Can Resistance Training Keep Us Feeling Young?
2024-07-16
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1From VOA Learning English, this is the Health & Lifestyle report.
2Some experts suggest that lifting weights is the best way to keep our bodies strong and healthy as we age.
3Weight lifting is a type of resistance training.
4Penn State University College of Medicine experts define resistance training as "a type of exercise that causes your muscles to work against an outside resistance."
5Some experts claim resistance training can even slow aging.
6Marcas Bamman has researched the effects of weight-resistance training on aging bodies for many years.
7He shared his advice recently with the Associated Press.
8"Resistance training is in many ways the true fountain of youth," Bamman said.
9Our bodies do have biological limits.
10But Bamman said older people put too few demands on their bodies, not too many.
11He said that most age-related loss of strength, flexibility, and endurance comes from the lack of physical demands on our bodies, such as exercise.
12Bamman said that strength training for several months can increase muscle mass and ability to the level of people 30 to 35 years younger.
13He added that a lot of people are interested in that message.
14Bamman's advice is mainly for people 60 years of age or older.
15However, he said no one should wait to start resistance training.
16He also suggests going to a gym to work out with weight machines.
17For beginners, he said machines are better.
18However, experts at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention say you do not need weight machines to do strength training.
19You can strengthen your muscles by using free weights - such as barbells or dumbbells - and resistance bands.
20You can also use your own body weight, for example, by doing push-ups or similar exercises.
21Before starting any resistance training, experts suggest getting the advice of a medical doctor.
22For those using a gym with weight machines, Bamman also suggests getting a trainer, a person to teach you how to use the equipment.
23"It's actually quite safe," he said.
24But he added that a good trainer "...can teach the movements properly."
25You can go to a gym, do training at home or work out in a park.
26However, both Bamman and the CDC suggest doing resistance training twice a week.
27Bamman added that three times a week is even better.
28He also suggests non-weight-training days in between.
29For example, if you strength train on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, then you should rest on Tuesday and Thursday.
30He said, before resistance training, start with five to 10 minutes of light activity and stretching to warm up.
31Then, do between eight and 10 different resistance exercise movements.
32Repeat each movement 10 times.
33Do these sets of 10 repetitions three times.
34Then move on to the next movement.
35When you reach the 10th repetition, you should feel you cannot do many more.
36If you could have done 10 more, you might want to increase the resistance.
37Bamman also suggests that people should keep moving during their training.
38"Sometimes you see people who sit on the machine, do a set and then play with their phone for three to four minutes," he observed.
39Bamman said strength training is important for both men and women.
40However, he said women might gain even more from resistance training than men.
41Resistance training is a way to prevent osteoporosis, the loss of bone density.
42Bamman said that over time women face an increased risk of bone loss.
43They can develop problems in their hips and lower back.
44Yasuko Kuroi is 72 and started resistance training about 20 years ago.
45She spoke to the AP at a public recreation center in Tokyo.
46She said, "I saw the men in the gym and I thought I could do that, too."
47Experts at Stanford University say research shows that between the ages of 20 and 80 we can lose between 35 percent and 40 percent of our muscle mass.
48There is a popular English expression that can relate to the body's muscle mass: "Use it or lose it."
49Bamman says we are too easy on our bodies.
50He criticized health care professionals who are too easy on older people.
51"Our human body is a demand-based system," he explained.
52He added that if you continuously put low demands on your body, your body will adapt to that low demand.
53"That's why we lose muscle mass, that's why we get weaker. We're not demanding much," Bamman said.
54However, if you put higher demands on your body with such activities as resistance training, your body has to adapt to these higher demands.
55The body adapts by making stronger bones and bigger muscles.
56Bamman used the example of space flight, or extended bed rest.
57In these situations, people quickly lose strength.
58"All of our systems as we age are capable of responding and adapting. They just need the stimulus."
59He said he has seen positive effects for people in their 70s and 80s, and even for some in their 90s.
60Bamman, 57, joked that he is now closer in age to the people who he studies.
61But he warned that there are no shortcuts.
62He criticized some programs for older adults that use only seated exercises.
63He said these do not put enough demands on the body.
64And that's the Health & Lifestyle report.
65I'm Anna Matteo.
66And I'm Andrew Smith.
1From VOA Learning English, this is the Health & Lifestyle report. 2Some experts suggest that lifting weights is the best way to keep our bodies strong and healthy as we age. Weight lifting is a type of resistance training. 3Penn State University College of Medicine experts define resistance training as "a type of exercise that causes your muscles to work against an outside resistance." 4Some experts claim resistance training can even slow aging. 5Marcas Bamman has researched the effects of weight-resistance training on aging bodies for many years. He shared his advice recently with the Associated Press. 6"Resistance training is in many ways the true fountain of youth," Bamman said. 7Our bodies do have biological limits. But Bamman said older people put too few demands on their bodies, not too many. He said that most age-related loss of strength, flexibility, and endurance comes from the lack of physical demands on our bodies, such as exercise. 8Bamman said that strength training for several months can increase muscle mass and ability to the level of people 30 to 35 years younger. He added that a lot of people are interested in that message. 9Getting started 10Bamman's advice is mainly for people 60 years of age or older. However, he said no one should wait to start resistance training. He also suggests going to a gym to work out with weight machines. For beginners, he said machines are better. 11However, experts at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention say you do not need weight machines to do strength training. You can strengthen your muscles by using free weights - such as barbells or dumbbells - and resistance bands. You can also use your own body weight, for example, by doing push-ups or similar exercises. 12Before starting any resistance training, experts suggest getting the advice of a medical doctor. For those using a gym with weight machines, Bamman also suggests getting a trainer, a person to teach you how to use the equipment. "It's actually quite safe," he said. But he added that a good trainer "...can teach the movements properly." 13How much is enough? 14You can go to a gym, do training at home or work out in a park. However, both Bamman and the CDC suggest doing resistance training twice a week. Bamman added that three times a week is even better. He also suggests non-weight-training days in between. For example, if you strength train on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, then you should rest on Tuesday and Thursday. 15He said, before resistance training, start with five to 10 minutes of light activity and stretching to warm up. Then, do between eight and 10 different resistance exercise movements. 16Repeat each movement 10 times. Do these sets of 10 repetitions three times. Then move on to the next movement. When you reach the 10th repetition, you should feel you cannot do many more. If you could have done 10 more, you might want to increase the resistance. 17Bamman also suggests that people should keep moving during their training. "Sometimes you see people who sit on the machine, do a set and then play with their phone for three to four minutes," he observed. 18Women might gain more than men 19Bamman said strength training is important for both men and women. However, he said women might gain even more from resistance training than men. 20Resistance training is a way to prevent osteoporosis, the loss of bone density. Bamman said that over time women face an increased risk of bone loss. They can develop problems in their hips and lower back. 21Yasuko Kuroi is 72 and started resistance training about 20 years ago. She spoke to the AP at a public recreation center in Tokyo. She said, "I saw the men in the gym and I thought I could do that, too." 22The body demands work 23Experts at Stanford University say research shows that between the ages of 20 and 80 we can lose between 35 percent and 40 percent of our muscle mass. 24There is a popular English expression that can relate to the body's muscle mass: "Use it or lose it." 25Bamman says we are too easy on our bodies. He criticized health care professionals who are too easy on older people. 26"Our human body is a demand-based system," he explained. He added that if you continuously put low demands on your body, your body will adapt to that low demand. 27"That's why we lose muscle mass, that's why we get weaker. We're not demanding much," Bamman said. 28However, if you put higher demands on your body with such activities as resistance training, your body has to adapt to these higher demands. The body adapts by making stronger bones and bigger muscles. 29Bamman used the example of space flight, or extended bed rest. In these situations, people quickly lose strength. 30"All of our systems as we age are capable of responding and adapting. They just need the stimulus." He said he has seen positive effects for people in their 70s and 80s, and even for some in their 90s. 31Bamman, 57, joked that he is now closer in age to the people who he studies. But he warned that there are no shortcuts. He criticized some programs for older adults that use only seated exercises. He said these do not put enough demands on the body. 32And that's the Health & Lifestyle report. 33I'm Anna Matteo. 34And I'm Andrew Smith. 35Stephen Wade reported this story for The Associated Press from Tokyo. Anna Matteo adapted it for VOA Learning English. 36______________________________________________ 37Words in This Story 38physiology -n. the science dealing with how living things physically operate 39fountain of youth -idiom something that makes older people feel or believe they are young again 40flexibility -n. the ability to stretch and move the body, especially the arms, legs and back 41endurance -n. the ability to do an activity for a long time 42gym (gymnasium) -n. a building that has spaces and equipment for exercise 43resistance bands -n. flexible or rubber devices that people stretch using their arms or legs to strengthen their muscles 44push up -n. an exercise in which a person lies on the ground and pushes away from the ground with their arms 45adapt -v. to ability to change behavior to meet the needs of a new situation or condition 46stimulus -n. something that causes a response 47shortcut -n. a quicker, easier way of doing something that usually means not doing everything that is necessary to get a good result 48We want to hear from you. 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