You probably think your 50’s, 60’s & 70’s are for taking walks and getting exercise by playing tennis or golf, right? You might think that weight lifting is for younger people or athletes training for a specific sport, right?
What would you say if I told you that mature muscles actually respond as well or better to weight lifting as young muscles? What if I told you that I have seen clients literally age in reverse? Read on to learn why lifting is 
the most powerful tool you have in your anti-aging arsenal.
As we age, we naturally lose lean muscle tissue. In fact, after the age of 30, we lose 10% of our lean tissue every decade through the natural aging process. By the age of 70, most of us will have lost 40%-50% of our lean muscle mass! The only way to stave off this dismal future is by working our muscles. Since most of us don’t do heavy manual labor, systematic lifting of weights becomes the most obvious choice. By continuing to demand that our muscles work for us, the body responds with a supply of healthy, new muscle tissue. By demanding that the skeleton bear weight, the body sends a signal to supply more bone density. Maintaining lean muscle mass should be a crucial element in your overall fitness plan.
Working with people in their 50’s, 60’s & 70’s has been an unexpected joy for me. I have seen the quality of life improve for my clients over and over again. They take fewer falls, they feel stronger and more confident and yes, they even get beautiful sculpted bodies! Susan had a hip replacement 5 years before coming to me in which her leg ended up 2” longer on one side! She walked like Quasimodo and had terrible back problems because of it. After several months of weight training, she was walking in a much more normal way, her back pain had improved & she was able to take a Grand Canyon river rafting trip. She had always passed this trip up because the hike down to the river was too steep and treacherous for her. When she came back beaming with pride, and threw her arms around me saying she never could have done it without me, I knew that lifting weights could change lives.
A wonderful side benefit of keeping our muscles toned is an increased metabolism. A pound of muscle requires at least 50 calories a day to stay alive as opposed to a pound of fat, which requires almost nothing. By adding one pound of muscle to your body, you will increase your caloric output by at least 350 calories per week! Add 5 pounds of muscle to your body and you burn 1750 extra calories per week. This doesn’t mean gaining 5 pounds overall. Weight training will convert your useless flab into eye-popping FAB without adding overall weight to your body. You will lean down and lose inches as you sculpt your muscles and become a fat-burning machine. You will reverse yet another normal aging process: slowing of the metabolism.
Lastly, let’s talk about sculpting those muscles! Imagine wearing a tank top again! I have seen it happen. I work with a couple where the wife is 63 and the husband is 70. They are diligent in their training and work hard to eat a clean healthy diet and do regular cardio workouts as well. You would not believe the bodies on these 2! It proves the statement I made in the beginning of this article, “mature muscles actually respond as well or better to weight lifting as young muscles”. They prove the point that no matter what age you are, a sculpted body is not out of your reach.
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In our society, heavy manual labor is almost a thing of the past. But muscles were made to push weight and do work. When they don’t, they get soft and flabby. Adding 2 strength training sessions each week will help you achieve the body of your dreams. It will help you maintain your lean muscle mass, increase your metabolism & sculpt gorgeous muscles. Please consider adding this powerful tool to your fitness regimen.
Kim Hollenback owns a one-on-one fitness studio in the Village of Oak Creek
To learn more about her and her fitness plan visit solidrockfitness.com or call 928-301-0209