By Dr. Mercola
Whether you've never exercised before or have simply fallen off
track, it's never too late to renew your commitment to physical
activity. Even if you're well into your senior years, you still have
time to begin, as long as you're still breathing.
Sometimes seeing the accomplishments of others can serve as a healthy
dose of inspiration to get us going — if one person can do it, many
others, including you, can probably do it as well.
For this reason, I've included a number of inspirational stories in
this article; people who are still performing at high levels
athletically, even though they're well into their Golden Years.
Some started late in the game, yet their accomplishments show just
how much you can improve, if only you begin right where you are. I've
also included tips and guidelines for the very old and infirm. In the
video above, my mom demonstrates seven basic seated and standing balance
exercises for frail seniors.
You can read through the instructions for these exercises in my previous article, "Basic Exercise Guide for Older Seniors and the Infirm."
Improving your balance and coordination can go a long way towards
reducing your risk of falling, which is the most common cause of hip
fractures and traumatic brain injuries among seniors.
Consider a Professional Trainer
If you're just starting out, consult with a personal fitness trainer
who can instruct you about proper form and technique. They can also help
you develop a plan based on your unique fitness goals and one that is
safe for any medical conditions you may have.
If you're elderly or infirm, and decide to try some exercises at home,
be sure to have a "spotter" next to you in case you lose your balance.
Start slowly and gradually increase your intensity while listening to
your body. Be sure to give your body ample time for recovery, as well
as the proper nourishment to help build your muscles. Amino acids are
extremely important as they form the building blocks for muscle. Leucine
is a particularly potent stimulus for muscle growth. However, avoid
amino acid isolates of leucine. In its free form, it's been shown to
contribute to insulin resistance and may lead to muscle wasting. It's
far better to get leucine from whole foods; the best source is a
high-quality whey protein.
Also please be careful when using leucine or branched chain amino
acid supplements unless your goal is professional body building. I
strongly believe they should be limited to two or three times a week at
most, as they will activate mTOR and increase your risk for disease if
used chronically.
Older Adults Have Much to Gain From Strength Training
My mother began strength training at the age of 74 and three years
later, she'd gained significant improvements in strength, range of
motion, balance, bone density and mental clarity. In the video above,
which was taped in 2011, she demonstrates her own strength training
routine.
It's important to realize that without weight training, your muscles
will atrophy and lose mass. Age-related loss of muscle mass is known as
sarcopenia, and if you don't do anything to stop it you can expect to
lose about 15 percent of your muscle mass between your 30s and your 80s.1 Other benefits of weight training include:
Improved walking ability: After 12 weeks of weight
training, seniors aged 65 and over improved leg strength and endurance,
and were able to walk nearly 40 percent farther without resting.2
Improved ability to perform daily tasks: After 16
weeks of "total body" weight training, women aged 60 to 77 years
substantially increased their strength, improved their walking velocity
and their ability to carry out daily tasks, such as rising from a chair
and carrying groceries.3
Relief from joint pain: Weight training strengthens
the muscles, tendons and ligaments around your joints, which takes
stress off the joint and helps ease pain. It can also help increase your
range of motion.4
Improved blood sugar control: Weight training helps to control blood sugar levels in people with type 2 diabetes.5
It can also reduce your type 2 diabetes risk; strength training for at
least 150 minutes a week lowered diabetes risk by 34 percent compared to
being sedentary.6
Improved brain health and slowed brain aging:
Strength training also increases your body's production of growth
factors, which are responsible for cellular growth, proliferation and
differentiation. Some of these growth factors also promote the growth,
differentiation and survival of neurons, which helps explain why working
your muscles also benefits your brain and helps prevent dementia.
A Shot of Inspiration — 77-Year-Old Powerlifter
While muscle loss is inevitable, unless you do something to
counteract it, it's never too late to begin. In one study, a group of
nursing home residents with an average age of 90 improved their strength
between 167 and 180 percent after just eight weeks of weight training.7
Willie Murphy, featured in the video above, taped in 2014, began
weight lifting at age 73. Four years later, at 77, she was able to deadlift 215 pounds — more than twice her own weight (105 pounds). She can also powercurl 60 pounds.
Needless to say, she carries her grand-children and groceries with
ease, and has no problem shoveling her own snow and pushing her car when
it gets stuck. These are all quality of life issues that you may not
fully appreciate until or unless you lose them. Murphy, however,
recognizes the value of being able to accomplish these everyday tasks,
and views her powerlifting regimen as life-affirming.
78-Year-Old Pensioner Becomes Oldest Black Belt in UK
Last year, then-78-year-old Phyllis Rowley earned her 1st Dan Black
Belt in karate. A retired clerk in Dudley, U.K., Rowley took up karate
at the age of about 72, as a chance to get more active and learn a bit
of self-defense in the process. In six short years, she worked her way
through the belt ranks. She's expecting to complete her 2nd Dan Black
Belt next year. In an interview last year, Rowley said:8
"It's the best thing I've ever done and I absolutely
love it! I attend three to four classes every week and it's got to the
point where it has now become a way of life. I never expected it to go
this far. But I feel much safer and have no problems going out at night
on my own … It certainly beats sitting around moping about, or watching
TV all day and so I'd encourage everyone my age and older to get active
and take up self-defense too."
Tai Chi Is Ideal for Elderly With Chronic Health Problems
A gentler form of martial arts that is suitable for everyone, including the very old and frail, is Tai Chi,
a branch of Qigong. Often described as "moving meditation," the
activity takes your body through a specific set of slow, gentle and
graceful movements. It's very low impact, making it easy on your body,
yet it provides many well-documented health benefits.
Studies have shown that Tai Chi stimulates your central nervous
system, lowers blood pressure, relieves stress, tones muscles and helps
with digestion and waste elimination. Plus, according to traditional
Chinese medicine (TCM), Tai Chi helps to channel chi, or intrinsic
energy, through your body's energy meridians, helping you maintain good
health. According to the National Center for Complementary and
Integrative Health (NCCIH), health benefits associated with Tai Chi
include:9
Improvements in physical condition, muscle strength, coordination and flexibility
Improvements in pain and stiffness, including arthritis pain
Improved balance and mobility
Improved sleep and overall wellness
Reduced risk of falls, particularly in the elderly
Enhanced immune function
86-Year-Old Nun and Ironman Triathlete Inspires a New Generation of Athletes
Sister Madonna Buder is an 86-year-old Ironman triathlete who began running at the age of about 47. Buder told People Magazine:10"There was a point where I did not want to see a pair of running shoes, then triathlon came in. That was the salvation."
Buder has now become a face of Nike, featuring in one of the
company's "Unlimited Youth" ads. She's the oldest woman ever to complete
an Ironman triathlon, earning herself the nickname "The Iron Nun." It's
a well-earned name indeed. The race includes a 2.4-mile swim, a
112-mile bike ride and a 26.2-mile run, and she's done 45 them! Her Nike
ad (above) has more than 2.4 million views on YouTube. No doubt she's
making a lot of people question: "What's my excuse?"
93-Year-Old WWII Vet Runs Across US
CBS News recently featured Ernie Andrus; a 93-year-old WWII veteran who
just finished a three-year-long, 3,000-mile run across the United
States, starting at the Pacific Ocean in San Diego and finishing at the
beach of Saint Simons Island in Georgia.11 What gave him that idea, you might ask?
"It's all for one purpose," CBS explains. "'I
want people to know what the war was all about and what it took to win
it,' Ernie explained. Specifically, the old Navy man was running to
raise awareness for an unsung hero of World War II — a ship he served on
called an LST, or landing ship tank. It's how the allies got heavy
equipment onto beaches."
Along the way, Andrus gathered a slew of fellow runners who ran
various distances along with him. When he reached St. Simons Island,
hundreds of people had gathered from around the country to complete the
final distance by his side.
The 98-Year-Old Yogi
Now 98, Tao Porchon-Lynch is recognized as the world's oldest yoga
teacher by the Guinness Book of World Records. (In the 2014 interview
above, she was 96.) Born in 1918, she has been a practicing yoga
instructor for the past 58 years.
As recently reported by Newsweek:12
"Porchon-Lynch exudes the type of vitality most would be amazed
to see from anyone in their upper 'senior' years, much less someone in
their late 90s. Her voice is steady and clear, and she's exuberant and
animated, often gesturing with her hands as she peppers conversations
with relevant anecdotes.
It's no surprise she chooses not to subscribe to the
standard notion of aging. 'There is too much publicity in the world on
people getting old,' she says regarding the expectation that old age
comes with leading a limited life. 'To me, it's exactly the contrary. I
look for the next adventure and truly believe there is nothing you
cannot do.'"
At 85, Porchon-Lynch also took up ballroom dancing, putting men
decades younger than she through their paces. Her advice for a long and
happy life? "Don't procrastinate; don't say 'I'll do it tomorrow.'
Tomorrow never comes."
Yoga Is a Gentle Exercise Suitable for the Elderly
Like Tai Chi or Qigong, yoga
is a gentle form of exercise that can benefit a number of common health
problems. It's particularly useful for promoting flexibility and core
muscle strength, and has been proven beneficial if you suffer with back
pain. Yoga can also help you turn your health around if you're too
overweight to engage in more strenuous types of exercise.
People with heart problems may also want to consider yoga, as it's been
shown to have a beneficial impact on the heart. One 2013 study found
that taking a yoga class at least twice a week for three months reduced
symptoms associated with atrial fibrillation13 (irregular heartbeat) by half.
(This condition is typically treated with beta blockers, but these
drugs don't work for all patients and come with a slew of side effects,
including heart attack and stroke, type 2 diabetes and sexual
dysfunction, just to name a few.)
The participants also reported feeling less anxiety and depression.
Anxiety scores fell from an average of 34 (on a scale of 20 to 80) to an
average of 25. Yoga may also help stave off cognitive decline,
according to a recent study of older adults with early warning signs of
waning memory. Other studies have demonstrated that regular yoga
practice can impart a number of different physical, mental and emotional
benefits, including the following:14,15,16,17
Improved immune function
Improved sleep
Reduced risk for migraines
Lowered risk of hypertension and heart disease
Lowered cortisol (stress hormone) level by down regulating
hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis and calming sympathetic
nervous system
Improved sexual performance and satisfaction in both sexes
There's a Suitable Form of Exercise for Everyone
So, do you feel inspired yet? I hope so! All of these examples
demonstrate that you can do just about anything you set your mind to —
even if you get a very late start in life. So make the decision to take
action NOW. As Porchon-Lynch says, "Don't procrastinate!" Visit a gym
and speak to a trainer, or sign up for a class that appeals to you.
If you're very old and frail, or severely obese, you can start with seated exercises as described in my previous articles, "Basic Exercise Guide for Older Seniors and the Infirm" and"Seated Aerobic and Strength Training Exercises for Those with Limited Mobility." After that, you can move on to "Easy Strength Training Moves for Seniors."
Remember, walking
is always an option, and it costs you nothing. As a general rule, I
recommend walking about 10,000 steps a day over and above your regular
fitness routine, but it can also be a great place to start if you're
currently inactive. As you progress, consider incorporating some form of
strength training and high-intensity interval training (HIIT) to really optimize your health and fitness.
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