Starting Now!
By Wayne L. Westcott

Quincy - Athletes have a saying, “When the going gets tough the tough get going.” That is not an appropriate motto for older adults, but the fact is, seniors who want to keep going need to get going in terms of physical activity. Since this is the time of year for new beginnings, please consider starting a sensible program of physical exercise this winter so you will be ready for spring.

An effective physical activity program consists of three complementary exercise components. The first, and clearly most important for older adults, is resistance exercise to develop and maintain a strong and injury resistant musculoskeletal system. That is, to exercise with progressively heavier resistance to rebuild muscle and bone that has been lost through inactive aging. Because the muscles play a major role in the endocrine system, resistance exercise is important for releasing and regulating a variety of hormones necessary for general health and physical fitness.

The second exercise component is aerobic activity to develop and maintain a functional cardiovascular system. Endurance exercise elicits important physiological adaptations in the heart, blood vessels and blood itself, enabling greater physical capacity and reducing the risk of coronary problems.

The third exercise component is static or dynamic stretching to enhance joint flexibility throughout the body. Maintaining a functional level of joint flexibility is important for performing a variety of daily activities, including turning your head while driving, playing with grandchildren and participating in all kinds of physical activities.

While making time for resistance training, aerobic activity, and stretching exercise may seem a little overwhelming, you may be surprised at the recommended durations for developing these essential fitness components. Our research, which is completely consistent with the guidelines from the American College of Sports Medicine, indicates that you should do 8 to 10 resistance exercises which cumulatively address all of your major muscle groups (e.g., two exercises each for the legs, midsection, upper body and arms). Because you need only perform one set of each exercise, you should be able to complete your strength training session within 15 to 20 minutes. You may do two or three resistance exercise sessions a week, on non-consecutive days.

Aerobic activity should be performed at least three days a week, but 20 to 25 minutes per session is sufficient. I suggest that you add 5 to 10 minutes of flexibility exercise at the completion off each aerobic training session. This way you are stretching your muscles when they are warm rather than when they are cold and you end your workout feeling loose and relaxed.

So, if you do resistance exercise on Wednesdays and Saturdays, and aerobic training on Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays, you would spend about 15 to 30 minutes daily in purposeful physical activity. I believe you will find these brief exercise sessions time well spent with many dividends for your health and fitness.

About The Author
Wayne L. Westcott, Ph.D., teaches exercise science and conducts fitness research at Quincy College. He has authored 24 books on exercise, including Complete Conditioning for Golf.