- A study found that retirement-age people who underwent 12 months of weightlifting training had significantly stronger leg muscles three years after completing the program than those who did moderate strength training or no training at all.
- The weightlifting training group went to a commercial gym three times a week for a year, repeatedly lifting heavy weights. 70 to 85 percent of the maximum weight a person can physically lift at one time.
- but, Although the supervised program lasted only a year, the scientists followed up three years later: on average, only participants in the “heavy” weightlifting cohort were able to maintain the leg strength they had before starting the training program.
In particular, leg strength Wider Health and Mobility Among the elderlyThe findings add to a growing body of evidence suggesting that weightlifting can help prevent frailty in older adults and maintain health as they age.
“Leg strength is really important,” study co-author Mats Bloch-Ibenfeldt, a medical researcher at the University of Copenhagen, said in a phone interview Wednesday. “We use our legs for a lot of our daily activities, like getting up from a chair or sitting down, so leg strength is important for reducing the risk of falling and for a lot of the everyday activities that we do.”
Weightlifting Training
As part of the study, scientists at Copenhagen University Hospital randomly assigned 451 retirement-age people to three groups and instructed each group to complete a different exercise program for one year.
- “Heavy” Weightlifting Training Group I went to a commercial gym three times a week for a supervised program of total body strength training.
- Participants used standard weight training machines found in a gym to determine the maximum weight they could lift at one time. They then calculated 70-85 percent of their maximum weight and used that weight for their training. So if the maximum weight they could lift at one time was 100 pounds, they used 70-85 pounds for their training.
- They trained three times a week, performing three sets of each exercise, with each set containing six to 12 repetitions.
- The routine included nine upper and lower body exercises: leg press, knee extension, leg curl, ankle plantar selection, hip abduction, low row, chest press, abdominal exercise, and hip exercise.
- Although the scientists described this treatment as “heavy” weightlifting compared to the other two groups in the study, the weight training program was similar to most standard weight training.
Heavy Weight Training vs. Moderate Resistance
The second group did moderate-intensity training three times a week for a year, using both their own weight and resistance bands. The resistance bands applied less strain than the heavy group’s own weight. — That’s about 50 to 60 percent of the maximum weight a person can lift at one time.
The third cohort was a control group who participated in less than one hour of vigorous exercise per week.
Over the course of four years, The scientists monitored the participants’ physical performance, including leg strength, grip strength and lean leg mass. The researchers measured the participants’ muscle strength at the start of a 12-month supervised training plan and again at the end. It will be held one year after it ended, and again three years after it ended.
Three years later, the researchers found that a small proportion of exercise participants continued the same program of their own volition, and the benefits of intense training were maintained.
“We found that after a year of heavy weight training, people were able to maintain the same leg strength they had at the start of the study,” Bloch-Evenfeldt said.
The other group was found to have lost muscle strength from baseline. Leg strength performance declined on average in the moderate-intensity training group and the sedentary control group, but more significantly in the latter. Those who participated in the moderate-intensity program benefited from increased leg strength at the end of the one-year program, but this benefit did not persist. After four years, their strength was lower than baseline.
The scientists observed that all three groups, including those who lifted the heaviest weights, showed decreased grip strength and loss of lean leg mass after four years.
However, the authors point out that it is noteworthy that the weightlifting group maintained baseline leg strength despite losing leg muscle mass, highlighting the potential neuromuscular benefits of weight training beyond muscle building.
“Neural adaptations influence the response to resistance training,” the researchers wrote. “In conclusion, we found that in a group of healthy older adults around retirement age, 1 year of[intense resistance training]may have long-term beneficial effects by preserving muscle function.”
At the end of the study, the average age of the remaining 369 participants was 71 years old, and 61 percent were women.
The researchers noted that given that the sample group walked an average of nearly 10,000 steps each day, they were likely to be healthier and more active than the average elderly population, although they noted that this group is not necessarily a representative sample of the wider population.
Additionally, the year-long training regimen is supervised, with participants’ techniques and workloads monitored and adjusted, which may be difficult for participants to replicate on their own.
Why leg strength becomes important as you age
According to a study by the National Institute on Aging:Age-related loss of muscle mass and strength (sarcopenia) is a major cause of decline in mobility in older adults and can threaten physical independence. Older adults with reduced mobility may have difficulty walking, climbing stairs, or rising from a chair.
In particular, leg strength, which is crucial for balance and mobility, has been linked to improved health outcomes in older adults. According to the study, people over 50 People with weak leg strength may also be more likely to have chronic health conditions, but more research is needed.
Federal Guidelines It is suggested that adults aged 65 and over should participate in muscle-strengthening activities every week, as well as regular aerobic and balance exercises.
“In addition to aerobic exercise, older adults should do muscle-strengthening activities at least two days a week. Do muscle-strengthening activities that are difficult to complete without help.” Guidance from the Centers for Disease Control states:According to the CDC, this includes weightlifting, resistance band training, sit-ups, and other body weight exercises.