I am noticing that my conversations with friends are changing. I go for a walk with a friend, and I’m talking about how that last run made my hip hurt or how I can hear my knees when I walk upstairs or do lunges, or how I tweaked my back…for no reason! Are you noticing this?!
Arthritis, joint stiffness, unexplained aches and pains. It’s happening. We’re getting older, but some of the most important changes that come with aging are ones we can train for:
1. We lose muscle mass
Starting in our 30’s, we lose 3-8% of our muscle mass per decade. Along with an overall loss of muscle, we disproportionally
lose Type 2/fast twitch muscle fibers over of Type 1 or slow twitch muscle fibers. Slow twitch muscles carry us on a walk around the lake with our friends. Fast twitch muscles catch us when we slip on the ice.
2. We lose bone density
Bone density peaks in our early 30’s. We start to lose 0.3 to 0.5% each year sometime after that. Women can lose
up to 2% each year through the menopause transition and in the 10 years surrounding menopause we can lose about 10% of the bone density in our hips and spine.
3. We lose cardiovascular fitness
One of the strongest predictors of longevity is VO2 max which measures how well our body can take in, transport, and use oxygen. Starting in our 30’s our VO2 max starts to decrease by about 10% per decade.
These changes all play a part in a scenario that can lead to a life changing fall. In older adults a fall that results in a hip fracture is associated with about a 1-in-5 chance of dying within a year, and for those who recover, getting back to their previous level of independence isn’t guaranteed.
There are three things you can do to help counteract the effects of aging.
1. Lift weights. It’s a no brainer. Lifting weights builds muscle, helps maintain bone density, and works your fast twitch muscles.
2. Do some form of cardio. Moderate to high intensity cardio training works wonders on building and maintaining VO2 max. Even lower intensity, Zone 2 cardio is beneficial to maintaining and supporting cardiovascular fitness.
3. Do plyometrics. Jump, hop, move quickly. Plyometrics are effective in maintaining fast twitch muscles and agility. They help you respond and move quickly, which is so important in our Minnesota winters.
Here’s where I make the case for going to the gym:
You can do all of these things at the gym.
People are lifting weights to build muscle and get strong. They’re doing cardio sprints and intervals to improve their cardiovascular fitness. They’re jumping, bounding, and moving quickly to preserve those fast twitch muscles along with speed, power, and agility. Going to the gym is not just about losing weight or improving how you look. It’s an opportunity to preserve the things we’re losing as we age, most importantly our mobility and our independence.
We can’t stop aging, but we can train for it. You might even say that we can train for life at the gym.
And also: it's fun.