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Monday To Thursday
5:30am to
10pm
Friday
5:30am to 9pm
Saturday
8am to
5pm
Sunday
8am to 1pm |
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| Where Fitness, Fun and
Friendship Merge |
305 Second Avenue
Collegeville,
PA
610-489-8855
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week free trial membership |
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Senior Citizens
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"Use It or Lose It"
Between
ages twenty-five and thirty, our physical attributes begin to
decline. This is a normal part of the aging
process.
This is why you won't see a 65 year old
marathon runner in the Olympics. With age, the speed that we
run, cycle, swim, row, etc. slows and our strength diminishes.
That's the bad news, the good news is you can control, to a
significant degree, the rate of this decline. How ?
You guessed it, through exercise - remember, "Use It
or Lose It." The idea here is not so much to live longer, but
to extend middle age. Thirty to forty-five minutes of exercise
four times per week would do wonders to your physical
condition.
You can forestall the onset of old age and
extend middle age by a combination of exercise (cardio,
strength training and flexibility exercises), eating right
(that means, at the very least, no pepperoni pizzas at
midnight) and proper sleep. As I am, John Kieffer, 85, of
Jenkintown is a member of Fairmount Rowing Association on
Boathouse Row. John has been rowing on the Schuylkill since
1935 and continues to row about three times per
week.
In 2003, he won two first places (8 oared shell
and a quad) in age specific competition in the Masters World
Championships in Prague. He was 83 ; the average age of the
oarsmen in the eight oared shell was 75.
Rowing,
particularly competitive rowing at any level, requires
technique, strength and endurance.
John certainly has
mastered the sport of rowing and perhaps, more importantly,
has extended middle age and attained a very desirable quality
of life due to his rowing exercise routine.
Although I
realize not every senior will be able to accomplish what John
has in their senior years, it is important to recognize that
by challenging yourself through exercise, you can do wonders
for your body, your self image and restore that zest for life
that may have diminished in recent years.
Regardless
of age, if you don't exercise, you'll become less fit in terms
of strength, flexibility and cardiovascular
endurance.
Also, you will settle into a slower body
metabolism and your quality of life will be negatively
affected. For seniors this is no prescription for "extending
middle age."
Regarding strength training, I am often
asked how many reps, how sets to do. Seniors - just "do it."
The amount of reps and sets is much less important
than just getting started, and doing something.
But,
to answer the question, upper body (arms) - 1 or 2 sets of
between 8 and 12 reps. When this becomes too easy and not
challenging enough, increase the weight. Lower body (legs) - 1
or 2 sets of between 12 and 15 reps, when this becomes too
easy, increase the weight.
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| 305 Second Avenue,
Collegeville, PA. 610-489-8855 |
| Copyright (c) 2006. Body
Transit Fitness Center. All rights
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