Fitness
Age 50'S and up: Defending your turf
By now you have it figured out (i.e., you know that nobody has it figured out). you're a master at the office, a veteran in the weight room, the head of the clan. But you're fighting Mother nature and entropy at the same time, and that's one tough tag team. australian researchers found that men age 58 and older often struggle with body-image issues. Performing at least two exercise sessions per week boosts men's self-esteem by helping them feel better about their bodies' ability to perform routine tasks. and feeling good motivates you to make more gains. your fitness program should help you avoid pain and do what's important to you. okay, so you're not a kid anymore. neither is Clint eastwood. But he can still kick some butt.
THE CHANGES
THAT TRICK KNEE JUST GOT TRICKIER
Many men in their 50s begin to have joint trouble. The main culprits: overuse injuries and osteoarthritis.
THE FIX
Ride a bike. Researchers at Arcadia University studied 39 people suffering from osteoarthritis of the knees and found that cycling just 25 minutes a day, three times a week, significantly improved pain relief and performance in walking tests. So saddle up.
BONE LOSS LOOMS
Bone minerals are lost and replaced throughout life—it's a natural process —but after age 35, the loss begins to outpace the replacement. At 50, this imbalance can hurt you.
THE FIX
More stress. Stressing your bones strengthens them. Walking beats swimming, running beats walking, and strength training is the best bone builder of all, says Wojtek Chodzko-Zajko, PhD, head of kinesiology at the University of Illinois.
Have a cow. The average 50-year-old needs about 1,200 milligrams (mg) of calcium per day for healthy bones. Get that from one eight-ounce glass of milk (300 mg), six ounces of yogurt (300 mg), a handful of almonds (150 mg), and two ounces of Swiss cheese (540 mg).
OH, MY ACHING BACK
Inactivity can tighten your spine and pelvic muscles, forcing your knees and lower back to compensate. That's why they ache, explains Mark Verstegen, author of Core Performance.
THE FIX
Roll your foam. Exercising with a foam roll can loosen the muscles around your pelvis and torso. Lie on top of the roll with your arms crossed over your chest. Keep your abs tight and your feet on the ground. Glide on the roll from your shoulders to the base of your spine several times until you feel the muscles release. Do more foam-roll moves to loosen hamstrings, quadriceps, groin, and glutes.
Take a Pilates class. Strengtheningyour stomach muscles can ease back pain. "Pilates includes a lot of balance activities on one hand and one knee that are aimed at stabilizing and strengthening the core," says Chodzko-Zajko.
WATER SHORTAGE
Between ages 57 and 86, your body literally dries up. It will likely consist of just 54 percent water, as opposed to the 61 percent found in younger men. You'll also sweat less because your sweat glands disappear. You may have less body odor, but overheating and heatstroke become an issue.
THE FIX
Be a camel. "Drinking fluids is more important as you grow older," says Chodzko-Zajko. "One of the problems with aging is that thirst decreases with age, so people tend to drink less."
MASS DEFECTIONS
Muscle tissue needs more calories for maintenance and rebuilding processes than fat tissue does. The more muscle you have, the more calories you burn—even at rest. "Gain just one pound of muscle, and that's an additional 50 calories you'll burn each day," says Seabourne. For the 40s strength workout (below), Seabourne calls for a slower lifting tempo but keeps the weights fairly heavy, so you can build muscle mass. "It's still cool to lift heavy, but you need to pay strict attention to your form and protect your joints," he says. Glucosamine supplements can help with your day-after pains.
THE FIX
Play with heavy metal. Don't shy away from heavy weights because you think you're susceptible to injury. As long as you use proper form, which you should master now if you haven't already, heavy weights will keep your bones strong and your muscles large. Seabourne kept the weights up in your workout (below) but slowed the tempo and concentrated on lifts that develop balance.
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Men's Health Philippines - August 2006 Issue
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