Safe and Effective Strength Training for All ages and Abilities from Heather Main

-


Safe and Effective Strength Training for All ages and Abilities

 from Heather Main

 


First, the basics.  We all need three types of exercise. The specific answers to each of these depends on your personal goals.  Today we’re focusing on strength training.

 

 

Frequency – how often?

Duration – for how long?

Intensity – how hard do I work? 

Cardiovascular exercise

 

 

 

Strength training

 

 

 

 

2 – 3 x/ week on non-consecutive days.

 

What happens if I lift just once a week?

30 – 45 minutes should be fine.

 

If you LOOOOOVE weight lifting you can take more time.

Take it to an “8” on your subjective scale of 1-10 of how hard you’re working.

 

Variables: weights and repetitions

Flexibility and stretching

 

 

 


Tips for safety and practicality:

  •  Listen to your body and do not “push through pain.” But let’s talk about “good pain” versus bad pain.
  • Avoid unilateral pain, joint pain , shooting, sharp or joint pain.  Defer to doctor or physical therapist (etc) when in question.
  • Equipment can be simple, but have some variety available to you.
  • Warm up before, and stretch / cool down afterwards.
  • Take muscles through their natural range of motion with resistance.
  • Heavier weight fewer repetitions (“reps”) will make you stronger, lighter weights with more repetitions will boost endurance.  Two sets of 15- 20 reps is a great middle ground.
  • Lengthen spine and engage abdominals to stabilize and support your back.
  • Breathe! Exhale with the exertion


Recommended equipment:

  • A few sets of dumbbells of various weights. You can get the least expensive ones that are metal. They’ll never wear out unlike the pretty rubber coated ones.
  • A fitness ball. Warning, do not let a young boy experiment with his ability to pop it.  He will.
  •  Long resistance band.  These will wear out (break) in time. 

EVERY exercise can be done with any adult* age.  Teens should consult with pediatricians about heavy  strength training prior to being full grown.

 Muscle groups to focus on:

Chest – Push ups

 

 

 

Upper back – reverse fly with band

Lower back – low back extensions

Bicep curls

Tricep kickbacks

 

 

 

Overhead Shoulder press

Quad squats or wall sit

Adductors – ball squeeze

Glutes – Side leg lift

 

 

 

Abdominals – Oblique crunches

Core plank

Free space. You’re awesome!

 

·       ANY physical activity you do is better than nothing. J

Main Wellness Works brings science-driven, down-to-earth workshops on various behavioral health topics to workplaces to help people build the skills and motivation to take better care of themselves.  Reach out to Heather to talk about any programs for your team.


Main Wellness Works

Workplace Health Promotion and Personal Fitness Training

802 865 9899 heather@mainwellness.com

www.mainwellness.com


Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Are You Health Smart Online & On Your Phone?

-
Image
It's hard to deny that more people than ever are turning to the Internet for instant access to information on any topic. From surfing the net to downloading an app, the opportunities are endless when it comes to finding out information about how to manage your health. According to recent research, approximately eighty percent of Americans have, at some point in their life, searched for health information online. This statistic makes it the 3rd most popular web-based activity of Internet users! The problem, however, is that only fifteen percent of those individuals actually check whether or not the information they are reading is from a credible source or if it is current, up-to-date information. Why is checking your source a big deal? Because anyone - even your next door neighbor who knows nothing about health and wellness - could post health information on the Internet. Just because you find health information on the Internet does NOT mean it's factual information. How
Read more

Developing a Workout Routine

-
Image
Developing a routine when working out is important for achieving fitness goals and protecting your body from injury. Below are some tips and tools on developing the perfect workout routine. Use these tips to customize a workout routine that works for you! Tip 1: Consistency Building a strong fitness routine does not happen overnight. You must develop a process and work at it regularly. Decide how many days you are going to work out each week and commit to fitting it into your schedule. Tip 2: Recover Your muscles need time to recover to completely benefit from your physical efforts. When creating your routine, make sure there are days for rest! You do not have to remain completely inactive on recovery days. Long walks, light yoga and casual swimming are all things that get your body moving while still allowing time for your muscles to recoup. Tip 3: Variety Consistency is important when you are thinking about duration and frequency of exercise. Variety is import
Read more

Tips from Mental Health America: Look Around, Look Within: Your surroundings say a lot about your mental health

-
Image
  Take a moment to consider your surroundings. Do you feel safe? Do you have access to health care and grocery stores? Does your home support you, both physically and mentally? This Mental Health Month, challenge yourself to look at your world and how different factors can affect your mental health. Where a person is born, lives, learns, works, plays, and gathers, as well as their economic stability and social connections, are part of what is called “social determinants of health” (SDOH). The more these factors work in your favor means you are more likely to have better mental well-being. However, when it seems like the world is working against you, your mental health can suffer. While many parts of your environment can be out of your control, there are steps you can take to change your space and protect your well-being. • Work toward securing safe and stable housing: This can be challenging due to finances, age, and other reasons, but there are a few things you can try, such as reachi
Read more

How to Build a Low Cost Home Gym

-
Image
So many of us wish we could get more use out of our gym memberships, but with hectic lives and unpredictable schedules, it's not always so easy. If you find it too hard to get out of your house every day for a workout, why not bring the gym to you? Creating a gym in your home can save time and money -- there's no need to own the same heavy, expensive equipment found at a standard gym. You may be surprised at how easy it is to tailor a home gym to fit you personal needs. All you need are a few tangible pieces and a motivational vibe! Below are five necessities to start building your home gym. Atmosphere: Think about what you like most about the gym and figure out how to bring some of that atmosphere to your own space. If natural light is a must have for you, find a space upstairs with great windows to create the look you want. If you like to watch TV while you sweat, set up your gym in a room that has screen access. Need a little visual motivation? Try something simple like
Read more

Welcoa Well Balanced: How to Protect and Maintain Eye Health

-
Image
When it comes to eye health many adults mistakenly believe that as long as nothing is bothering their eyes, there’s no need to get them checked out. However, getting regular eye exams is very important, even if you think your vision is fine. Eye exams allow an eye care professional to monitor your eyes for common vision problems and signs of disease. There aren’t early warning signs for the most common eye diseases, so by identifying diseases early, you have the best treatment options and the best chance of preserving good vision. If you haven’t had an eye exam in more than a year or at all, schedule one now. A comprehensive exam will often include eye dilation. After checking your vision sharpness, your doctor will place drops in your eyes to dilate (widen) the dark center of your eyes, called the pupil. This allows more light into your eyes, just like opening a door lets light into a dark room. The doctor can then examine the inside of your eyes. Your eye doctor will tal
Read more

Are you Balanced??

-
Image
Have you ever wondered if you need to improve your balance? There are a variety of simple tests you can do to see how you measure up to National Standards! For the Stork Balance Test: Remove your shoes and place the hands on the hips, then position the non-supporting foot against the inside knee of the supporting leg. Take one minute to practice. Raise your heel to balance on the ball of your foot. The stopwatch is started as the heel is raised from the floor. The stopwatch is stopped if any of the follow occur: the hands come off the hips the supporting foot swivels or moves (hops) in any direction the non-supporting foot loses contact with the knee. the heel of the supporting foot touches the floor. For the Balance Beam Test:  You will have 30 seconds to walk the entire length of the beam/curb (approximately 4 inches wide and 20 feet long) and back. Start at one end, step up onto the beam, walk the length to the other end, make a 180 degree turn and return back to
Read more

April is National Stress Awareness Month

-
Image
April is recognized as National Stress Awareness Month , bringing attention to the negative impact of stress. Stress management is an essential component of a healthy lifestyle. Having the skills to manage your stress can improve mental and physical well-being. Knowing how to recognize what stress and anxiety look like, can be an effective step in building resilience and knowing where to go for help. Use Mental Health America’s (MHA) Stress Screener to learn tips on how to recognize and reduce stress. What can supervisors do to help reduce workplace stress ? Approve flexible hours Support telecommuting Encourage the use of paid time off Empower employees to take care of their health Provide resources and support Ask employees what they need Join the BeWell@Work Wellness Webinar: Tuning in to You: Enhancing Mental Wellness Literacy When: May 2 nd , 2024 Time: 11:00 a.m. Register In partnership with Sunshine Silver Lining, join Blue Cross VT fo
Read more