As we all know, aerobic exercise is a great way to get our heart rate up, to stay fit, and it's a great step in living a healthy life. What might not be as well-known is how important strength training also is to living a healthy life. Strength training is extremely important for our body to be able to withstand aging and all that life throws at us.

Sarcopenia is the loss of muscle mass and signaling overtime, we can avoid this loss by having a strength training routine. We can lose around 10% of our strength every decade after turning forty if we do not have a consistent strength training routine. This type of exercise is especially important if we want to be able to bounce back from falls and injuries after the age of 50. It helps with balance, which is key to avoiding falls that could dramatically change our lives and our quality of life. Strength training helps our bones by helping them grow. Losing bone mass may seem to happen slowly, as we don't notice in the beginning, but it can lead to serious osteoporosis. This then can lead to very weak bones and one fall around the age of 60 could put us on a cane or walker for the rest of our lives. An unknown fact, osteoporosis kills more women than breast cancer (Crowley,2015).

The good news is, strength training can help prevent osteoporosis because it stimulates the bones, helps to build bone mass and strengthens bones.

There is a type of strength training for everyone. We all don't have to lift 300 pounds over our head to be strong. The goal is not to be able to carry hundreds of pounds, the goal is the have a great quality of life. Strength training for living is not about muscle isolation, but the body working together as a whole. An example of the body working as a whole is golf. In golf the entire body is being used in the swing, not just the arms as it may seem. Horseback riding is also a whole-body exercise. The rider is not just bouncing on the back of a horse, there is constant muscle movement all throughout the body. The heels become the anchors, the calves and thighs grip, the hips are heavy in the seat, core is tight, shoulders are back, arms and hands are lowered. It may look like the arms are holding the horse back, but that power and strength is coming from the whole body. When we perform complex movements, we are training our body for everyday life.

For more information on strength training, fitness, and health, please contact: Kay Colgan at Middleburg Pilates and Personal Training. 14 S. Madison Street, Middleburg VA. Or call 540-687-6995.