The Best Muscle-Saving Exercises for Seniors

Sarcopenia, or age-related muscle loss, is a natural but problematic part of aging. In fact, without intervention, many seniors lose around 3% of their muscle strength per year. Worse, that muscle loss is tied to earlier mortality. 

Fortunately, exercise can help reverse this process. Here are the best muscle-saving exercises for seniors.

Aerobic Exercise

Aerobic exercises work your entire body, get your heart rate up, and increase your respiration rate to supply oxygen throughout your body.  Riding a bike, going for a hike in a park, or jogging around your neighborhood are all excellent options. 

In fact, one study found that all these activities increased muscle mass among seniors when performed five days a week. That may feel like a big commitment, but if you choose an activity you enjoy, the time will fly by. 

Walking

Getting your steps in every day will help you save your muscles. And best of all, it’s free! Try walking to your favorite shops instead of driving, strolling around the block, or visiting a local park. You can even walk around your apartment building if the weather is poor.

Walking has been shown to improve muscle mass for seniors within six months. And those who walk faster see better results, so do your best to pick up the pace!

Strength Training

Strength training is one of the fastest ways to improve your muscle mass, because it really gives your muscles a workout. Indeed, one study found that seniors were able to see an improvement in their muscle mass in just three months with strength training! 

Exercising with weights or resistance bands is a great way to save your muscles. Alternatively, you can also use your own body for strength training, by doing exercises like squats, push-ups, and planks. These all require you to use different muscle groups to maintain your body position and hold your weight, so they’re wonderful for increasing strength.

Resistance Exercise Training

According to one study, the absolute best muscle-saving exercises involve targeting the entire body through resistance exercise training (RET). This study suggests that seniors begin RET two times per week and increase over time to three to four times per week. 

The chest, legs, arms, shoulders, and back should all be targeted with exercises like leg extensions, chest presses, biceps curls, calf raises, overhead presses, and seated cable rows. Since this program is intense and requires gym equipment, it’s a good idea to get your doctor’s approval first and find a personal trainer who can ensure you’re using the equipment correctly. 

Gardening

If traditional types of exercise just aren’t for you, you may find some benefit from gardening. That’s because gardening requires you to exercise your muscles through things like digging, lifting plants and soil, and pulling weeds. 

You’re also likely to move repeatedly from standing to squatting and to walk around your garden as you work. All of these activities help build your strength and save your muscles. 

Muscle loss is a problem many seniors face, but it can be slowed or even reversed with muscle-saving exercises. So talk to your doctor about the exercise regimen that’s right for you, and get active!

Are you interested in joining an active senior community? We’d love to have you! At Normandy Living, our residents enjoy access to an onsite exercise room, courtyard for gardening, and an array of recreational activities. Learn more here.