"“We have always treated the older or aging groups as ‘China dolls’ and I believe we should stop doing so,” Comana said. With the proper guidance and the right program, there’s no reason why individuals over 50 shouldn’t be lifting heavier weights." "Muscular power improved significantly in the elderly (average age of 77 years) when performing high velocity resistance training. The largest power improvements were seen on leg press exercise, performed with 60-70% of bodyweight. The power improvements were associated with significant improvements in walking ability." Several clinical trials subjected old and very old people to training with 80% of 1RM. The exercises were really heavy, like leg press and leg extensions and involving largest muscle groups, especially the quadriceps. Both men and women participated in such trials. This type of exercise proved to be both very effective and very safe for all age groups. Danish trial by Caserotti and colleagues from 2008 subjected two groups of women to 12-week long 75-80% 1RM resistance training. In the first group there were women between 60 and 65 years of age while the second group was much older: 80 to 89 years. It is also interesting to notice that this was not a regular resistance training but explosive heavy resistance training – imagine Olympic weightlifters who also use speed as another factor in their training. Both groups showed very significant improvements and no complications or health problems occurred during the trial. Similar trials have been conducted in other countries with consistent results: important improvements, no negative effects." In Peterson's analysis of 39 studies, he found that among more than 1,300 adults over the age of 50, muscle mass could be increased by an average of nearly 2.5 pounds in just five months. Not only did that reverse any age-related muscle loss, it actually built lots of new muscle. Related research found the greater the intensity of weight-lifting programs, the more dramatic the outcomes. Adults who lifted the most weight boosted their upper and lower body strength by nearly a third. Bruce Craig, a professor of exercise with the Human Performance Laboratory at Ball State University, says that, as late as the 1980s, scientists were skeptical that older people could increase muscle mass by lifting weights. But research since has shown that specific types of weight-lifting programs truly can build muscle mass, he says. The elderly should use a three-set program, in which they lift three weights one that represents 30 percent of their total strength, the next at 50 percent and the next at 70 percent, Craig says. "You need to work at your maximum strength," he says. "Lifting a 5-pound weight 25 times won't do as good." The American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) now has fitness guidelines specific to weight training for people over 50. The advice: perform such exercises 2 to 3 times a week to condition all of the major muscle groups — arms, legs, shoulders, and trunk. The goal is to lift a weight that's heavy enough to achieve 10 to 15 repetitions per session before the muscles become fatigued. Anyway...that was only 10 minutes or so of research. Don't make generalization based on your own opinion when what you are saying goes counter to common knowledge (I thought Phds were good at research). One person with a heart issue is not a proof, overall people over 50 benefit greatly from weightlifting on a regular basis and there is no silly restriuction that they should not lift more than 50% of their bodyweight. Did you know that in regular push ups you lift 65-70% of your bodyweight. So people should stop doing push ups after age 50? If you can do 10 pushups you can bench way more than 50% of your bodyweight.
"....but the fact remains that direct empirical evidence says heavy weights is bad for your heart." Really? A phd claims there is direct empirical evidence that lifting is bad for your heart??? But nothing to cite (i thought Phds were good at research). I cannot post the hundreds of studies on weight lifting and heart health but below is a good Q/A which concedes there is a certain subset of the population that lifitng heavy weights can be dangerous but even still concedes that lifting is still overall beneficial to your heart health. Those at risk just need more oversight and time to build up to heavier weights. Will lifting heavy weights put too much strain on my heart? Answer: Depends what's written in your medical records and on the weight plates. Every time you strain to hoist a heavy weight, you instinctively hold your breath, causing the muscles around your spine to contract and give your back greater support. Problem is, this same exertion creates a spike in blood pressure. For most men, the temporary BP boost isn't dangerous. But if you're older than 45, overweight, a smoker, or have high cholesterol, hypertension, or a family history of cardiovascular disease, there could be trouble. A single bout of heavy lifting--greater than 85 percent of your 1-rep max -- on compound exercises, such as the squat, leg press, bench, or deadlift, can lead to an increased risk of heart attack or stroke in men who are already at risk, says Mark Peterson, Ph.D., an exercise physiologist at the University of Michigan. "If you're at all concerned, discuss your heart health and lifting regimen with your physician." But even if your doc tells you to avoid hefting Herculean weights, you shouldn't stop strength training altogether, says Peterson. Numerous studies show that regular lifting sessions (at least 3 days a week) at moderate levels (70 percent to 75 percent of your 1-rep max) can boost your heart health and lower your blood pressure. So the answer is to the question is whether there is direct empirical evidence that lifting heavy weights is bad for your heart? FALSE It CAN be bad in people who are already at serious risk of major cardiovascular disease but for the majority of the populaiton, as I cited numerous quotes in the previous posts and even in the answer above, lifting can BOOST heart health and provide various other health benefits and there is NO bullshit restriction on 50% of your body weight.
Yes it is hard to believe because science proves you wrong. If you want to focus only on the small subset of the general population with severe coronory heart disease risk, then your premise is still flawed. Even those with increased risk of a cardiovascular event will benefit from weight lifting but simply will have to start at much lighter loads until the heart (a muscle by the way) can adapt to the strain and also the person can reduce the other risk factors (blood sugar, cholesterol, triglycerides, smoking, etc..).
The daily recommended amount of elemental magnesium is around 400mg. In order to achieve that purely from supplementation with magnesium citrate, you need to take in 2.5 GRAMS.
I'm with you on intense resistance exercise even for the elderly, provided that underlying medical conditions are taken into account and monitored. However, I part company on the explosive part. I don't think there is meaningful upside, and the downside can be significant and only a matter of time with frailer joints.
Well the specific type of exercise is up to the individual and dependent on any existing medical condition. Science however dictates there is upside and weight can be modified.
True. Most of the supplement is passed through the bowel which is why taking increased magnesium will have you on the toilet frequently until your body adjusts. I take 800-1000mg in supplements and try to eat foods high in magnesium content.
I immediately see a contradiction here : a poop sup + insomnia fighting sup. taking mg before bedtime must be really risky,ha ha! never worked for me..makes me sleepy but I never can get to sleep properly.. people should concentrate more ON NOT LOSING MG from their bodies rather than excessively suppplementing it imo..
Good point. But it depends on the dosage. You could split the dosage like CaptainObvious says e.g. some in the morning and some in the evening. I would also say that zinc, magnesium, iron, calcium should all be taken apart from each other since they compete for absorption.