What if we are not so healthy can we improve muscle strength?

The idea that we can add muscle to our body as we get older goes against the usual trend of muscle decline that starts somewhere in our mid thirties and for sure for most of us by age 40. Any exercise will slow the decline and may serve us well into our 70’s. 

To gain muscle, particularly where we need muscle as we age, we have to work at it.

 NCOA recommends

• Moderate exercise for at least 30 minutes five days a week.
• Muscle-strengthening activities for two or more days a week that work all major muscle groups.

There are different ideas on this and several workouts for seniors. Senior workouts provide ways to adopt exercises to match your abilities. Doing movements correctly and safely are a priority. If you are going from the couch (sedimentary) to a workout first check in with your doctor and physical therapist. Check out local gyms and YMCAs for programs for senior citizens. Many people who try these resources get hooked. The support they offer can be your cup of tea.

There are many workouts you can do it home as you check it out on the Internet look for ideas that fit seniors. I use body resistance, tube resistance, TRX and dumbbells. 

What can we expect as we age how we can slow down muscle loss or even add muscle loss? Is it possible to be elderly, sedimentary, unfit and improve our cardiovascular, strength, and flexibility health? Can we do these things in a recovery of sickness and ongoing conditions like heart disease, diabetes, cancer? 

There isn't just one goal of fitness that we may be dealing with.

For example, if we are dealing with cancer we may be looking at the Fitness goals that help our immune system, improve our dealing with chemo. With heart disease we may have a lot of limitations and we have to work with our doctors recommendations. The goal of improving our fitness has a health context that is very individual. 

As we age many times recovery is possible. 

Case study - I read a story in the LA Times How I got my 89-year-old dad to crush it in the gym

Norm Wallack improves 1
min. to 4 min on elliptical

Norm Wallack put the question “Is it every to late to get into shape?” to the test. Norm went to Cosco’s once a week and spent the rest of the week with remote in hand on his favorite recliner. Many of us can relate to that. We are kings and queens of the remote. 

Norm’s son Roy set out to get his father to workout. He sought the advise of Robert Forster a physical therapist for seniors who said “movement is the best medicine”. Also, “No matter your age, exercise can cause significant muscle and cardiovascular remodeling in just three weeks. The trick is making the 

exercise habit stick — and for that, you need more time.”

Norm was took the VO2 Max test, the maximum amount of oxygen taking in. In a Tour De France bike racer the average is 85-to-90 milliliter per minute, The average fit man has 50+, sedimentary 35 to 40, One study showed inactive men 80 and older 21. Since Norm is 89 one would expect him to be on the lower end, which he was at 12.

Norm did not like the program at all until the seventh week when admitted he was getting stronger. 

THE RESULTS cited

Eight weeks after Dad began, Wellness FX did another blood analysis. The dramatic results: 

--His A1C — the three-month average of blood sugar levels — had dropped from 6.8 to 5.6. He was no longer in the diabetic danger zone. Improved 15%

--His VO2 Max rose from 12 to 14.2 — a 19% jump. 

--His heart was stronger. When he started, his heart rate hit 105 bpm after just one minute of exercise. Eight weeks later, it was 94 bpm, a sign of improving cardio fitness. 11% improvement

--His endurance more than doubled. When he started, he lasted just three minutes at Level 1 on the elliptical. Eight weeks later, he lasted six minutes at Level 4. 

--9-pound weight loss. His BMI dropped from 26.6 to 25.2. 5%

In this case study muscle mass was not measured, but the all important was the heart was stronger and he could do more with increased resistance. 

This is consistent with other studies I have seen as well as my own progress. Exercise when you are older takes longer to make improvements. Progress is slower than when we were younger. But progress can be made. Here we are looking at a reluctant 89 year old. 

I would predict different results with each one of us. Where are we today? What health problems do we face? Even our goals could be different. More and more I see it possible to add muscle as we age, but we have to make it part of our retirement and make fitness habitual. Keep walking

Sources: https://www.ncoa.org/center-for-healthy-aging/basics-of-evidence-based-programs/physical-activity-programs-for-older-adults/

 https://www.latimes.com/health/la-he-the-resuscitation-of-my-89-year-old-dad-20190216-story.html

Adding to the fat man exercises to help build up muscles for safe walking. Our kids need exercise.

There has always been a notable difference between my stronger left leg in a weaker right one. While it seems my upper legs can gain strength comparable to anybody, my lower legs do not. My observations have been when you have physical disabilities that impair movement or strength, progress is slow. There are two reasons why I don't give up:

1. If I quit my exercises, even though I do not have a lot of gains; I will quickly lose what I have.
2. If I quit I will automatically start to increase pain. My experience and many that I talk to report that our muscles are already constantly contracting with CP. If we quit flexibility, strength movements our muscles will increase tightening up and greater pain will result. Next time you see a person with cerebral palsy, realize that person lives with pain every day. The more severe of the disability is the more severe the pain. They will probably never tell you about it. Let's build our compassion!😘

It is a simple formula movement + flexibility = less pain. Since I am a sissy and hate pain, movement + flexibility = less pain and less need of pain pills. Physical therapy like a book are my best friends. Physically handicapped children should earn school credit for their rehab. It should be factored into their P E programs. 
(Schools should offer one hour a day, 20 minutes instructing and doing different fitness ideas and 35 minutes of exercise involving play games such as soccer and basketball and, pursuits such as rock climbing, back packing. We are not for the moment going to be be getting rid of our bus programs and we are less likely to have adults outside forcing perverts back into hiding like trolls so that more kids would be safe, so we better increase recess and PE or pay a big price in health later. The growth in our brains from exercise is undeniable. This growth and health of the brain will improve learning with increased oxygen and circulation. For the most part in over 30 years of observation the last hour of school should be replaced with workouts, games, music, art and social interaction completely free from electronic devices. Mentally the kids and most teachers are spent any ways. If our kids do not move one hour day, we will pay the price. 
We cannot go back to the old days when I used to shovel 5 miles to get to school 😲. OK I'm exaggerating, it was only one mile of shoveling and it may not have been snow.)
What are the things I try to do when I am confronted new problems  is to pick up some rehab tips. Two moves I picked up to improve walking without falling.
 To strengthen my ability to pick up my legs and prevent falls I learned two exercises I can do on the bed. 

 Each of these exercises and be done with  The  Opposite leg the knee bent.

 

With opposite knee bent lift leg a few inches and move sideways. Keep walking

Using walking sticks

The fat man is still walking. Went for a walk today at West Park walking from Disc golf cage to the next over unloved ground, small inclines putting to used walking poles I had. They worked perfectly giving me a sense of balance. The poles helped me keep my head up and good posture making the walk more normal. Having cerebral palsy it is hard for me to put into words the sense of balance is to walking. The days of walking and falling are over, at least without me taking more care. The poles are better than a cane. 
Keep walking

Henry Hawk 77 isn't done but he shows us how to finish well

Henry Hawk working with Robert

I know a lot of people have negative ideas about the Internet. And there are a lot of bad ideas, but I have to tell you that I really enjoy surfing the net for health, news, travel, things of interest, other people's experiences and a lot of times there's the untold story of someone doing good. Such is the case with the story of Henry Hawk A 77-year-old fitness instructor from Arkansas. From the article Henry has a fitness routine that keeps him fit and he teacher two classes to help others in their fitness. As you can see from the picture Henry practices what he preaches. 

He has goals for himself as he gets into his 80s. He doesn't consider himself old. 

For me the story stands out with Henry how he helps others who would have had any spinal injuries where they have difficulty moving. There is a short movie called true athlete about a rising star Lucas Verzbicas. There was a patient that Henry work with name Robert in the film who was a quadriplegic. With the injury it was recommended that they would let them die. Henry has worked with him and he's made progress. 

http://www.outsideonline.com/fitness/bodywork/in-stride/The-Unlikely-Athlete-Changing-Lives.html

Another story was of the lady Emma Jean Smith A bright lady in her 60s who could barely get out of her wheelchair with assistance he used a technique of negative resistance where two people would hold a weight adapting what could move by Emma with as the weights she could.  The weight was brought down and not lifting weight up. Within two years Emma could walk unassisted between two tables. 

The people here are real people who experienced slow progress but here it is active man is trying to help them in their recoveries. I know firsthand how much rehab can help us with our injuries. We should never give up and we should seek the best help possible. If we are outside professional help because the inability to get insurance or pay the cost then we should be doing our best to check out ideas that we can do. Of course we all need to follow some medical opinion but if we can move it's a better alternative. 

To me Henry Hawk is a brilliant example of finishing well. Walking with the fat man by the very principal involves a philosophy of continually working on ourselves even in retirement. We can save the rocking chair until after we are gone. As your read Henry’s story part of his day is committed to fitness. The matter who we are there's always something that we can modify that gets us moving in keeps is healthy. There's not one idea here but many. Thanks Henry for your story and example, keep walking! 

(Strength training for us or older has real positive results when we consider modifications and building ourselves up. We can see progress of how we've gotten stronger. Modified push-ups off the countertop, Wall, stairs; squints where we put her back against the wall, put two hands lightly on the counter look straight ahead with your back straight and squat, stand up from a chair or bed are great way to do squats; lunges assisted again by our friendly counter can really build up the muscles to get off the floor; in some type of core exercise to strengthen your abs and lower back are four types of movement that really help us.)