MUSCLES– the Power House of our Body
By Sue Burgess Freelance Fitness Trainer : suebfitness.co.uk
Quotes: Prof Karen Middleton, chief executive of the Chartered Society of Physiotherapy, said:
‘We must move past the idea that becoming weaker and frailer is inevitable as we get older.
‘Research shows getting stronger brings a whole host of health benefits so it is incredibly important that people don’t overlook strengthening when being active.
‘As the guidelines set out, it doesn’t mean immediately hitting the gym to lift weights - to start, it can be digging in the garden or simple bodyweight exercises like standing up out of a chair 10 times.
I have been asked to include a short talk/discussion about a health related topic that will interest you and I thought a chat about muscles would be a good topic as we all have them and want to keep them as the quote above suggests!!
After 30 years of working in the fitness industry teaching Exercise to Music, I still always ‘keep my finger on the pulse’ by updating my knowledge base from many reliable sources. I am trained to Level 4 in Postural Stability and to Level 4 in Exercise After Stroke for anyone who has lost function after a stroke. I work for the NHS Falls Prevention Team, Stroke Association and Sutton College as well as running my private classes, which all amount to 15 sessions a week!
The aerobic benefits that you gain from taking part in these Lets Dance classes are wonderful ! The heart muscle and the connective tissues that form the blood vessels are all working hard during your hour of exercise. You feel great afterwards and enjoy the many long term improvements of heart and lung efficiency in pumping oxygenated blood and nutrients around the body.
MUSCLES
Between the ages of 30 and 80 years you lose, on average, 40% of your muscle mass!! That’s a huge amount. It is a fact of ageing – you lose around 8% per decade. These figures are well documented by the medical profession and more recently, by How To Stay Young with Angela Rippon.
As a consequence of this muscle loss, strength and balance will also deteriorate.
You may also put on weight and be unable to lose it.
Muscle tissue is the body’s furnace – it is metabolically active tissue, it burns the fat that is otherwise stored in fat cells. More muscle = less fat
- Myth: Muscle does not turn into fat when you stop exercising.
- True: Use it or lose it – muscles get smaller when they are not regularly used.
- Body fat may also increase because muscle mass is decreasing
Low muscle mass means that the joints, particularly knees, hips and spine will have to cope with more work load and possibly increased pain. The heart and lungs will have more strain on them.
The Good News - Strength Training exercise can slow down this process considerably!
The benefits of higher muscle mass:
-Increased bone strength
-Lowers risk of Diabetes
-Lowers blood pressure
-Manage and maintain healthy levels of body fat.
-Strong Muscles will help to support the joints – ease pain, increase range of movement, increase your endurance to keep you going for longer!!
Eventually this may reduce reliance of pain relief medication, which is a huge benefit!
It goes without saying that we need to maintain muscle mass as we age and to do this we need to include strength training as part of our everyday activities.
How do we do it? There are so many exercises
As demonstrated:
Back extension – Upper Back Squeeze and Lower Back Extension arm reach above head, lying flat lift leg up behind
- Avoids development of Kyphotic curved cervical spine. Postural control.
Legs, Core: Split Squats, Wide Squats, alternating Forward Lunges and Side Lunges, Sit to Stand, Seated Leg Extension.
These exercises use Quadriceps & Gluteus Maximus targeting the largest and strongest muscles in the body, also used for core strength and balance.
Heel raises – calf muscles – endurance.
Hip abduction – side leg abduction with balance! Both hips
Biceps curls – arms and shoulders
Chest press – wall press ups - pectorals and triceps muscles
Shoulder press – functional reach - deltoids
Abdominals – core strength, postural stability, function
I have written a short, general strength training programme, below, that you could complete at home. As you have not completed a strength training session with me, this has to be risk assessed by you. If you have any personal concerns, please do ask, but this is not a personalised programme for any one individual. It forms the basis of how I would run a group session in a risk assessed, safe environment. I cannot take responsibility for the safety of these exercises, although I believe them to be safe.
MUSCLES– the Power House of our Body – strength training programme
Always warm up first to:
1) raise the heart rate gently
2) warm up muscles
3) mobilise the joints
Include marches, shoulder rolls, side steps, hamstring curls, trunk twists, breathe deeply throughout.
STOP any exercise if you feel breathless, dizzy or unsteady or feel a great level of pain. Please check with your GP before commencing any form of exercise.
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Legs
Strengthens Gluteals and Quadriceps Muscles
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Static Forward Lunges x 10 on each leg every other day
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Right leg in front, left leg behind you. Raise the left heel, lower left knee under the hip. Bend the right knee, keeping the knee behind the toes, stand tall, don’t lean forwards.
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Strengthens Gluteals, Quadriceps and knees
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Sit to Stand 2 x 10 daily. If knees are not strong or are painful start with 2 x 5 daily.
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Stand in front of a firm dining chair – move hips back as if sitting down almost onto the chair – and stand up again. Use leg muscles and hips.
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Arms
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Biceps Curls 2 x 10 reps each arm daily
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Use a manageable weight (tin of beans, bottle of water, thera-band) Elbow stays tucked in to the waist, lift the hand up to the shoulder and slowly down again to the hip, moving only the forearm, not upper arm
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Legs and balance
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One leg stand for 30 seconds on each leg
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Stand close to a wall for support. Don’t lock back on the standing knee joint, stand tall, chin up, back long. Hold on to start with, progress to letting go. Clench supporting hip.
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Postural Control - Upper Back
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Upper Back Squeeze 2 x 10 reps or as many as you can do. Good exercise if you tend to lean forward over a computer keyboard or have a tendency to always look down or slouch
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Palms facing up, with a thera-band placed in the palms of your hands, elbows bent into the waist, pull outwards slightly and then backwards with both elbows and squeeze the shoulder blades together. Hold for 3-5 seconds breathe and release.
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Hips
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Side Leg Raise from standing or lying on the bed 2 x 10 or as many as you can
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Standing: Stand close to the wall for support, without locking the supporting knee. Lift and lower the outside leg, standing tall, lead with the heel, not toes. Don’t lift too high, don’t lean into the wall
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Cool down - rhythmic movements used in the warm up. Stretches the muscle groups used to ease any tightness
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As Thursday class cool down
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The exercises above are evidence based and widely recognized for the benefits gained. Therefore risk of injury should be minimal, with correct technique. Always make the working area safe before proceeding and if it doesn’t feel right or you are unsure, please do not proceed. Please risk assess these exercises for yourself on an individual basis.
