Exercise & Fitness Archive

Strength training isn't just for bodybuilders. Like aerobic exercise, it's important for everybody, and it should be a part of any comprehensive exercise program. Of course, if you've never trained with weights before, it can seem a little daunting. But as long as you ease into it gradually and take the proper precautions, strength training is safe for most people.

Use the six tips below to help you get the most from your strength workouts.

You've tried different diets — and have even been exercising regularly — but those extra pounds won't budge. Don't give up. It may be that you haven't yet found the weight-loss strategies that work for you.

"Everything works for some people, but no treatment is equally effective for everyone," says Dr. Lee Kaplan, director of the Obesity, Metabolism and Nutrition Institute at Massachusetts General Hospital. "No method is fundamentally better than any other. The key is finding out which therapy is best for you, and that takes trial and error."

Take advantage of free medications, blood pressure screenings, and exercise classes to stay healthy and save money.

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Medical costs are soaring, but not every step you take to improve your health has to cost an arm and a leg. Some services are even free, regardless of your financial need. "These are incredibly helpful, although few of my patients know about many of them," says geriatrician Dr. Suzanne Salamon, an assistant professor at Harvard Medical School. The trick is knowing where to find the services, and this month we have suggestions on where to look.

Free exercise classes

Exercise is essential for overall health and mobility, especially as we get older. Many organizations support that by offering free exercise classes for older adults. Good places to find free classes: hospitals and senior centers. Give them a call, or look on the Internet to see an organization's event calendar.

Even if you exercise regularly, sitting for long periods during the day is unhealthy for your heart.

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On average, we spend more than half of our waking hours sitting down: working at a computer, watching television, traveling in a car, or doing other sedentary things such as reading or chatting with friends. But long stretches of uninterrupted sitting have a range of undesirable effects that may harm your heart, says Dr. Beth Frates, who directs wellness programming for the Stroke Research and Recovery Institute at Harvard-affiliated Spaulding Rehabilitation Hospital.

"Sedentary behavior affects your body in many different ways, even down to the molecular level," she notes.

Whether you run or walk, these popular local events can be an effective fitness motivator.

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Motivation can be one of the greatest obstacles to staying active. If your interest in exercise is waning, consider signing up for a local 5-kilometer (5K) race, which covers 3.1 miles.

"These events are ideal for older men because they can accommodate almost any fitness level and experience," says Michael Clem of the Harvard-affiliated Spaulding National Running Center.

In the journals

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Low back pain? Try yoga. A study published online July 20, 2017, by the American Journal of Preventive Medicine found that low back pain sufferers who completed a 12-week yoga program reported less pain and better quality of life compared with those who received standard care, such as medication, physical therapy, and exercise.

The study specifically looked at military veterans, average age 53, 74% of whom were men, who had experienced chronic lower back pain for at least six months. The 12-week program consisted of two hour-long instructor-led yoga sessions per week, with home practice encouraged. The sessions emphasized poses to stretch and strengthen the core and improve joint mobility. Relaxation and breathing techniques helped to reduce tension and pain perception.

Research we're watching

People with cardiovascular disease who exercise regularly, don't smoke, and manage other risk factors spend far less money on medications than people who don't take such steps, a new study finds.

The study included 4,248 people ages 40 and older with clogged arteries (atherosclerosis), the most common form of cardiovascular disease. Researchers also relied on the Medical Expenditure Panel Survey, a national snapshot of health care expenses based on a survey of nearly 76,000 Americans.

Muscle loss is inevitable as you age, but adopting a regular weight training program can help slow the process.

You naturally lose muscle as you age, a condition called sarcopenia. After age 30, men begin to lose as much as 3% to 5% of their muscle mass per decade, and most will lose about 30% over their lifetimes. But you have the power to change this — with weight training.

"Weight training is the best way to increase muscle mass lost due to aging and keep the muscle you have, and it's never too late to begin," say Vijay Daryanani, a personal trainer with Harvard-affiliated Spaulding Outpatient Center.