If you are a 60-year-old man, you probably know that age-related decreases in muscle mass and bone mineral density will affect you. These developments not only make daily tasks difficult, but they also increase the risk of falling and sustaining a debilitating bone fracture. However, older individuals adapt well to weight training, provided they use proper form and progress gradually. Weight training for a 60-year-old man should focus on improving strength and balance with exercises that mimic everyday activities, while allowing for sufficient recovery and proper nutrition between sessions.
Functional Exercises
Functional exercises --- ones that mimic everyday activities such as climbing stairs, carrying heavy objects and rising from a chair --- are particularly effective because they strengthen the large muscle groups and involve using your core for overall stability. Functional exercises suitable for novice weight training include step-ups onto a small step or slowly sitting and standing from a chair. For these exercises, focus on keeping your torso perpendicular to the ground and centering your body weight on the heel of your weight-bearing foot. Once you can do these exercises without assistance and with proper form, you can do them while holding dumbbells.
Frequency
As a 60-year-old, your muscles and joints do not recover from a hard workout as quickly as someone half your age. Resting for two or three days between your weight training sessions and gradually increasing the weight load, number of exercises and number of sets per exercise minimizes the risk of overuse injuries. A novice can start with two weight training sessions per week. Each session should include six to eight exercises that focus on large muscle groups: quads, hamstrings, glutes, abdominals, chest and the back. Do one or two sets of 8 to 12 repetitions in the beginning, progressing to three sets as fitness increases.
Nutrition
A balanced diet with adequate protein, carbohydrates and calcium is also critical to building muscle mass and minimizing bone loss. Because seniors have lower levels of muscle- and bone-building hormones, such as testosterone, good nutrition is especially important. Adequate dietary protein intake increases the synthesis of muscle proteins and reduces muscle breakdown, while good carbohydrates provide energy for muscle building. Sufficient calcium helps maintain bone mineral density.
Considerations
Senior men and women should consult a doctor before beginning any training program, particularly if you have preexisting health conditions. If you are new to weight training, consider consulting a fitness trainer who works with seniors or joining a gym that caters to the needs of senior citizens.
References
- "Essentials of Strength Training and Conditioning, 2nd Edition", Thomas R. Baechle and Roger W. Earle, 2000
- "Journal of Applied Physiology"; Nutritional modulation of training-induced skeletal muscle adaptations; J.A. Hawley et al, March 2011
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