A Fitness Trainer Perspective – Sarcopenia Part 3

In Parts One and Two about sarcopenia, we discussed the basics of how doing resistance exercises and eating adequate protein are the keys to limiting or reversing age-related muscle loss that starts in our 30’s.  

Here is my proactive strategic approach to maintaining healthy strong muscle mass. The earlier you start your resistance training, the less you’ll need to react to muscle loss when you are older. So no matter what your age is, you are younger NOW than you will be a year from now, so let’s get started :-))

If your goal is to increase bone & muscle density with better balance and endurance, then you need to have a well rounded consistent resistance training program. Start simple and build confidence.  Then add more movements and repetitions.

The body, is a great machine, designed for building strength, bone & muscle density. The more we work it, the more resilient it becomes.

I believe the best action to slow, stop or reverse sarcopenia is 2-4 days per week of moderate total body resistance training. The rest of this article will focus on your proactive approach to work out at home with your body weight to grow your muscles. See the photos and video below for guidance. You may find over time that you will need more resistance than your body alone.  At that time, you can invest in some home dumbbells, bands, etc. or join a local gym or community center.  I also advise seeking out a seasoned fitness professional for guidance as needed.

Tips that help Prevent Injuries:

• Rule #1  A good warmup helps circulation to allow your joints to move better and muscles to fire better.  Try taking a walk or using cardio equipment. Side stepping is also helpful. 5-15 minutes is sufficient.
• Rule #2  No Strain and No Pain! 
• Rule #3  Maximize the benefit by doing every repetition with excellence. Do every repetition as though its the only one your doing.
• Important Coaching Cue! Use your core/ab/posture muscles with all your exercises to protect your back and neck. 

The BodyWeight Workout Plan:

1. Push-ups – Small movements to start.  Work your way toward the floor as you get stronger.  Close vs wide hand positions changes the muscles that are engaged.
2. Straight Leg Raise, seated or lying on your back
3. Butt Bridges/ Hip Lifts – start by having both feet on the ground; progress to 1 leg when you can keep your hips parallel to the ground.
4. Planks – on forearms or hands
5. 2 leg Squats 
6. Lateral Lunges
7. Calf Raises (Heel Lifts)
8. Split Squats
9. Stairwell Side Step Ups

* 8-15 repetitions per exercise

* 1-3 sets of each group of exercises

• 2-5 days a week – but skip a day before working the same muscle group

Every 2-3 weeks you should be able to progress by doing more reps, resting less between sets or by adding resistances.  You should be able to do about 14 repetitions of an exercise before increasing the weight you’re using.

Remember: Fitness should be Fun, Play some great music that gets you pumped up  :-))

Troy

[email protected]

troystotaltraining.com

Enjoy your workout and building strength! Contact us with questions or comments.