Group fitness classes are a wonderful way to stay motivated and connect with other people that have similar goals. However, the majority of the classes follow a similar format and only focus on cardio. Each class follows a similar paradigm that is disguised as a different “type” of class. Because you are following only one type of modality your weight will eventually plateau and it will be difficult to lose weight.

Benefits of group exercise class

I am not going to completely trash group exercise classes. I will utilize them myself from time to time if I feel that it is something I need. There are plenty of benefits to group classes that make them worth keeping in your tool belt.

Motivation

Having so many people that have similar goals to yourself keeps you motivated to keep coming back. You see the instructor and other people in your class pushing themselves to their limit the same as you. The fact that you aren’t the only one struggling reminds you that you aren’t the only one that has a goal of getting back into shape. This comradery along with a schedule of classes are easy reminders to keep coming back. You will probably make some friends in these classes too that will hold you accountable. If you go missing for a couple weeks, they will ask you where you have been, and they are happy to have you back.

Some instruction

The instructor won’t be able to correct your form specifically, but they will throw out cues that you can listen for to make sure you have the right form. The advice will be generic, but it can help you with correcting your form as long as you listen and have some body awareness.

Consistency

Being consistent with your dietary and exercise behaviors is the number one factor with reaching your goals. These classes allow you to create consistency with your workout routine very easily. There is a huge difference between “I’m going to work out at some point today” versus “ I’m going to go to this class at 9am”. If you have a time, place, and a workout already preplanned and scheduled into your day you are way more likely to make that workout.

Cons

Now let’s get into the reasons why you are lacking results because of your classes. If this was the route that you went you probably got some pretty good results for the first month or two. But now the weight loss has kind of stalled and the only thing you can think of is add another class. Before we do that let’s talk about what group fitness classes are lacking.

Proper instruction

Nothing can beat one on one training where you have someone watching every joint, muscle, and bone in your body as you perform an exercise. This is one of our powers as a personal trainer, observation. Every time I walk by the group fitness studio I always see someone with terrible technique, and it is always on a compound exercise like a squat.

Most classes don’t use a heavy enough weight to hurt the participants, and their technique is probably due to a lack of awareness, ability, and an imbalance. If these people took the time to learn a really good squat they would probably get a lot more out of the class. The ability to lower yourself into a squat under good control is one that can’t be learned in a class. This is why I suggest that if you have never done a structured work out or compound movements that you work on these before joining a class.

Similar type of training

Majority of the higher intensity classes can be categorized as cardio. Each class may seem a little different, and some may incorporate weights, but I would still classify them as cardio. You will likely get stronger when you first start doing classes, but this will eventually plateau. No class will challenge your absolute strength.

Lack of progressive overload

Progressive overload is a very important concept that has to be incorporated to make sure that you are always progressing. This is especially true if you have a goal of losing weight or gaining strength. As I have mentioned, each class follows a familiar format that doesn’t allow you to make it any harder. Yes, adding a riser to your stepper, or adding five pounds to your bar is adding intensity to your exercise. However, it is very different in comparison to adding 100 pounds to your back squat.

Good instructors of these classes will provide modifiers so you can do a harder movement if you want something more challenging. I would caution you against attempting these right off the bat. Most of these classes use athletic type movements which requires multidirectional movement and body awareness. If you have never done it before you may hurt yourself while attempting to do it mid class. (Bonus tip: remember that movement and practice it slowly outside of class)

Stuck in classes

I see so many people that get stuck in classes to the point that it is almost an addiction. They no longer get the benefits of the workout and are mostly only there for the social interaction. Socializing is ok and has been proven to have massive benefits for your overall health. However, if your goal is to lose weight then this may be holding you back. This is particularly true for beginner type senior based classes that use very light weights and resistance bands.

(Tip: replace one of your classes with a traditional strength training session.)

How to get continuous weight loss

It is probably going to surprise you for me to say this but, keep doing your classes. Consistency is king in the fitness world and accountability is one of the best features of group fitness classes. However, if your goal is to lose body fat and you have plateaued from doing the same classes for six months to a year then it is time to make a pivot.

Swap one class for one day of real strength

Even if your goal is to increase weight on selectorized machines you are still developing strength. This is an easy pivot from your class to jump start your metabolism and start losing weight again. Your body loves to adapt and any routine that we fall into for a long period of time will become the new normal. The difference with developing strength is that you can incorporate progressive overload. So each session isn’t going to be exactly the same, and your body should be trying to become stronger to adapt to this new stimulus.

Swap one class for one personal training session

Learn how to really use your body! The reality is that in normal everyday life we move and have to coordinate ourselves in 3 dimensional space. We hurt ourselves most often when we move in a way that does compute in our brain so our muscles have no idea how to react in that position.

By working with a trainer you can learn how to move properly and efficiently. If you haven’t had a good trainer assess your squat or your movement you would be surprised by the observations we can make. We will incorporate corrective type exercises that will improve movement, posture, and fix imbalances. Our observation skills can help to recognize when you are able to start progressing.

The personal trainer isn’t there to just push you past your limit by screaming in your face. My role is to educate you and help you recognize when something feels a little off and how to correct it. The goal is to help you build real functional strength and prevent injuries outside of the gym.

Make the Pivot

If you have that desire to lose a little weight then you need to make this pivot. Especially, if you have been doing only classes for a year or more. When your body feels this new stimulus it will have to adapt and respond appropriately. This response will force your body to reevaluate what it has to do to adapt and create a new homeostasis. Adding this strength will increase your metabolism and allow you to be in a better spot to lose body fat.

The post Group Fitness is the Reason Why You Can’t Lose Weight appeared first on The Super Senior.

The reason most people go to the doctor is to find relief for a symptom. Most times the doctor will only give you what you need for that symptom. Going to the gym has the potential to fix most of the problems that you are experiencing. Exercising is the most natural, sustainable, efficient, and longest lasting medicine with no side effects.

I do respect doctors and you should go to them

I may talk quite a bit of smack about doctors but I do respect them and their opinions. They do possess far more knowledge and have been through the trenches compared to me. They are helpful in diagnosing an issue and pointing you in the right direction in terms of medications to solve your problem.

Your doctor is your most valuable resource to see exactly how healthy you are. You should have regular physicals and blood tests, because these are the most important numbers to judge your health. Getting that firm sexy body that you want can be a plus, but your blood work really tells you how healthy you are.

Tests like this can help you reach your goals faster too! Sometimes we have an underlying condition that is causing us to react differently than we should. If we have a condition that is preventing us from consuming certain foods or just not digesting properly then you will run into some issues. If you don’t have issues then your progress may be just a little slower than normal.

Where I think doctors fall short

Doctors fall short with the experience of working with the general population to lose weight by exercising and dieting. Everyone knows that eating a healthy diet and exercising regularly is good for them and they should do this regularly. However, there are so many questions around dieting and exercise that no one knows how to start.

Can you define a healthy diet?

Can you describe what exercises you should be doing?

With so much conflicting information on the internet now it is impossible to determine the right path for yourself. Not to mention, you have habits that have been cemented into you around diet that will be difficult to break. Creating that behavior change is a difficult process and takes a nutrition coach to really recognize those patterns and help you create those wins.

This is how you create sustainable change that can heavily impact your health. Medications will offer short term relief, and after prolonged use they will require you to increase the dosage over time. Sometimes there are also side effects that force you to take more medications to deal with those side effects. It becomes a vicious cycle.

I think that all doctors should have a background in personal training, nutrition, and behavior change. This way they can at least make some recommendations in terms of bettering someone’s health. If they don’t desire to do anything of the sort then they should have professionals in the field that they can refer them to. This way there can be real lasting change and the patient can live a more normal life.

How exercise shines

Exercise is going to be your all natural medication without any side effects. Exercise will promote a healthier weight which takes an enormous amount of stress off the body. Studies will show that being a healthier weight drastically lowers your chances of diseases. This includes issues like heart disease, strokes, diabetes, and many other problems. Instead of being chained by medications you can put in the some work now that will decrease your time waiting in your doctors lobby.

Cardio

Cardiovascular exercise will promote a stronger heart, lungs, and circulatory system. You can only imagine what this does for your health, especially if you are at risk for heart disease. A stronger heart and circulatory system you will have better nutrient delivery throughout your body. The only way for some things like hormones to travel throughout your body is through your arteries and capillaries. So if your circulation is good your body will recover faster and more efficiently.

Cardio doesn’t have to be intense running. If you can start with 10-30 minutes 2-5 days a week of walking you stepping your way to better health. (sorry for the corny pun)

Resistance

Resistance training will manually pump those vessels to create more blood flow as well. However, resistance training will strengthen your joints and this means every joint in your spine as well. A stronger body will keep your body aligned and allow you to move more efficiently and pain free. If you keep strength in your body, especially in your end range of motion, then you won’t have to rely on pain medication just to get your through the day.

This doesn’t have to be intense either. One to three sets that work the major muscle groups is enough to get your started.

Exercise will have the longest effect

If you consider small doses of exercise like your prescription then you will have much longer effects. Some meds have to be taken multiple times a day up to once a week. Let’s be honest, if you worked out twice a day you would most likely be in phenomenal shape and your chances of requiring meds would be slim. Even if you worked out once a week you would still make progress. Become healthier with movement not meds.

Think about exercise like a prescription

Let’s dive a little deeper into how to implement exercise into your daily life. I’m sure you have been very diligent about your medications, am I right? You have stayed diligent with the time of day, how many times a day, with or without food, and whatever other crazy parameters you have to follow. If you consider exercise like your medication then this can be an easier process.

Start with a schedule

What days of the week are preferable for you to exercise? As human beings we work better on a routine. Find some days and times that are best for you to workout. For resistance training it is preferable for you to do twice a week. So maybe 10am on Tuesday and Thursday is best for you. Maybe afternoons work better for you because you aren’t an early riser. The point is to find a schedule that allows you to be the most consistent.

Find the “prescription” that works best for you. Here are some samples in order from most difficult to least.

1. Resistance training 2X per week and cardio 3X
2. Resistance training once and cardio 3X
3. 4 days of cardio 30-60min
4. 5-7 days of walking 10-30 minutes

If one doesn’t work that is ok. Reevaluate and try again. Don’t force something just because you heard that it’s the best. You can never fit a square block into a circle hole.

Don’t depend on the doctor to determine your health

There is no magic pill and even diet and exercise has its limitations. However, actively pursuing a healthy lifestyle will give you the greatest chance of warding off lots of illnesses. You can’t depend on a pill or shot to constantly save you, this is only putting a band aid on the problem. You are in control of yourself so you have to do the things that make you feel better. Yes, it is hard work and there will be a lot of times that you don’t want to do it. But, if you get started now I promise that yourself 10 years from now will thank you.

The post Stop Going to Your Doctor and Start Exercising appeared first on The Super Senior.

Forcing yourself to move through pain is not the solution. The pain exists for a reason, and you should listen to your body to stop when you feel pain. There are plenty of reasons that joint pain can happen, and a proper diagnosis is the first step. One can possibly reduce joint pain through soft tissue mobilization, fixing muscle imbalances, and reducing sodium intake.

Why joint pain may occur

Joint pain is such a pain in the ass. It limits almost everything that we do and catches us by surprise when we hit that range of motion that causes us pain. It can be especially difficult to manage if it is in a joint that we use on a daily basis for something like work. Some times we can attribute the pain to an acute injury or maybe a degenerative disorder. However, what about everything else?

Weak muscles

Our joints are held together by muscles. You could make the comparison to rubber bands holding together two balls. If those rubber bands start to weaken or lengthen too much, then the balls may not be able to be held together. If our muscles are too weak then our bones may fall out of place and  not move in their proper alignment. I’m sure you can imagine how this can create stress on the surrounding ligaments, tendons, and bones causing pain.

Tight muscles

Muscles that are too tight can have the same effect. Tight muscles are typically also over active muscles and can pull bones out of alignment. You can imagine a game of tug-o-war. This will have a similar effect on the surrounding tissues in terms of creating pain.

Kinetic chain

The kinetic chain is the way the feet is connected to the head, and the way all these parts work together to create movement. If there is a break or a kink in the chain, then everything else will also get kinks to compensate. Therefore, if your walking gait is a little off it can affect your knees, then hips, then back, and so forth. Your body wants to stay balanced and functional so it will take anything done consistently as the new normal and will change how the rest of the body functions to compensate.

Poor movement patterns

Improper squat where knee extend too fast (stripper squat), improper deadlift, and a push up or bench with your shoulders shrugged up will likely create pain. Poor movement creates improper muscle recruitment and sequencing to execute the movement correctly. This will likely create muscle imbalances and create tightness where there shouldn’t be. There is an optimal way for the muscles to move the joints to create movement.

Overuse and Inflammation

Repetitive movements done too frequently and improperly can create joint pain. You may have no pain with that one singular movement, but you may feel pain with other movements or other joints up the kinetic chain. If this is a motion, we do for something like work then we will put less of a conscious effort and allow our bodies to take the path of least resistance. This also includes overtraining and not allowing your body to rest and recover from any activity that you do.

This can contribute to an inflammatory response in the joints as well. Diet can play a role in chronic inflammation in the joints because of a diet high in sodium. A diet that high in sodium likely consists of more processed foods than whole foods. So, if there is inflammation in the joints already from overuse or overtraining then a diet high in sodium will be adding gas to the fire.

What you shouldn’t depend on

If you are in so much pain that it is nearly impossible for you to move or perform your daily activities because of pain, then absolutely feel free to use these methods to help you. However, my recommendation is to use them as sparingly as possible and to use the methods later in this article to possibly fix the cause of your symptoms. Depending on the following list will only relieve some of the symptoms and not fix the cause behind them.

Medications

No one should have to rely on pain medications in order to get through their typical day. Constant reliance on meds numbs you from the pain and won’t allow you to feel what is going on or if new pain starts. Medication effects also lose their effectiveness over time which means you have to take higher doses to get the same effect. This creates a rabbit hole of issues down the road.

My suggestion, if you need something, would be to stick with Tylenol or acetaminophen. Avoid high doses and anti-inflammatories as much as possible. Inflammation is an important step of the healing process and constantly inhibiting it with meds is handicapping your ability to heal. You will be fine short term, however, there will be long term effects especially in the stomach after prolonged use.

Cortisone Shots

This shot is a steroid designed to dramatically reduce the inflammation in and around the joint area. Have you seen what else this shot can do? It has a side effect of destroying damn near everything in and around the joint. It can degrade bone and cartilage, so what makes this a valuable solution for knees? This is only another band aid for temporary relief, because you will have to go back when the pain returns in 3-6 months. So why did this inflammation occur in the first place?

Ice and Heat

Probably the two most common therapeutic modalities used by the general population. Ice is used by millions of people including professional athletes taking ice baths to help speed recovery. But does ice or heat really help that much? Unfortunately, all the evidence points to neither modality doing anything, and the person that develop RICE (rest, ice, compression, and elevation) retracted his statements on his own protocol.

There can be some short-term effects, but you shouldn’t rely super heavily on either one. Ice can reduce some of the swelling that comes with inflammation which can reduce pain and allow you to move more. This can let you exercise without pain which can have positive effects. Heat should allow you to pump some of the swelling out as well just by warming up the area. The point is that just ice or heat do not heal the body.

Stop all activity completely

Resting and allowing your body to heal is a great idea. If you are suffering from joint pain due to overuse or overtraining, then this may be a quick temporary route to go. However, there is an issue with stopping all together for an extended period. You will likely start to feel better, but you as you return to the activity that same injury will return. This cycle will continue and may even get worse as time goes on. You must maintain at least a small level of activity to get better.

Now that we have covered the most common “treatments” let us dive into the 3 things you should be doing.

Soft tissue mobilization

This is basically like a massage. I will start by saying that this isn’t the full solution to your joint problem. Soft tissue mobilization will allow you to unlock more pain free range of motion (ROM) and relieve some of the pain that you are having. This is a short-term solution; it is not a long term fix to your problem. Remember that we need to treat the cause of the pain and not the symptom.

Soft tissue mobilization will have two essential functions, which are relaxing the nervous system and working out any knots. Allowing the muscles around the joint to relax is what gives us access to more pain free range of motion. You should feel a little discomfort, but no pain when it comes to the massage.

A foam roller is one of the best tools that you can use for this modality. You can target and really work the area that is causing you issues. One could say that they are a little pricey but definitely worth the investment. You want to roll all the muscles surrounding the joint for about a minute each. This should give your muscle sufficient stimulus to release any knots and fully relax.

Another great tool would be a tiger tail or a hand roller (rolling pin will work too). These can be a little harder so they will take a little adjustment to figure out how much pressure you need. These will allow you to really target your area with a little more precision and allow you to use it on areas that are difficult to foam roll. The quads are one example of a difficult area to foam roll because it will require a decent amount of upper body strength.

After a minute test the joint and see if you have more pain free range of motion. If this is successful, then move onto the next step.

Fix muscle imbalances

This is going to be the biggest key to unlocking that door to pain free movement. Strengthening the muscles around the joint properly will allow the bones to move in proper alignment and avoid imbalances whether they are overactive or underactive muscles. So how do we go about properly strengthening the joint?

Learn proper movement patterns

Learning how to move may seem like a ridiculous concept, but you wouldn’t believe how many people I’ve worked with that move awkwardly. I’m not making fun of anyone; it is difficult to visualize yourself doing something without being taught or someone coaching you through it. Let’s walk through one quick example, the squat.

The squat should start with strong feet gripping the ground creating more surface area for you to push and increase balance. Hips and knees should start to bend almost simultaneously allowing your shoulders to drop down on top of your feet. There should be a slight outward pressure on your knees to allow good hip and knee mobility. Theoretically, you should be able to lower your body to the point that your upper leg is parallel to the floor. Finally, reverse this movement perfectly back to the starting position while maintaining a perfectly flat back and tight core.

What do you think? Is the squat more complicated than you thought? It is a full body movement that It is a full body movement that starts from the feet and goes all the way up through the head. This is a perfect example of how the kinetic chain and proper movement patterns are connected. If any part of the squat is done incorrectly you will be strengthening those kinks in your chain. You must activate the right muscles at the right time to create a smooth balanced squat.

Strengthening opposing muscles

Tight and overactive muscles can be a factor with joint pain. Sometimes it is not the muscle itself that is overactive, but the opposite muscle that is underactive and weak. This is a common occurrence because we tend to focus on the muscles that we want to focus on. Proper programming would force you to hit all the muscle equally. Instead, you have the meatheads that do chest 7 days a week.

In other words, you will be using strength building exercises to create more range of motion. Not stretching! Strengthening those muscles that are losing this tug-o-war battle will naturally lengthen the tight muscles without stretching.

The back is a very common example of weak muscles. We tend to focus on everything that is in front of us and forget about the things behind us. By always doing chest exercises and never working our back muscles we fall into a forward shoulder posture which creates shoulder pain. Strengthening your back muscles will allow your shoulder to be pulled back into correct alignment and more efficient movement.

Don’t Overtrain

With fitness we all believe that more is better. But you can have too much of a good thing. Overtraining the muscles and never allowing them to recover will create more pain around the joint. This will either create inflammation within the joint, or a tendinopathy with the tendons surrounding the joint. Either way there will be pain at the joint area if you overtrain.

Exercises should feel good, and you should feel good after a workout. If you are constantly sore and leave the gym with little confidence, then you are over training. You don’t have to stop completely, but you do need to back off a little. Controlling the intensity of your workout is the key to ensuring a proper workout.

Reduce sodium intake

This will obviously be more of the dietary approach to helping get rid of the annoying joint pain. Inflammation can be influenced by the amount of sodium that we have in our diet. Sodium has been known to raise blood pressure and be almost a catalyst to the inflammation process. Now please don’t forget that inflammation is a very important step of the healing process. However, if you experience a prolonged period of pain, excessive swelling, and tenderness then we can investigate how to reduce the inflammation.

The biggest culprit with sodium intake comes from processed foods. All the foods that are from fast food or from a box in the middle of your grocery store. Processed food typically contain far higher amounts of sodium compared to their minimally processed counterparts. In fact, you would probably find it difficult to put enough salt on your food to match the sodium content of a boxed or frozen meal.

Start by aiming for nutrient dense foods. This will be your meats, fruits, vegetables, and starches. Making your meals revolve around these food groups will drastically lower your sodium intake if you mainly eat processed foods. To be clear, you can put salt on your food that you cook it is unlikely that you will put on enough to even come close to processed food.

Solving joint pain is a puzzle

There are tests that you can do that will allow you to have a better understanding of the source of the pain. However, these should be conducted by a trained professional like a physical therapist. But if the source of your pain is unclear then these methods can help with the real cause of the pain. Remember, that you want to treat the cause and not just the symptom of the pain. There will be some trial and error and you may even uncover other imbalances within your body in the process. Keep working at it because this will take consistency just like everything else in fitness.

The post 3 Modalities to Help with Joint Pain appeared first on The Super Senior.

Obesity is a category where you are likely 100+ pounds overweight. All that extra weight is a heavy burden on your entire body especially if you are older. You probably already know that there are several exercises that you can’t do. The less obvious exercises that you should avoid if you are an older obese person are:

• Most bodyweight or calisthenic type exercises
• High impact and rapid movements
• Long walks

Bodyweight exercises

It is no secret that you are carrying a lot of extra weight. This places a tremendous amount of stress on your joints. So, when you are trying to perform certain body weight exercises you may be doing more damage than good. If a trainer tries to tell you to do some of these you should tell them “Thank you for your time, but I’d like to try a different trainer”.

Push-ups – Trying to do push ups as an elderly obese would put a lot of stress on your shoulders. Not to mention, if you haven’t done a push up in decades, to suddenly drop down and try to do even just one is insane. You will have a high probability of injuring your shoulders, elbows, and back from trying to attempt this exercise.

Safer Alternative – Try using a band, machine, or cable for a chest press. This will allow you to get a good chest workout without the added stress on you shoulders and other parts of your body. You could try an elevated push up such as a wall or counter. However, you must be able to go the full range without pain, and under good control. If you are in a gym the smith machine is a great tool for push-ups.

Squats and lunges – These two exercises carry a similar risk to push-ups. Your legs are under enough stress carrying your body weight around. I am sure that prior to starting anything you are already dealing with some chronic knee pain. We are not going to put untrained joints under that pressure of lifting your body, especially with a single leg like the lunge. Your center of balance is already slightly in front of you, and you don’t have the proper movement pattern to do the exercises.

Safer Alternative – Instead of blowing out your knees and hips let’s try to work your legs a different way. This is when I would recommend a leg press machine for building strength. This way you will have more control over the exercise and be able to progressively overload as you get stronger. I would also recommend yoga like poses for balancing. Balancing your body in a staggered stance is ridiculously more challenging than it sounds. Just working on being able to stay there for any length of time will likely get you sweating a burning up a storm. Sit to stands can also be another safer but functional alternative building legs. You can make the exercise a little easier by stacking books so that you can stand from a slightly higher position. Then take away books as you get stronger.

Build strength safely

You can build strength through resistance training; you just need to do it safely. As an elderly obese person, you are more prone to injury, and injuries will only set you back farther. Machine or cable like exercises are the best way to go to safely build strength in an upright position

High impact and rapid movements

This is most likely and obvious category, but I must put this in here. I guarantee that some of you reading this that are obese have some sort of athletic or military background. This most often translates to the idea that you can do far more than you can handle. “Push through the pain, I have to push through to get better” is always the mindset of people with this background. I have trained several people with this mindset and must constantly remind them to stop and slow down.

Group fitness classes and burpees

Group fitness classes are definitely a fun and encouraging entrance into the gym space. The classes are fun with good music, and the people in there are all super encouraging. However, most classes are too fast with too many multidirectional athletic exercises. This goes back to the blown-out knees portion of this article. If you were to take your weight and move sideways just to land on one foot. Think about the amount of stress that you would be putting on that knee.

We often get caught up in the idea that we need to keep up with the rest of the class. If we try to do something that is outside the scope of our abilities, we run the risk of getting hurt. Trying to do things to hard too quickly will lead to burn out and injuries. Unfortunately, sometimes this is the culture of group fitness classes.

Safer alternative

You can probably do a slower paced group class that allows you to move at your own pace or individualizes the exercises to your own abilities. There are group classes that incorporate a chair so that you do not have to get down on the ground. For example, chair yoga is a class I would highly recommend to anyone that is sedentary and has difficulty with getting up from the ground. You will get more flexibility and a light workout on your core.

Another alternative would be to find a small group strength training class. I teach a class like this and the size of the group allows me to check everyone’s form and help with any questions on any of the movements. I am also able to individualize that workout to each person. I have a general workout available to everyone, but I provide modifiers to anyone who isn’t fit for a particular exercise.

Long Walks

Most people would probably assume that any type of walking will be good for you. And you would be right to a certain extent. Please walk regularly and everyday if at all possible. Walking is definitely the best cardio for anyone and is one of the keys to losing weight. However, long walks can be risky if you are in the obese category.

I would define a long walk as anything over a mile, or outside of your comfort zone. What is the problem with long walks? Your chances of injury will go up significantly if you start walking long distances. Walking by itself is a complicated movement. Your body has to move in a perfect synchronized order to walk. If anything is off starting from your toes all the way up to the swing in your arms, you may develop overuse injuries. With short walks you may not notice anything, but as you start to get tired these habits will become much more apparent. Don’t forget to add in outside variables. Uneven surfaces, inclines, and declines can create tripping hazards and back issues from leaning.

Safer alternative

Short bouts of walking on primarily a flatter surface will be a safer alternative. Short distances that you can easily tolerate and allowing your self to rest before beginning another round will be safer overall. This way you can focus on your gait and how your body feels with each step instead of forcing yourself to go a certain distance. Some suggestions may be a treadmill or laps around a basketball court or tennis court.

If you plan on doing your walking within your home then I suggest doing it barefoot. Shoes are rather confining and majority do not fit the way our feet are made. The toe box is typically far too narrow. Remember that your feet are the first part to touch the ground and the one part that we depend most heavily on. By walking barefoot you can increase their strength and their ability to spread and grip the ground which will allow for better balance.

Focus on muscle connection, mobility, and awareness

You need to treat your body like you are an athlete in the middle of their season. These professionals are assessing, reassessing, and doing everything they can to prevent injuries. You may not be able to do a lot of things safely now, but they are goals for you to reach for. By starting with modified exercises you can begin to build the mind muscle connection. By also adding in corrective exercises to increase your mobility you will build more body awareness. Working on these in conjunction with safely building muscle and increasing your cardio will accelerate your growth. This way you will be able to continuously workout and work on your goals without getting injured. Results may be slower, but they will be steady and safer.

The post 3 Exercises to NOT DO if you are Obese appeared first on The Super Senior.

There is a lot of confusion that has been created in the fitness space regarding diet. How you eat to lose weight jumps around to polar opposites depending on where you land in your search. What and how you eat to lose weight should be a simple process. By following these easy rules anyone should be able to lose the weight that they want.

1. Plan ahead
2. Aim for whole minimally processed foods
3. Keep your plates easily identifiable
4. Make your food delicious

Plan ahead

Planning ahead is without a doubt the one single thing that will give you the most results. If I could have you take only one thing out of this article this would be it. Planning ahead is such a crucial step, and allow me to take you through 2 very real scenarios that I have dealt with many times and I’m sure you have too.

Scenario 1 – Lunch time is coming up and you are hungry, because you skipped out on breakfast and opted to just drink some coffee. You open the fridge and there is food there, but nothing that really speaks to you or is easy to slap together for a quick lunch. Cabinets also have ingredients but nothing that could easily come together for a meal. Well that leaves just one option, drive-thru.

Scenario 2 – Dinner time is fast approaching. You have meat in the freezer but nothing is defrosted yet, because you have no idea what you are making. You seem to be missing a couple ingredients out of your go-to recipes and running to the store to get them seems like a bit of a hassle. Searching for recipes just magnifies the problem by feeding your indecisiveness. Now it’s time to figure out a restaurant or your go-to pizza delivery.

Both scenarios could have been easily avoidable if we had just planned ahead. Whenever I ask new clients for a list of 5 things they would like to change about their behaviors around their diet, almost all 5 can be solved by planning ahead.

Create a menu

Having your meals already decided makes everything easier so try creating a menu for the week. If you have your lunch and dinner already decided then you can make better decisions. Scrambling to find something only forces us to fall onto the easiest solution, go out and buy food. Which at this point you might be so hungry that your inhibitions to find something healthier might be out the window.

Planning ahead can help with other situations such as celebrations. If you know that you will be going out to a restaurant for dinner one night, then you can plan your meals around that dinner. If your family likes all-you-can-eat sushi like mine then at least you are aware that you might be eating a lot. This means that you can work in a lighter lunch, such as a salad with some chicken to offset dinner. (Bonus tip – I recommend eating lunch. Walking into a restaurant starving makes it very difficult to make smarter healthier choices.) You can also check out the menu ahead of time to see if there are other healthier options available that you find appetizing.

Aim for whole minimally processed foods

Processed foods are modified to be as palatable as possible. This is why a lot of people can basically polish off an entire family size bag of chips by themselves. However, put an entire baked potato in front of that same person with nothing on it and they will have a hard time eating the whole potato. This is why eating minimally processed foods is so effective. Processed foods are so hyperpalatable that we can easily overconsume that food without realizing it.

Honestly, I could tell almost anyone that their diet is to eat as much food as they want, as long as it comes from minimally processed sources. And, I can almost guarantee that they will eat less calories than if they ate processed food. Which means that eating whole minimally processed foods will lead to weight loss even in your 70’s.

So while shopping for your groceries try to make sure that you stick to the outside areas of the store. Your cart should primarily consist of vegetables, fruits, and meats (beans, legumes, and tofu for the vegan). Typical carbohydrate sources are rice and potatoes.

Bonus tip #2 – frozen fruits and veggies are okay to buy as well. These products are typically picked and flash frozen at peak ripeness which ensures better nutrient quality. Frozen fruits are almost amazing at using for smoothies. This way you don’t get that watered down taste from adding ice.

Keep your plate easily identifiable

I have been guilty of doing this for many years because this is how I was raised. I’m talking about stacking your food. By piling your food on top of each other it becomes more difficult to see exactly how much of what you are eating. By separating your food into different sections it becomes easier to see exactly how much of what you are eating. So if your goal is to incorporate more veggies into your meal, then creating a section where half of your plate is veggies is ideal. This way you can see that your carbs cover 25% and your protein covers the last 25%.

If your goal is more protein to maintain or build muscle then increase that portion of your plate. It is no secret that more protein and more vegetables helps with losing weight. Visually seeing your targeted macros on your plate ensures that you are consuming adequate amounts.

Make some delicious food!

Just because you are on a diet doesn’t mean that your food has to be bland and extremely boring. In fact, bland food is probably one of the causes that sends you into insanity forcing you to binge something like a big ole’ fat juicy burger with fries and a thick milkshake afterward for dessert.

Healthy doesn’t mean boring. Try to find different and new ways to cook your food so that you can really enjoy your meals. When you have something delicious waiting for you there is no reason why you have to go out of your way to find something else in a restaurant. By keeping your meals new and exciting you are more likely to stick to your diet. No more boiled breast, steamed broccoli, and white rice. *Gag*

One of my personal favorite meal preps is a grilled boneless skinless chicken thigh with a type of Hawaiian marinade like huli-huli. I like tossing a variety of veggies like broccoli, cauliflower, and carrots in the oven. Toss them in a little olive oil or avocado, season with a vegetable seasoning, and roast them for 5-10 minutes. I’ll throw in kimchee for some added healthy bacteria, and I’m Japanese so my go to carb is white rice. (Bonus tip – Grilled meats reheat really well, they stay super juicy and tender)

To stay consistent keep it simple

As you can see this is not complicated, but it can also become very complicated. I have found recipes out there for meal preps that have a thousand steps and use ingredients like scallops, which at the time I had absolutely no idea how to cook. (I do know how to cook scallops now and they are awesome)

So keep it simple! Figure out what proteins you are going to make first, then decide on your vegetables. Then you can decide on the carbohydrate that you would like to eat. BOOM! You have your menu for the week! Now mix and match things around to keep it fun and interesting. Try different seasonings, marinades, cooking techniques, and other cuisines from around the globe.

I’m not saying you have to meal prep.  All I am saying is that by having everything planned out it becomes a hundred times easier to stay consistent for your goal. I need you to take a moment and remember a day that you had a lot of stuff to do. Maybe something like cooking for a holiday, or just a crazy list of things you had to do within a day. Now think of another day where you had stuff to do but didn’t create a plan or itinerary of when and how it was all gonna get done. Which day did you get more accomplished?

Plan, plan, plan! If something doesn’t work then adjust your plan and try again. It’s easier to find your way to a destination when you have the directions laid out for you. Take all the guess work out of your day and have answers ready to take action. You will get results if you are able to stay consistent.

The post How To Eat To Lose Weight In Your 70’s appeared first on The Super Senior.

Degenerative bone disease is a disorder where the bone breaks down more than it builds up. Supplementation and medication can help alleviate this disorder and promote more bone growth. However, nothing can really hold a light to resistance training when it comes to telling bones to become stronger to withstand these external forces.

How resistance training helps with osteoporosis

The body build and adapts based on everything that we throw at it. This is why our muscles get bigger when we lift weights, or our lungs and heart become stronger and more efficient at delivering blood, oxygen, and nutrients to the rest of our body with cardio. The human body wants to survive which is why it adapts so well.

If I were to put 200 lbs on my back what do you think the rest of my body has to do? My muscles have to stabilize my entire body so that I don’t fall over and get crushed by the weight. But, this 200 pound force is also placing a load on my skeletal system. My bones have to be strong enough to withstand this load as well. Forget my muscles, if my bones get crushed under that weight then my muscles won’t mean a thing.

Don’t forget that your muscles are also attached to your bones. Meaning your muscles have to pull on the bone in order to lift that external load. This stress on the bone can create the stimulus it needs to become stronger.

Resistance training creates that external load and creates that stimulus to make your bones become stronger. It’s like a buy one get three free. Resistance training will make you stronger, give you stronger bones, and make you look better!

Why not cardio?

Don’t get me wrong. Cardio is an important modality to utilize as well in terms of heart and lung health. But, in terms of making bones become stronger it will do minimal work. Walking and running can create some stimulus in the legs to withstand the impact of the ground, but this won’t be the same as a squat or lunge. The studies show that the ground reaction force (impact of landing on the ground) must be strong enough to create the stimulus for bone density¹.

The study also shows that any stimulus towards building bone seems to be localized. So if you did develop stronger bones from walking or running then it would only affect your lower leg. This would leave your upper body still relatively fragile.

How to safely implement resistance training

There are several things that you want to keep in mind when you start resistance training. The first rule you should follow is to move slowly. Fast movements can make you susceptible to fractures. Imagine swinging a fluorescent light bulb. Moving slowly you can probably swing it all day long, but if you try swinging it fast there’s a good chance it will break. I could get into the physics of torque, but let’s just leave it at you should move slowly to minimize any chances of fractures.

The second rule would be excessive rounding of the back. This would include many different yoga poses, stretching, and abdominal exercises like crunches. The spine is meant to bend and take compressive type forces. But, if the bones are brittle then that compression can result in a fracture of the spine.

My third rule would be to start at a relatively light weight. Aim for your reps to be in the 15-20 range, and pick a weight that is appropriate to do so. By the end of the set you should feel a little burn in the muscles you are using. Heavier weights drastically increase the intensity of the exercise, and if your bones are brittle then the muscle pulling on the bone can possibly cause a fracture.

Easiest ways to start resistance training (Ranked)

• Work with a trainer

Working with a trainer is the best and safest way to begin a resistance training program for osteoporosis. Make sure they are aware of your condition, and keep the key points in the previous section about safety in mind. If they tell you to start jumping then move on to another trainer. A good trainer will guide you through more complex exercises, but carefully watch your technique to prevent injury. Free weight exercises will take you farther faster as long as you have someone making sure that you don’t get hurt.

• Orientation at a gym to use machine equipment

Most gyms will allow one “free personal training session”. Which is really just an orientation where they can show you how the equipment works. This is a good opportunity to safely get some resistance training without having to pay a trainer. Machines aren’t as good as free weights, but they are much safer because they require far less technique. As long as you can set up the machine for yourself you should be good to go. Just follow the safety tips above and you will be building muscle in no time.

• Find low impact follow along workouts for at home

I would recommend some light dumbbells and resistance bands if you prefer to keep your ass at home and avoid the gym. Adjustable dumbbells would be best as well so that you can increase the weight a little when you start to get stronger without having to go out and buy another set. You can find just about any type of workout on Youtube. As long as you find a video or channel focused around active older adults then you should be in the clear. The tough part here is that the instructor in the video can’t give you any feedback. This is where you will have to pay close attention to the instructions and what your body is doing to avoid injury.

• Aqua aerobics or a Silver Sneakers type class

There are a lot of group fitness classes out there and many in the making. Many of the classes are too high impact for someone with osteoporosis. It is very common for classes to include advanced moves. For example, the push up has a lot of moving parts and actually requires technique or else you can injure your shoulders.

Older adult classes place more emphasis on low impact and controlled exercises. Much like number 3, the instructor can’t coach everyone so you are forced to listen carefully and have self-awareness. My issue with classes is if you end up copying someone else in the class that isn’t doing the exercise right. Also we have a competitive streak as humans and will try to push it harder to be better than someone else in the class. Both points have a higher chance of resulting in an injury to an already fragile body.

Lets start lifting a little weight

Just because we have become diagnosed with a disease like this doesn’t mean that we have to give up on everything. Missing out on living our life will only quicken the decline in our health. There are plenty of studies out there that have shown patients with osteoporosis to slow down their symptoms or even reverse them with resistance training. Start slow and build it up gradually so that you can build a body that can withstand anything. Take a look at my article on the benefits of seniors building strength.

Citations

1. Maria Grazia Benedetti, Giulia Furlini, Alessandro Zati, Giulia Letizia Mauro, “The Effectiveness of Physical Exercise on Bone Density in Osteoporotic Patients”, BioMed Research International, vol. 2018, Article ID 4840531, 10 pages, 2018. https://doi.org/10.1155/2018/4840531

The post How and Why You Should Resistance Train for Osteoporosis appeared first on The Super Senior.

Out of all the exercises available there are some that are far more technical than others. Knowing your limitations are going to be key to make sure that you don’t get hurt. These exercises require far more technique and focus because they utilize multiple parts of the body. Failure to keep good form can result in injury. These exercises are:

• Deadlift
• Shoulder press
• Bench press
• Plyometric or high impact
• High intensity interval training

Deadlift

The deadlift is without a doubt one of the top muscle building exercises anyone can do. However, someone in their later years should not jump into this exercise. This is typically done with a heavy load that is picked up from the ground.

Starting with getting into position – If you do not have the mobility to get low enough into the start position, then you are asking for injury. A flat back with a strong core brace is essential for protecting the spine.

The movement – Without the proper technique for lifting the load it may get to far out in front of you. This will throw off your center of gravity which will force you to use more of your back to lift the load.

Shoulder press

The shoulder press is another essential movement that would be great for building the shoulders. But lots of things can happen to the shoulders which makes everyone a little stiff in that joint later on in life. This is done from a standing position and pushing a weight from your shoulders to straight up above your head.

The movement – The biggest issue with the movement is the inability to stabilize the rest of your body. Many people will hyperextend their back in order to complete the movement. Clearly this puts an unnecessary strain on the back, and if you suffer from any spinal injuries then this will magnify those issues.

The top of the movement – The lack of shoulder mobility to get your arms straight up overhead is an issue. I am specifically talking about mobility and not a structural problem from something like a surgery. This lack of mobility likely comes from bad posture, scapular movement (shoulder blade), and thoracic mobility(upper back). By performing this exercise without addressing these issues first will only make those issues stronger.

Bench Press

You can build an amazingly strong chest from doing a bench press. Unfortunately, without the proper movement you will likely injure your shoulders. This is a simple exercise but still has a higher risk for injury.

The movement – The movement and angle of your arms are the main risk factors for injury with a bench. If your arms don’t follow a particular pattern of movement then your shoulder will be in an open and vulnerable position. Pushing a weight back up from this position can result in an injury in the shoulders. This is particularly true if you have already suffered from a shoulder injury in the past.

Stabilize – The shoulders and the rest of your body need to be stabilized to prevent injury. Many people will hyperextend their back to push the weight back up. This type of injury will be similar to the back injuries from the previous exercises. Stabilizing the shoulder is another key to avoid injury to the shoulders and put more focus into your chest muscles.

Plyometric, High impact, and High intensity interval training (HIIT)

The possible injuries that can result from these should be obvious. High impact and plyometric exercises can be very tough on the joints. Not to mention, you will have a high risk of fractures if you suffer from any type of bone disorder. The same goes for HIIT. Each modality of exercise puts a tremendous amount of stress on the joints and the bones. If you have never done any of these exercises before then you are asking for a multitude of injuries.

Only avoid these exercises until you are ready!

It is true that these are the top exercises for younger people that want to get stronger, build muscle, increase athletic performance, and increase endurance. It is also true that for someone older to jump into a program with these exercises would very likely result in injury. But does this mean you should never do these exercises? NO!

A quick search online revealed a lot of blog posts that recommended exercises to do and not to do. It would seem that every functional strength building exercise was deemed too risky for seniors. And every recommended exercise was extremely low impact. These blanket statements are part of what is wrong with the fitness industry. To say that anyone over 60 shouldn’t do these exercises is a crime against this population. You are a human being, you are not made of glass. You still have the ability to grow and develop because that is what the body does in response to stimulus. Check out this 90 year old man that deadlifts 405 lbs. for 2 reps!

The recommended exercises are great for getting you started. But you must progressively overload the body in order to make it stronger. Constant water aerobics is awesome because it feels great on your joints and you feel like you are getting a workout. But the transfer to dry land functionality is minimal. The body needs more to become stronger and more resilient. These super low impact workouts will minimally prevent falls, won’t protect you from a fall, stand up from a fall, or help protect you or a loved one from a dangerous situation.

Develop the ability to do these exercises safely

All the benefits that I listed with each exercise as well as the benefits for younger adults still holds true for those over 60. You might not be able to do it now, but the ability to do it in the future is a definite possibility. Through the proper programming and overload, you can develop these skills that will add an immense amount of resilience to your body. You will develop and reinforce proper movement, posture, and have stronger joints. We will turn back your biological clock to when you were 40 or younger.

If I have fully convinced you that this what you want to do, then I would suggest that you work with a qualified trainer. I have trained enough people to know that anyone slightly motivated will be more than willing to push it too far. Too hard too fast will surely result in injury or anything that I’ve mentioned previously. You need a trainer to watch your form very closely and have a good idea of when you are ready to progress.

You can do almost anything!

Don’t let anyone tell you what you can or can’t do just because of your age. If you have underlying conditions that would prevent you from doing these movements, then absolutely avoid them and listen to your doctor. However, if you are simply stiff and deconditioned then working on building up to these exercises is a great goal. If you start working on these movements now in your early 60’s, then imagine how you will feel in your 70’s or 80’s. Also imagine your 70’s and 80’s if you don’t put in any work. Consistency and progressive overload are part of the recipe to longevity and keeping your independence. Your age doesn’t define you, the work that you put in day to day defines who you are and who you can become.

The post Top 5 Exercises That You Should Avoid? 60+ appeared first on The Super Senior.

Dementia can have a very wide range of severity when it comes to its symptoms. This can vary from memory loss, inability to follow directions, depth perceptions, and other cognitive dysfunctions. Studies show that exercise can yield massive benefits to their cognitive abilities. They can do just about any exercise, however, my recommended list of exercises are:

• Sit to Stand
• Band Pull apart
• Shoulder matrix
• Lat pull down
• Chest press
• Recumbent Bike

Common facts regarding dementia

According to the CDC dementia is a generic term for cognitive decline. Someone with dementia will show more signs than just memory loss. They will have issues making decisions, following directions, depth perception (steps can look higher or lower than they really are), and have a difficult time with their activities of daily living².

There was an estimated 5 million people with dementia in 2014, and this number is expected to jump to 14 million by 2060. The most common population that dementia seems to affect are those 65 years and older⁶.

To put this estimated dementia population into a different perspective let us look at the total population increases. The estimated population of those 65+ is estimated to increase from 900 million in 2015 to 2 billion in 2050, according to the WHO. This means that the percentage of people with dementia will increase from 0.56% to 0.7%.

The actual causes of dementia are still unknown, but there are certain factors that can possibly contribute. Genetics is an obvious contributor to someone developing dementia later on in life. Overall health is also another contributing factor. Those that are overweight, smoke, sedentary, and inactivity can help increase the chances of developing dementia. Not everyone that is unhealthy will develop dementia, but it does increase your chances.

Benefits of starting an exercise program for dementia

Exercise is not just a way for people to get super fit and look good. Exercise is a modality that has amazing benefits for people that are afflicted with different diseases. Resistance and cardio exercise have been shown to have incredible benefits for those with dementia or Alzheimer’s disease¹.

Better Sleep

Regular exercise helps with sleep quality. By increasing sleep quantity and quality, a healthy person can expect to see better cognition throughout the day. Have you ever had bad sleep and tried to tell a story or recall something from yesterday? Sometimes you can go into a complete brain fart and have no recollection of the events that made it memorable.

According to a study by Lianne J Trigiani, “Low quality of sleep can perpetuate the accumulation of toxic protein aggregates in the parenchyma and around blood vessels, rendering clearance via the glymphatic system or other mechanisms less efficient.” Better sleep will allow better clearance of these proteins which will give those suffering from dementia a better chance at improving their symptoms³.

Most studies show that there are benefits to having a dementia patient exercising. They typically have results that show they have better function, sleep, mood, and cognition. However, there are studies that don’t show as great results or any benefits at all^1,5.

Unfortunately there are no guarantees

Some of the studies show that there are no improvements in cognitive ability.

All the studies show that their physical abilities are better which allow them to do their activities of daily living and make it much easier to care for them⁷.

Most of the studies show improved behavior and mood. I think that with better sleep and better physical abilities, there are less times for that individual to get frustrated. I think the cognitive impairment of some of the patients outweighs the benefits they get from exercise. This is simply my interpretation of the findings of these studies.

Dementia is so complicated and those that are afflicted by it vary a great deal in terms of their severity. So, it seems only natural that some studies will yield results while some will not, since not every person with dementia is the same. Overall, with the proper training regime and guidance there are no negatives to beginning an exercise program for those with dementia.

What exercises should be avoided with dementia

Exercises that are heavily driven by technique should be avoided. Of course, everything really depends on the individual. If they have a long history of multiple types of training, then they may be able to perform more complicated exercises. However, the big compound exercises should be avoided such as:

• Barbell squat
• Deadlift
• Shoulder press
• Bench press

These exercises have multiple moving parts which requires more focus and a greater understanding of the technique to avoid injuries.

It is possible to work your way up to these exercises, but this all depends on the individual. If they can follow directions clearly and have great body awareness (knowing where they are in space) then eventually transitioning to the big compound lifts is a possibility.

However, if they are anything like my current client then you must take things one step at a time. The most difficult exercises I can get him to do are sit to stands and band pull aparts. He is better now at performing the exercises, but there are still days where there is an obvious decline in cognition. I attempted to try a new exercise and he was unable to perform it correctly, and it through him off for the rest of the session.

They have every ability that a normal person would have, but you must take everything very slowly and pay very close attention to what they are doing.

How often should you exercise with dementia

Humans in general thrive off being in some sort of routine. A routine allows the brain to know what to expect next throughout the day. So instead of reacting to a situation you are simply following a guided plan which is much easier to do. If you have heard of the workings of Hal Elrod’s The Miracle Morning, then you can see some of the benefits of following a routine. Following this principle, working out 5-7 days a week will be optimal for the best results.

Each week should consist of 1-2 days of strength training (preferably 2) and the remaining days should be some sort of cardio. There is a lot more research that needs to be done regarding exercising with dementia, this is solely based on my experience, education, and research. For more information check out my article that describes how often older adults should exercise.

I have already explained how better sleep can influence their cognitive abilities. Exercise has been shown to improve one’s ability to fall asleep and stay asleep. This can have a compound effect on their abilities for their regular activities of daily life. In the end, this has the potential to improve their overall mood and independence. If they don’t respond super positively to the training, then at the very least it makes their care giver’s job much easier. Their mind may not be stronger, but they will have a better, stronger body which will make caring for them easier.

What you can expect for the first week

The first week of working with a client with dementia can come with a lot of frustrations. Their inability to follow directions is the main variable that makes the experience so frustrating. Therefore, starting with some exercises that mimic what they possibly do already in their daily life will help with coaching.

You can expect this person to have a very difficult time attempting to do some, if not all, exercises correctly. So, expect to have an extreme amount of patience. The typical coaching cues may not work, and you may have to resort to something a little more tangible. For example, I had my client do a chest press with a resistance band, and to complete each rep I had him reach out and give me a fist bump. This forced him to not overreach or unexpectedly begin walking forward. This gave him just the range that I wanted him to do to be safe and effective with the exercise.

You must be ready to pivot when something is clearly not working and build upon the successes that they seem to understand easily. Sometimes something will just click, and they can suddenly rapid fire each exercise perfectly. No one knows what will happen, not even the client, so be ready to adapt to the situation.

Recommended list of exercises with dementia

Careful observation of the client is a must when it comes to performing every repetition. A constant reminder of every cue they should be paying attention to is also crucial, because they will often forget certain things from one repetition to another. My most recommended exercises would start with…

• Sit to Stand – This exercise will be one of the more crucial exercises for building their leg strength. Other leg exercises that would require more balancing such as a lunge may be out of the question to start. Machines based exercises can also be difficult to instruct the client to properly get into and begin the motion as well. This will at least create functional strength since they are more connected to the ground.
• Band Pull Apart – Staying with trying to be as functional as possible, this will be a great exercise to improve posture while also being connected to the ground. This will strengthen the arm and back muscles while being a very simple exercise. Stretch the band as far as you can and hold for a second before releasing.
• Shoulder Matrix – The shoulder matrix is a really great exercise to challenge the shoulders as well as cognition. Start by bringing the arms straight out to the side, then straight out in front (like a zombie), then reach for the ceiling, finally reverse each movement until you are back to the start position.
• Lat Pull Down – I put a lot of emphasis on building the back muscles. After all, those are the muscles that keep us upright. This one is difficult for anyone to really mess up and hurt themselves. Focus on slow and controlled reps as well as holding the bottom squeeze for a moment. The only thing to watch out for is to make sure they don’t lean backward thinking there is a back rest.
• Chest press (Machine or Resistance Band) – I would love to have them do some sort of push up. If they have the ability or cognitive ability to do a push up safely then they should be the primary exercise. However, if they have a difficult time with push-ups then moving onto the chest press machine will be best. Stronger chest muscles will still benefit them in the event they fall.
• Recumbent bike – This I would recommend as the main source of aerobic/cardio exercise. There is too much risk involved with the treadmill and elliptical. They can get seriously hurt if they forget to turn off the treadmill. The elliptical can be difficult to control, and it is also a little high and difficult to get off. A stationary bicycle will be the safest option to ensure they are able to operate it safely.

Don’t be discouraged keep going!!

It is true that not every study proves that there is a positive outcome when it comes to exercising for those with dementia⁴. But I haven’t come across any studies that said there are negative effects from exercise. Each study showed a bigger decline in cognitive abilities in the control group in comparison to the group that exercised^4,7. Some days will look better than others, but you must keep the ball rolling. Staying consistent with this activity will reap the best rewards.

Citations

1. Yu F, Swartwood RM. Feasibility and Perception of the Impact From Aerobic Exercise in Older Adults With Alzheimer’s Disease. American Journal of Alzheimer’s Disease & Other Dementias®. September 2012:397-405. doi:10.1177/1533317512453492

2. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2019, April 5). What is dementia? Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Retrieved November 11, 2021, from https://www.cdc.gov/aging/dementia/index.html.  

3. Trigiani LJ, Hamel E. An endothelial link between the benefits of physical exercise in dementia. Journal of Cerebral Blood Flow & Metabolism. 2017;37(8):2649-2664. doi:10.1177/0271678X17714655

4. Forbes D, Forbes SC, Blake CM, Thiessen EJ, Forbes S. Exercise programs for people with dementia. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews 2015, Issue 4. Art. No.: CD006489. DOI: 10.1002/14651858.CD006489.pub4. Accessed 15 November 2021.

5. Steinberg, M. (2008). Evaluation of a home-based exercise program in the treatment of Alzheimer’s disease: The Maximizing Independence in Dementia (MIND) study. International Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry, 24(7).

6. World Health Organization. (2021, October 4). Ageing and health. World Health Organization. Retrieved November 15, 2021, from https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/ageing-and-health.

7. Thuné-Boyle, I., Iliffe, S., Cerga-Pashoja, A., Lowery, D., & Warner, J. (2012). The effect of exercise on behavioral and psychological symptoms of dementia: Towards a research agenda. International Psychogeriatrics, 24(7), 1046-1057. doi:10.1017/S1041610211002365

The post The Complete Guide to Exercising With Dementia appeared first on The Super Senior.

To be healthy one is required to do both cardio and strength training. Cardio gives us a strong heart that will pump blood and nutrients to the rest of our body. Strength training Keeps our joints strong and allows us to have the strength to more easily carry out our activities of daily life. According to The Fitness Professional’s Guide to Strength Training Older Adults by Thomas Baechle, “two days a week gives the best results for strength gains”. Cardio should also be performed regularly 2-4 days a week.

Defining the intensity of the activity

We should probably first define what moderate and vigorous intensity actually means. It would be sort of difficult to determine whether or not you had a good workout if you have no idea what you should be feeling.

To understand intensity we need to understand your rate of perceived exertion (RPE). If we were to add a numerical value to this rating then we can better understand how intense the workout was. We should rate the workout or exercise from 1-10. One would mean that the workout was so easy that you barely felt the activity at all. Ten would mean that it was so intense that you are collapsed on the ground in exhaustion and you can’t speak. You will also be so sore from the workout that you won’t be able to do anything else for several days.

Where should you land on the RPE scale

Typically you want to be somewhere in this 6-8 range. Obviously, you don’t want the workout to be so easy that you don’t get any benefits. If it’s too easy then your body will have no reason to adapt and become stronger. Too hard of a workout will also have negative consequences. Your body will be so broken down that it will only focus on healing itself over become stronger. So we need to find that middle ground where we give our body just enough of a stimulus that it will restructure itself to become stronger.

How should you NOT rate your workout?

The most common ways that the general population will use to rate the effectiveness of their workout is calories burned, sweat, soreness, and out of breathe. All four are easily achieved at the same and it can be a very ineffective workout. For example, do burpees for 30 minutes straight, walk at a steep incline on a treadmill for one hour, and rapidly hit every strength machine until failure for 30 minutes. One might get some cardio benefits out of these workouts. However, the gains from these workouts will likely plateau, and there is a good chance of injury from overuse, and overtraining.

If your goal is to win a burpee competition then by all means that is the workout you should be doing. Sticking to a program will have better results because there is a different intention behind the workout.  

Plan your workouts to have one focus.

If your focus that day is on strength then focus your workout solely on strength. Stick to your rest periods to allow your muscles to recover and stimulate your muscles to become stronger. If your focus is on cardio, then focus only on cardio. There are lots of way to do cardio, but your focus should be to get your heart rate up to increase your heart health and lung capacity. Attempting to do both at the same time will result in an ineffective workout. If this is your first time ever training in many years then you will start with reaping the benefits of both. However, these results will plateau eventually and you won’t make any more gains in cardio or strength. Why? To put it simply, you are using 2 different systems at the same time, your anaerobic and aerobic systems. Doing so will limit your ability to make gains in either system. As someone that lives in Las Vegas, this is like going to a buffet or going to a normal restaurant. The quality of the food from a traditional restaurant will almost always surpass the mass produced food at a buffet. Focusing on one thing at a time will have better results.

What your week of exercise will look like

The above chart is simply an example of what a week of working out can look like. There is an unlimited amount of variations for how your week of workouts can look. For example, your cardio days can last for more like an hour so that you only have to do 2 or 3 days of cardio, and you can fill in other days with other activities like yoga or walking.

How to determine your week will require some self-awareness. Some people operate better on a routine so they benefit more from the schedule I created above. Some people can be very flexible with their routine and still get everything done. As long as you are able to get 150 minutes of cardio, and 2 nonconsecutive days of strength training then you will be just fine. Just don’t do all of it in one single day, definite no no.

According to studies, two strength workouts a week seems to have the most optimal results. The most likely reason for this is the amount of rest between days of strength training. Your body needs 48-72 hours to recover from a workout and be ready to go into another workout. So if you were to workout too frequently you would likely fall into overtraining, which means you will go backwards in results and possibly be injured. One day a week will still have some results, but there is not enough frequency to elicit a change in your body.

Create your own schedule

Develop your own plan that incorporates the general rules that I have laid out in this article. Pay close attention to the intensity of the workout and focus solely on improving one aspect of your health at a time. If your first plan doesn’t work, then take a step back and make some adjustments. The point is only to find a schedule that works for your lifestyle. If you need some ideas for strength training, then click here to read my article on beginning strength exercises at home.

Citation

Baechle, T. R. (2010). Fitness Professional’s Guide to Strength Training Older Adults (Vol. 2). Human Kinetics.

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What does healthy look like for older adults above 60 years old? Start by going to the doctor and getting bloodwork. The numbers you get there are far more important to your health than your weight. So pay close attention to your blood pressure, resting heart rate, cholesterol, and blood glucose. After that you will need to have a little self reflection of your energy levels as well as how many medications you are taking. Finally, take a look at your independence and your ability to do your activities of daily living. So to be healthy in your older years switch your focus away from the scale and to all the previously mentioned variables that matter.

What happens when our look defines our health?

We constantly see celebrities and models that look like they are in perfect shape. Men look very muscular and lean with big chests, boulders for shoulders, and washboard abs. Women will typically have a skinny waist, nicely toned legs, and nice plump booty. It’s a little demoralizing isn’t it? These people are glamourized for looking a certain way and they are advertised as being “natural” without the use of drugs or photoshop. So what happens to the average person when they look in the mirror and they compare themselves to those models?

Now we set a goal just to try and get that look. However, after months of trying and putting forth your best efforts you are still nowhere close to seeing the results that you want. So, we keep chasing. We take any supplement and we start cutting more calories and spending more time at the gym running our asses off to lose the weight. We keep chasing thinking that everything that we are doing is in the pursuit of being healthy.

There is one thing that normally happens when one becomes this obsessed about trying to become that fit individual. They have pushed away everything that goes against their goals, including their friends and family. The only people you can really associate with now are the people with the same goal. So, what happens when our look defines our health? We develop a bad relationship with food, exercise, loved ones, and worst of all ourselves.

How the scale or how we look can be discouraging

By focusing completely on how we look or the number on the scale we can become very discouraged. After all the sacrifices that we have done to reach our goal, if we don’t reach them then we feel like a failure. The uneducated fitness community will tell you all sorts of things. “You don’t want it enough”, “you have to try harder”, “you have to dedicate more time” or “you obviously didn’t follow the program correctly”.  The general fitness community will make you feel like a failure, and you aren’t good enough to look the way you want to look.

By using these metrics we develop a deep connection between these numbers and subjective observations to our self-worth. We feel that since we were unable to achieve our goal within the time period that we have failed. We either begin to blame ourselves for not being motivated enough, or we start to blame outside factors that we believe influence our physiques. The time has come to flip the script and change exactly how we see our health.

Focus on your performance

By changing the aspects that we focus on we can really see the progress that comes from your hard work. You should be able to feel a difference in your body through consistent workouts and a healthier minimally processed diet. Start of by looking at your workouts. Have you gotten stronger? Are once difficult exercises becoming easier? There are lots of questions that you can ask yourself to help promote that fact that you are becoming healthier even though you still look the same.

Check those variables actually matter

There is a plethora of hidden variables of our health that matter a great deal more than how we look or the number on the scale. These are typically things that we see our doctors to see. At more advanced ages these visits matter most to ensure that the things you are doing are keeping you healthy. By checking your numbers for your blood pressure, glucose levels, cholesterol, triglycerides, and many other factors can help determine your longevity. So maybe you don’t look like a model, but if these numbers start moving in the direction of healthy ranges then you are on the right track.

There are many other afflictions that we tend to deal with as we age. Without a doubt you know someone that has some form of arthritis, osteoporosis, or hypertension. Through consistent diet and exercise your risk for these diseases can be slowed or even reversed. For example, resistance training places an outside force on not only your muscles but your bones too. As a result, your bones must get stronger to withstand that load. In other words, resistance training can stop osteoporosis or even reverse it by making your bones stronger¹.

Stop looking at the mirror!

There are so many other questions that you can ask yourself to determine if you have become healthier. Energy levels, reversed diabetes, reversed osteoporosis, improved blood pressure, improved balance, reduced fear of falling, and the list just continues. You do not have to look like a supermodel to be considered healthy. In fact, one could probably argue that many supermodels are not healthy. We need to learn to pay more attention to the details that actually matter. It is incredibly easy to get caught up in the trap of seeing yourself in the mirror in order to see the results. Stay consistent and be prepared to see the shocked face of your doctor the next time you see them

Citations

1. Ciolac, E.G., Rodrigues-da-Silva, J.M. Resistance Training as a Tool for Preventing and Treating Musculoskeletal Disorders. Sports Med 46, 1239–1248 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s40279-016-0507-z

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