It is a common misconception that as we get older we should gravitate more towards aerobic exercise (walking, elliptical, recumbent bicycle, etc.) in lieu of resistance exercise. This is not supported by research. For many reasons it is vital to include cardiovascular exercise in your routine but this should be in addition to strength training. Repeated peer-reviewed studies have clearly shown that strength training helps, not hurts, in the therapy of osteoarthritic conditions, not to mention the myriad of other benefits associated with regular resistance exercise.

Sadly, being told you have arthritis in your knee, hip, spine, or other area, is often a stepping stone to further inactivity, especially if you’ve been advised by a medical professional to “take it easy”. This creates a downward spiral where more inactivity leads to more degenerative changes. Joints and tissues need movement to support them. Even if that movement hurts a little. Your FitSenior coach will discuss your health history prior to developing a program that will help you not only move better but ultimately feel better!

The term functional training means performing exercises that are essential to allowing the maintenance of real-life activities. Too many workout routines involve movements that very few people can pull off with proper technique or without hurting themselves (think pushups or burpees), or on the other end, are too basic to provide any real significant benefit (think arm curls or standing marches). This is especially the case when machines are used as the primary means of providing resistance, where all you do is push or pull and the machine does the rest of the work, with no stability or balance on your part required. Functional training incorporates all of these critical aspects of movement to allow you to remain as active as you’d like.

Based on the guidelines of the Department of Health and Human Services at least twice a week of strength training of all major muscles groups is recommended. The SeniorStrong program follows these guidelines to help you develop the necessary minimal amount of resistance exercise. This is done in a small group setting where a sense of community and camaraderie is encouraged and emphasized. The program has specifically been chosen to last for eight weeks, the minimal amount of time required to instill and learn the foundational movement patterns.

Completing the program is just the beginning of your journey to achieving optimal health and wellness. Although you will learn plenty during the eight weeks, it is vital that you have a plan in place to ensure that the benefits you have discovered while in SeniorStrong continue down the road. HealthFit has developed several follow-up programs and classes that will help you with this. Of course, if you prefer to go at it alone, our expert coaches can help you build a routine that you can do on your own.