Ah, youth! We fall down and scrape our knees, get up, wipe our tears, put a bandage on, and keep on playing. As an adult, when we fall, it is scary. We weigh more, we have more gravitational pull, and our mamas aren't always there to kiss our boo-boos and wipe our tears. Our muscles, tendons, ligaments, bones, and skin are more pliable when we are young. Healing occurs faster, and muscles build faster than when we are adults too. As the years pass, muscle mass in the body usually shrinks year by year. Strength and power decline. Flexibility and agility are harder to maintain.
This process begins earlier than you might think. Sarcopenia—defined as age-related muscle loss—can begin at around age 35 and occurs at a rate of 1-2% yearly on average. After age 60, it can accelerate to 3% a year. The loss may be mild or muscles can remain in the normal range. Adults who don’t do regular strength training can expect to lose 4 to 6 pounds of muscle per decade. We are sedentary humans compared to our ancestors due to the conveniences of modern living. We need to be aware of the shifts and then be mindful to take action. We ned to be a partner in our wellness. Most people don’t see the number on the scale going down, which means they are replacing that muscle with fat. Fast-twitch fibers, which provide bursts of power, are lost at a greater rate than slow-twitch fibers, so there is a higher possibility of not only growing weaker, but also getting slower.
Weakened muscles can make it more difficult to do normal daily activities, and to balance. One in every three adults ages 65 and older falls each year. Falls can lead to bone fractures, admittance to long-term care facilities, and even death from complications. Do not despair, my friends! Strength and power training can help. People with stronger muscles are less likely to fall and if they do fall, are less likely to sustain a serious injury. This is why strength training with resistance and stretching activities such as yoga and Pilates are increasing in popularity as our world population lives to longer and longer ages.
Here are my suggestions for strength, agility, and flexibility to ward off sarcopenia:
yoga
Pilates
hiking up hill
race walking with longer strides, mindfully
biking
swimming
dancing
playing with kids
walking
weight training with free weights or bands
I hope this helps you!
Blessings,
KJ Landis
SuperiorSelf on Youtube
This process begins earlier than you might think. Sarcopenia—defined as age-related muscle loss—can begin at around age 35 and occurs at a rate of 1-2% yearly on average. After age 60, it can accelerate to 3% a year. The loss may be mild or muscles can remain in the normal range. Adults who don’t do regular strength training can expect to lose 4 to 6 pounds of muscle per decade. We are sedentary humans compared to our ancestors due to the conveniences of modern living. We need to be aware of the shifts and then be mindful to take action. We ned to be a partner in our wellness. Most people don’t see the number on the scale going down, which means they are replacing that muscle with fat. Fast-twitch fibers, which provide bursts of power, are lost at a greater rate than slow-twitch fibers, so there is a higher possibility of not only growing weaker, but also getting slower.
Weakened muscles can make it more difficult to do normal daily activities, and to balance. One in every three adults ages 65 and older falls each year. Falls can lead to bone fractures, admittance to long-term care facilities, and even death from complications. Do not despair, my friends! Strength and power training can help. People with stronger muscles are less likely to fall and if they do fall, are less likely to sustain a serious injury. This is why strength training with resistance and stretching activities such as yoga and Pilates are increasing in popularity as our world population lives to longer and longer ages.
Here are my suggestions for strength, agility, and flexibility to ward off sarcopenia:
yoga
Pilates
hiking up hill
race walking with longer strides, mindfully
biking
swimming
dancing
playing with kids
walking
weight training with free weights or bands
I hope this helps you!
Blessings,
KJ Landis
SuperiorSelf on Youtube
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