Why Strength Training is great for the Elderly

   Most of you have heard about the Elderly slipping or tripping


 then falling more often than most people,not the broken hip 


causing the fall but just a mild slip or imbalance followed by the 


fall.


   As we age and start moving slower and lifting lighter and light 


items, we start using less of our Fast Twitch muscle fibers and 


more Slow Twitch muscle fibers. Fast Twitch muscle fibers are the 


type of fibers that have a high output of force and velocity but 


very low endurance. Slow Twitch have a low force production but 


higher endurance.

   What happens with aging is that these Fast Twitch fibers are 


not needed as much anymore so the body starts to break down the 


nerve pathways and "Atrophy" or shrink the Fast Twitch fibers, 


making them "dusty" and less responsive. When the Elderly person 


slips, their Fast Twitch Muscle fibers don't fire like they use 


to, this situation happens faster than the person could 


consciously respond in order to prevent the fall, that would be 


whats called a "Central Nervous System" response.


    In young individuals this is normally an "Autonomic Nervous 


System" or Automatic response/reflex,something you don't have to 


think about, your body reacts to catch you. Exercises like Yoga, 


Pilates and Stretching only serve to compound this state in the 


Elderly. 


   The best plan for older folks is to do Strength training, lift 


weights,  just a moderate poundage, or jump rope if possible, and 


at the very least,get one of those small exercise trampolines and 


have the Elderly gently bounce up and down on it to stimulate 


their Fast Twitch fibers, if they are unable to even do this, 


balancing on one leg, balancing on a "Bosu" ball or any balance 


training will help rebuild those Neural Pathways  to the Fast 


Twitch Fibers and the next time they trip or slip their body will 


react "Autonomically" and help to prevent them from falling 


anymore. 


Stay Strong, Nick.