Achieving Longevity & Vitality Through Strength Training
October 9, 2019
Body
Individuals who remain active, and even athletic into midlife and beyond, exercise is critical not only for maintaining a competitive edge, but for longevity and vitality in general.
When Dr. Eric Martin presents his Aging Athlete seminars at Garnet Health Medical Center like he did in September, he makes it a point to stress the importance of maintaining a regular course of exercise and focus on different types, their applications and benefits. Strength training is a proven way to boost overall well-being, from increasing stamina to maintaining mental acuity and preventing injury.
At the seminar, Dr. Martin discussed:
- Facts about Muscle Loss
- How to achieve longevity and totality through strength training
- The surprising connection between physical strength and mental strength
- How to work strength training into your everyday lifestyle
- How staying strong protects us from accidents and injury
You can view his presentation here:
The Incredible Benefits of Strength Training
When it comes to the aging population, the incredible benefits of strength training cannot be stressed enough. Basically, the stronger your body remains, the more mobility and balance it will retain. When it comes to the activities of lifestyle, these are critical. Staying strong allows you to:
- Take care of yourself longer
- Maintain your normal daily activities
- Live longer
- Avoid injury better
- Decrease risk of chronic diseases
This is only a sample of the myriad other health benefits strength training provides. Likely, most people are going to develop medical issues as they get older, such as: rheumatic arthritis, heart disease, diabetes, or joint issues. The stronger you are the more adept you will be at handling those underlying medical issues that come.
Strength training also has positive impacts on our bone health, and multiple recent studies have shown it to have positive effects on our mental health and well-being. The preventive and healing benefits of exercise, cannot be stressed enough.
Recommended Exercise Regimen for Active Adults
Any exercise regimen should include a mix of cardiovascular and strength training. The U.S. Health Department recommends about two and half hours of moderate exercise and about an hour and 15 minutes of vigorous activity a week. As part of that schedule, strength training should be done at variable intensities, for variable duration and at variable frequencies.
Simply put, you should be lifting weights at different times and in different ways for optimal benefits – adjusting higher and lower repetitions, opting for higher or lower weights.
Eric L. Martin, M.D.
Dr. Martin is Board-certified in orthopedics by the American Board of Orthopedic Surgeons and is affiliated with Garnet Health Doctors. Dr. Martin earned his medical degree from New York University, completed both his general surgery internship and his residency at the State University of New York (SUNY) at Stonybrook in addition to his reconstructive joint surgery fellowship from Rush University/St. Luke’s Medical Center & Central DuPage Hospital in Chicago, Ill.
To make an appointment with Dr. Martin, please call 845-333-7575
All content presented are provided for informational and educational purposes only, and are not intended to approximate or replace professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified healthcare provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. Never disregard or delay seeking professional medical advice because of something you have read within the website content. If you think you may have a medical emergency, call 911 immediately.