Have you ever watched an older friend or relative experience difficulty with standing up after sitting in a chair? Many elderly people struggle with this, especially after surgery or an injury. This can happen, as well, with younger people who have been bedridden. There are numerous muscles involved with pulling yourself into a standing position. Loss of muscle tone due to inactivity is often to blame for having difficulty standing up in later years.
Maintaining muscle strength becomes increasingly important as you grow older, for many reasons besides enabling yourself to get up from a chair without help (or toilet!) well into advanced old age. Strength training offers multiple benefits to aging bodies, including lower blood pressure, increased bone density, easier weight loss, disease prevention and better sleep. Best of all, you’ll look and feel more youthful and experience better overall health as the birthdays add up.
Here are 10 reasons Fit After Fifty came up with on why toning and strengthening exercises should be part of your fitness/wellness plan. Start now and you’ll reap the anti-aging benefits of your strength-training “habit” for the rest of your life.
