use large muscle groups.  For example, hiking up a gravel hill is more beneficial than picking up marbles with your toes. Both work the intrinsic muscles of the foot but only the repeats on the gravel trail use many large muscle groups. 

For the best outcome and to prevent injury, Coach Amy recommends mixing up your routine. Choose options that you enjoy and that keep you motivated and consistent. Make changes once per month to progress either intensity, frequency, or duration and alter the types of exercises in order to reap continued benefits. If you keep doing the same thing over and over again without changing or progressing, the body will adapt and no longer create new muscle mass or junctions. 

Do Your Homework

Before starting any exercise routine, follow these tips:

• Seek out coaches, personal trainers, and class instructors with superior credentials. They should hold a bachelor’s degree (or higher) in exercise science and/or certification from the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) or the National Strength and Conditioning Association (NSCA).

• Check with your doctor before starting a new exercise routine.

• Those with special medical considerations such as osteoporosis, joint replacement, and osteoarthritis should seek out a physical therapist for assistance when beginning a program. 

• If you are over age 65, check out The Exercise And Screening for You (EASY) survey, a tool that helps provide guidance on appropriate exercise programs. 

Examples of Resistance Exercise Activities  

Try these resistance exercise activities:

• Pilates with reformer/weights/bands and body weight 

• Power yoga weights/bands and body weight 

• Cycling* with tension - high-intensity interval training or hills 

• Swimming*, especially with drills for strength (advanced with paddles) 

• Water aerobics*/water walking with resistance equipment such as paddles 

• Hiking on hills/grades/stairs 

  * includes both resistance and cardiovascular exercise

Fight the impacts of aging with a double whammy by combining resistance with your cardiovascular exercise. Check out our upcoming article on how cardiovascular exercise slows aging.

RET is particularly effective for slowing the age-related loss of skeletal muscle mass and strength. It can be fun and rewarding. It is never too early to start preventing age-related decline in muscle strength and mass. Developing a habit early and while young has benefits now and later! 

Subscribe to our blog to catch the next post in our Secrets to Combating the Effects of Aging on Our Musculoskeletal System series in which we focus on the impact of cardiovascular training on slowing aging.