August 16, 2023
Madhura Mohan
Benefits Of Strength Training For Women Over 50
T
he importance of adopting a healthy lifestyle increases as women gracefully enter their 50s and beyond. Among the plethora of wellness choices available, strength training stands out as a brilliant source of empowerment. Contrary to what many people believe (as strength training is suitable only for bodybuilders), strength training has numerous advantages for women over 50, including improvements to their physical, mental, and emotional health.
If they haven't engaged in any physical activity, women in their early 50 may have less flexibility and mobility. According to studies, 30% of women over the age of 50 experience changes in their mobility, such as a decline in walking speed, difficulty getting out of a chair, climbing stairs, or moving heavy objects. The age-related loss of muscle mass and strength is a major factor in how your physical abilities decline as you age.
In this blog, we'll talk about how strength training benefits women over 50…
WHAT IS STRENGTH TRAINING?
Increasing muscular strength, endurance, and general fitness is the goal of strength training, also referred to as resistance training. Strength training's main objective is to encourage the muscles to adapt and grow stronger over time. Usually, different types of resistance, such as free weights (dumbbells, barbells), resistance machines, resistance bands, or even bodyweight exercises, are used to achieve this.
During strength training, the muscles are repeatedly forced to overcome a resistance force, which causes microscopic damage to the muscle fibres. Each time you work out, your muscles repair themselves, making them stronger and better able to withstand the stress you put them through.
PRESERVES MUSCLE MASS
Mobility is a key sign of functional ageing. Natural ageing causes a decline in muscle mass, and this loss of skeletal muscle strength makes it harder to carry out daily tasks like getting up from a chair, cooking a meal, or moving quickly. Women tend to lose muscle mass as they age because their bodies are less able to synthesize protein and because they produce less testosterone than men. As a result, women have less muscle mass than men.
When you lift weights during strength training, you must resist the pull of gravity. This stimulus causes microscopic damage to the muscle fibres, which the body then repairs and grows. Of course, factors like nutrition, rest, and recovery affect protein synthesis.
Strength training can help counteract muscle loss and preserve functional strength by stimulating muscle growth.
IMPROVES JOINT HEALTH
The body's capacity to control motion with the appropriate speed and quality of movement is known as joint stability. Women's chances of losing muscle mass increase as they get older, which can make them more vulnerable to osteoporosis-related fractures. Strong muscle tissue supports the joints, helping to protect and stabilize them while moving.
Regular strength training helps to develop muscle mass, which benefits joint health in a number of ways. Enhancing the muscles that surround a joint can improve movement control and coordination and lessen the strain that is put on the joint itself. For weight-bearing joints like the knees and hips, this is especially advantageous. Weight management, which can lower the risk of joint problems, is aided by muscle growth.
BOOSTS METABOLISM/HELPS MANAGE WEIGHT
Loss of skeletal muscle mass is the largest contributor to a reduction of resting metabolic rate which possibly leads to overweight. Metabolism tends to slow down as women age.
Muscle tissue, unlike fat tissue is metabolically active, which means it requires energy even at rest. When you practice regular strength training, you’ll both build and maintain muscle mass, which increases your resting metabolic rate.
Muscle tissue is denser than fat, which means increase in muscle mass contributes to overall caloric expenditure and improved body composition.
IMPROVES MENTAL WELL-BEING
Many women over the age of 50 experience depression and low moods. Although we frequently only think of the physical advantages of exercise, it also has a big impact on our mental health. Regular strength training causes the body's 'feel-good' endorphins, which are produced naturally, to be released. These endorphins not only reduce stress and anxiety but also foster confidence and a sense of well-being. Your overall sense of worth will increase as you continue on your strength training journey and feel stronger and more capable. Strength training boosts mood and energy levels while assisting in the fight against fatigue and sluggishness. A renewed sense of self-assurance will be encouraged by the increased strength and fitness levels.
REDUCES RISK OF DIABETES
The obesity epidemic has been largely blamed for the rise in type 2 diabetes risk. Through the process of glucose metabolism, muscle and blood sugar levels are closely related. It has been discovered that greater muscle mass is linked to improved insulin sensitivity. Strength training on a regular basis can increase muscle mass, which raises insulin sensitivity. More effective use of insulin by your body to control blood sugar levels may result in improved energy utilization and carbohydrate metabolism. Blood sugar levels start to drop as muscle cells begin to absorb glucose. Increased muscle mass may lower the risk of type 2 diabetes, and stable blood sugar levels may aid in appetite control and weight loss prevention.
Age is just a reason to level up, not to slow down…Embrace midlife commitment to health and fitness…
Strength training is a treasure trove of benefits for women over 50, encompassing physical, mental and emotional dimensions of health…
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