5 Tips to Maximize Bone and Joint Strength Naturally

Here are my top five tips to maximize bone and joint strength naturally. Think of it as your bone and joint health regimen.

Tip One: Exercise Appropriately

While some types of intense exercise can put stress on the joints, regular moderate physical activity has been shown to improve bone mineral density and reduce the risk of osteoporosis. To find out what types of exercises are appropriate for you, you can talk to a fitness trainer, a physical therapist or your doctor. Low impact weight-bearing, resistance training, yoga stretches and walking are some of the exercises commonly recommended.

Tip Two: Eat More Calcium-Rich Foods

When you think of calcium-rich foods, you may immediately think of dairy products. Low-fat dairy products can be a part of a balanced diet. Greek yogurt, for example, is an excellent choice because it is also rich in protein. Protein supports muscle strength and growth. Your muscles help to support and protect your joints and bones.

There are other calcium-rich foods that may be even more beneficial than dairy because of the antioxidants they contain. Antioxidants help protect against free radical damage that can cause joint and bone deterioration. Many antioxidants also have anti-inflammatory activity. Inflammation degrades collagen and elastin fibers that make up tendons, ligaments and other supportive body components.

Here are some "super" foods to include in your daily diet:

· Canned salmon-3 ounces provides 200 milligrams of calcium, plus protein and the potent antioxidant astaxanthin

· Broccoli-1 cup provides 90 milligrams of calcium, plus the antioxidants vitamin C, beta-carotene and vitamin E, along with the mineral magnesium which contributes to bone mineral density and the vitamin K which provides major protection against osteoporosis

· Turnip greens-1 cup provides 200 milligrams of calcium, plus vitamin C, Vitamin A and vitamin K

Tip Three: Be Sure to Get Plenty of Vitamin D

Vitamin D is sometimes called the sunshine vitamin. As we get older, the conversion of sunlight to vitamin D is less efficient. Many doctors believe that we need even more vitamin D as we age. Your body needs vitamin D in order to absorb calcium.

Tip Four: Take Fish Oil

Fish oil has natural anti-inflammatory activity and is beneficial for joint pain. Some brands also provide beneficial antioxidants such as lycopene, astaxanthin and coenzyme Q10. COQ10 may be particularly beneficial because it contributes to muscle strength and the amount present in the body decreases with age. The most effective form of coenzyme Q10 is ubiquinol.

Tip Five: Take A Multi-Nutritional Supplement

Multi-nutritional supplements naturally provide extra support for bones and joints. Not all supplements are the same, of course. The best ones for bone health contain the nutrients mentioned above (calcium, magnesium, vitamin D3, Vitamin K2, vitamin C) and mangosteen extract.

Mangosteen extract has been highly promoted as an overall health supplement. The value to bone and joint strength has to do with the antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activity. Mangosteen has proven to be a natural COX-2 inhibitor.

COX-2 is an enzyme that contributes to pain, swelling and inflammation. COX-2 inhibiting drugs have proven to be dangerous, although effective for pain relief. Mangosteen extract provides the benefits without the risks.

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Thanks for reading the article. There is a lot more health information tips on my website - all free. I would like to invite you to visit http://www.HealthyBodySupplements.com Bones & Joint Problems

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Increasing Grip Strength For Rock Climbing

If you enjoy rock climbing and especially if you are new to the scene you will know that the first thing to go is your grip. All too often people will stop climbing for the day when they are still keen to climb but they just can't grip the holds anymore.

So how can you increase your grip strength and in turn your rock climbing abilities?

Your grip strength comes from two areas and these are your forearms and your fingers, we will need to look at both these aspects in order to build up improved grip strength for rock climbing.

We will start by looking at the forearms.

You can start by building up your strength and endurance in your forearms by hanging of a chin-up bar for as long as possible aiming for a minute when you either can't hold any longer or reach a minute shake your arms out and rest for3- 5 minutes and then hang again, try for three sets of one minute hangs (trust me when I say these will burn).

Once you can easily hang for one minute three times it's time to progress on and you can do this by starting of hanging by both hands then drop one arm down and shake it out for five seconds then grab the bar by both hands again and drop the other arm down and shake it out for five seconds. Try to do this for a minute and a half for three sets resting for five minutes between each set.

While the bar hangs are great for building up your grip endurance you might want to add in reverse curls. Reverse curls are performed by holding a barbell or dumbbells if you want with a overhand grip instead of the usual underhand grip and curl the bar up to just past ninety degrees, choose a weight that you can only do eight to ten reps with and perform three to four sets.

There are some great products out there for building up strength in your fingers, you can get hand grippers, specially designed rubber balls and rings and on the upper end of the scale there is a great device with which you can train each finger independently of the other (this device is also great for guitarists). All these are great and defiantly worth the investment but there are other ways of developing stronger hands and fingers without these devices.

The push-up can be used for strengthening the fingers by performing it on your finger tips, this can be painful at first but you fingers will soon adjust. At the start you will find you can't do nearly as many push-ups as you would do normal style but aim for three to four sets of ten to fifteen reps.

By picking up two weight plates and squeezing them together you can build up great grip strength, try to choose weights that you can only keep squeezing for thirty seconds and do three to four sets of these.

Finally for your fingers you can do finger rolls using a barbell. Sitting down resting your hands on your knees, palms facing up let the barbell roll down your fingers and then curl it back to the top using your fingers.

Using these exercises regularly will greatly improve your grip strength and endurance allowing you to spend more time on the wall to improve your skill. There are many other great exercises that will improve your climb but improving your grip is the most important.


Hi I'm Michael Stuart and I'm a Personal Trainer in Melbourne, Australia. For more information on health and fitness visit my site [http://www.wickedlyfit.com]

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Strength Training Helps Older Women Live Better

Many older women question the benefits of strength training exercise possibly because they lack the knowledge of the major benefits that this form of exercise could provide them.
Many women over the age of 30 don't really think about getting older until they get closer to age 50 when sutble changes start happening that alert them to the fact that they are showing signs getting older.

Starting at around age 30 approximately 3 kilos of lean muscle mass will be lost during each decade of life. This loss used to be blamed on the aging process, but research has now proven that it is the result of a sedentary lifestyle and lack of vigorous physical activity. This loss of muscle mass leads to weakness, frailty and increased risk of life threatening diseases. Regular exercise is needed to keep the immune system strong and healthy.

It is recommended that all older women (this means any woman over the age of 30) should engage in regular strength training at least twice per week to preserve and protect lean muscle tissue.
It doesn't matter if you're 30 years old or 70 years old. If you don't work at keeping your lean muscle tissue, you will lose it along with your strength and ultimately your independence.

Along with the muscle toning effect, strength training also strengthens bones, joints, tendons and ligaments while helping to prevent accidents, injuries, and sickness. Strong muscles can help prevent you from a nasty fall, and if you do fall strong and firm muscle tissue is padding around joints and bones to help protect them from injury.

Strength training increases metabolic rate by up to 15% which is crucial for body fat loss and long term weight control. Without the correct exercise program a woman will lose about 5 percent of her metabolic rate (the rate the body burns fuel) every decade. As the metabolic rate slows it leads to less energy, vitality and less desire to be active. This is the start of the downward spiral of accelerated aging. Don't do less, do more to stop it all sliding away. Now is a good time to take charge and increase your exercise and activity level which is what tells every cell in your body to grow. Sitting around and a sedentary life tells the body to wind down and decay.

A proper strength training program must be included and performed a minimum of twice per week working the major muscle groups at the correct intensity level. This is the fastest most effective way to reverse these unacceptable changes. Don't think of it as an option, it isn't. It is a necessary part of our lives if we want to remain fit and healthy.

The time you spend working to improve overall health and fitness a few days a week in the form of strength training will benefit you in many positive ways in every aspect of your life in the years to come. Just bite the bullet and get started right away, before it's too late.


Carolyn Hansen has worked in the Fitness Industry or over 30 years. Currently the co-owner of 3 Fitness Centres in Northland New Zealand. A National Champion Bodybuilder with over 25 years competition experience. Enjoys writing health and fitness articles for local newspapers and magazines. If you want a second chance to right the wrongs you have committed against your body, you can be rejuvenated. You can regain vitality, muscular strength, endurance, and a higher quality of life. Go to http://www.over50looking30.com for a FREE Report "I've Found the Fountain of Youth" - Let Me Show You Too!

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Judiciary in India: Its Strength and Weakness

India was ruled by the British for a very long time and that is a primary reason why the Indian judiciary has so much influence from the British laws. After India got its independence, there was a need to pen down the laws, rules and regulations that the Indian citizens needed to follow in order to maintain a proper life. That is why the Indian Constitution was created and it was the rule book for India. Be it the penalty for a crime, or the code of conduct in the court rooms, the Constitution mentions everything specifically about the Indian judiciary.

Now, there are a few things that are specific about the Judiciary in India. Firstly, it is independent of the legislature and the executive body of the Indian government. To put it simply, no other office can influence the decision or the actions of the legal system. That means, that even if it is a minister who is guilty of a crime, he/she will be tried in the court without any exception. Then, there is also a hierarchy about the courts in this system. Right on top is the Supreme Court that is the ultimate place for an appeal. When all other courts have announced their decision and people are still not satisfied, they appear before this court. Next come the high court in each state followed by the district courts. People present all sorts of problems that they may have before the courts. Be it land dispute, family problems like divorces, theft and burglary, or even murder, the Indian courts are equipped to handle everything.

In spite of being a well knit system, there are quite a few problems of the Indian law and judiciary. The main problem is the number of pending cases. Probably owing to the population, there are more cases in proportion to the number of courts. In some places, the decision is so delayed that a person convicted for a crime was sentenced 13 years after the case went to court. Due to the overwhelming number of cases, there are delays in decisions and that is what makes the process problematic. As one would say justice delayed is justice denied, this is the situation in most cases. Then again, due to the influence of the British rules that are quite old, criminals find many loop holes. For example if a boy under 18 molests or rapes a woman, he is not given capital sentence because he is a minor. However, the fact that adult crimes require adult punishments should be treated more seriously. With these amendments, the Indian judiciary can become more efficient and hand-on. A little improvement will go a long way to maintain peace and order in the country.

The Indian judiciary system is conventional, big and open to improvement. There are things that are already effective and things that need help.


India has an archaic legal system. However the Indian judiciary and the laws are being updated.

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Lifting Away the Fallacies - Menopause Facts on Strength Training

Finally, Menopause Support You Can Trust

It is no secret that there are a number of benefits when it comes to strength training, also known as weight lifting or resistance training; increased bone density, increased muscle mass, and a lower risk for many age related diseases top these benefits. With all the positive effects of strength training, particularly for menopausal women, it is still not widely accepted by the masses as effective exercise. Partially to blame are all the myths surrounding strength training for perimenopausal and menopausal women. The following are some common myths, and the truths behind them.

1. The Big Fat Lie, Women will Bulk Up

It is easy to see how this myth got started considering the number of men focusing on increasing their mass through strength training. However, men and women are different on a number of levels; remember, men don't have to deal with hot flashes and menopause. The truth is menopausal women will not bulk up from strength training unless they are producing levels of testosterone found mainly in men. Additionally, bulking up takes muscle strength that typical women don't have.

2. A Weak Farce, Some Older Women Aren't Strong Enough

Back before the 80s it was common practice for doctors to avoid recommending strength training for older patients, particularly women, because of the fear that the strain of these exercises would injure their weak bodies. This is simply not true. Although I would recommend consulting your doctor first - the fact is older women can ward off pre menopause symptoms by engage in resistance training.

3. Thin Veils, Slender People Don't Need It

Contrary to popular belief, thin does not equate to healthy. In fact, weight lifting is imperative for all women, and the earlier you start the better off you will be. It is said that young women that do not strength train will shed up to six pounds of muscle and replace it with as many pounds of fat by age 50. Just because a woman is thin and "appears" healthy does not mean that she is.

4. Spotty Logic, Weight Lifting Can Help Women "Spot Reduce"

For a lucky few, their bodies are exactly where they want them to be, with the exception of one or two "problem areas." Popular belief says that resistance training can remove these trouble spots; this is simply not true. While strength training can help tone specific areas, body fat, as the name implies, belongs to the entire body, and spot reducing will prove ineffective.


http://www.360menopause.com/blog

Menopausal Support and Relief is something every woman needs; if not for herself, for her friends or daughters. Get the inside scoop and answers to your questions. If you would like more information on exercising and staying fit during menopause go to http://www.360menopause.com

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Top 10 Exercises For Football Strength and Speed!

Way too many football players and strength coaches develop favorite lifts (usually one's they're good at) and stick to them no matter what. I've run into guys I trained with a decade ago and they are still doing the same workouts! I don't mean the same philosophy, I mean the actual same football workout! Same exercises, sets, reps and sometimes, sadly, weights.

While we need to rotate exercises constantly to avoid accommodation, we can't just add any-old exercise and hope for the best. Plus, often, the exercises we hate the most are the ones that do us the most good. Many guys hate movements like lunges, but, if you want to get faster for football, you need to do them.

Here are the top 11 Exercises for to Get Faster and Stronger for Football. Add them to your rotation and work 'em hard.

1. Deadlifts - Deadlifts are the King Maker...they might be more responsible for building football speed and strength than any other exercise.

Deadlifts are ultra-important for several reasons:

o They build tremendous starting strength. Many football players are woefully lacking in the ability to get explosive and apply strength quickly.

o Deads strengthen the Posterior Chain; building power and strength in the hamstrings, glutes, calfs, and the entire back (the muscles responsible for getting you faster for football).

o Deadlifts, like Squats, build insane strength in the hips; the seat of power for football.

o They build slabs of muscle. Nothing will make you grow from your calfs to your traps like heavy Deadlifts.

o The Deadlift can be extremely useful for injury prevention. Some believe that the moderate to high hamstring activity elicited during the deadlift may help to protect the Anterior Cruciate Ligament during rehab.

Deads can be used as Max Effort, Dynamic Effort or moderate rep exercise. The classic 5 x 5 protocol applied to the DL can put more muscle on your frame than most other exercises combined.

2. Box Squats - Box Squats and Box Front Squats are essential for building tremendous leg strength and explosiveness while taking almost all stress off the knees. They are the cornerstones (along with deadlifts) of any football strength training program that can make a player stronger and faster for football.

Louie Simmons of Westside Barbell Club, who's club has done more to popularize Box Squats than anyone else in America describes the benefits of Box Squatting in one of his articles:
Many trainers have found that a great deal of flexibility can be developed while box squatting: by going lower than normally possible, and by using a wider stance.
You can isolate all the correct squatting muscles by sitting extremely far back on the box. By sitting back on the box to the extent that your shins are positioned past vertical, the glutes, hips, hamstrings, spinal erectors, and abs are totally pre-stretched and overloaded simultaneously, producing a tremendous stretch reflex.

Box Squats eliminate many of the problems encountered when doing traditional squats. Gone are the knee problems associated with the knees traveling way past the toes. You are also limiting the stretch reflex, so Box Squatting becomes much like a Deadlift in it's ability to build explosive strength.

Box Squats also teach an athlete to stay tight and explode up using the hips, hams, and glutes. This is essential for any sport that requires running or jumping...which is pretty much all of them! They are key for building football speed and strength.

Some other huge advantages of Box Squatting include:

o Less soreness than traditional squats, allowing you to recover faster and train more often
o No guessing on depth. Set the box to where you want to go and simply sit back on it.
o Box Squats can increase real-world flexibility. If you widen the stance, push the knees out, and descend under control, you will develop excellent mobility and flexibility in the legs and hips.
o Build tons of strength in the glutes and hips - critical to blocking and tackling.

Use Box Squats for either Max Effort or Dynamic Effort training.

If you go heavy, either work up to a max set of 1 - 4, or do multiple sets of low reps

If using the Box Squat as a speed exercise, it's best to use bands or chains and go for 12 sets of 2 reps with 60seconds rest.

This will all be explained in the workouts section where you will see a living, breathing example of sets and reps for the Box Squat (and all other exercises).

3. Clean & Jerk - A few years back Olympic Lift-only training programs were all the rage. Then, they fell out of favor and on came the anti-Olympic lifting brigade. As usual, and over-reaction short term and an under-reaction long term.

The truth is that the O-lifts are still extremely helpful for football players and, should be included in your football strength workouts. The undisputed king of the O-lifts for athletics is the Clean and Jerk. It's a lift that builds toughness, identifies weaknesses, and requires strength, power and determination. All the traits an athlete needs!

The C&J is similar to the Deadlift in it's ability to point out weaknesses. Lifting a heavy bar from the ground to overhead requires strength in the entire posterior chain, plus the abs, shoulders and triceps. If any one of those areas are weak, you will miss the lift.

Some say they are hard to teach but I can get an athlete doing cleans in one session. Remember, the C&J (and just about any other exercise) does not have to be done with a barbell alone. Using sandbags, barrels, dumbbells, kettlebells, a Stone Trainer, a thick bar or a Log is an excellent way to build real-world athletic strength and get around the technique issue. This kind of lifting can be used to build brute strength and also excellent conditioning and mental toughness.

Grabbing a pair of DB's and doing high rep or timed sets of the C&J is an excellent conditioning tool. I picked up this idea from an old Louie Simmions article and it's helped me and many of my athletes get in top shape, even when the weather prevents us from going outside. Plus, it really helps build focus and mental toughness.

If you are using the C&J for strength, stick to singles and doubles. If you want conditioning, go with higher reps or time your sets.

4. Box Front Squats - Just as with the O-lifts, people went crazy with the training of the posterior chain. Yes, it's supremely important, but many athletes and coaches went overboard, completely disregarding the front of the body.

An athlete needs strong quads for sprinting, jumping, and driving another human out of their way. Many feared training the quads at all would lead to them overpowering the hamstrings. This can happen when the hams are under-trained, but we can't allow the quads to become weak either. Any imbalance, either way, will lead to decreased performance and possible knee injuries.

I always loved Front Squats and believe they might be better than Back Squats for many football players, especially lineman. Having the load held on the front of the body will build tremendous strength in the core, and the entire motion is very similar to the motion of blocking.

But, most guys I've seen can't Front Squat to save their life. They have more bad habits than Artie Lange. They push the knees way over the toes, don't sit back, and fall forward.

Enter the Box Front Squat. Using boxes at different heights, and a soft box, allows the athlete to sit back, stay fairly upright and drive through the floor, rather than just squatting up and down. It does place some of the stress on the glutes and hams, but leaves plenty of work for the quads as well.

It is especially helpful to do your Box FS with bands or chains. This will help build amazing driving ability and the power to simply run through people. Football is not the only contact sport...in soccer, basketball and hockey, your ability to get the enemy out of your way en route to the goal is essential.

Keep reps low when Front Squatting. Use multiple sets of 1 - 4 reps, or use it as your Max Effort movement and work up to a heavy single.

5. RDL - Romanian Deadlifts are an excellent assistance exercise for Deadlifts and Squats. They build muscle and power in the hamstrings and glutes and also hit the lower back quite well.

The RDL is great for athletes because it is performed in the stance very similar to the "ready position" used is so many sports (hips down, knees bent, flat back...think a Linebacker or the position of the body pre-jump). The romanian Deadlift is such an excellent to get you faster for football that it should be included in the majority of your football workouts.

For many athletes, the RDL is a far superior exercise to the Straight Leg Deadlift. For anyone with a long torso, the SLDL can become a lower-back exercise and damn-near neglect the hamstrings. But, because of the hip position (traveling backwards) and the intense pre-stretch of the hamstrings, the RDL is much better at working the PC.

RDL's can be done as your Max Effort movement, especially if you do them in the Rack.

RDL's in the rack.

But, their main strength lies in using them as an assistance exercise for Squats and Deads. If using them as an assistance, go for 3 - 5 sets of 3 - 8 reps.

6. Rows - Too many football players and lifters focus way too much on the pressing exercises and neglect the muscles of the back. This will lead to injuries like rotator cuff tears, pec tears, and shoulder impingements. Worst than that it will also lead to a crappy bench press.

There is about a billion row variations, so pick 2 or three and put them in your training program. You can go heavy or for reps, or both. If you've been neglecting your back, you should start off by doing twice as much back work as chest/pressing work!

7. Side Lunges - Most of us simply do not do enough training on lateral movements, which I find odd because so much of sports is played while moving from side-to-side. There are several reasons why most athletes avoid movements like Side Lunges:

o Ego: Less weight (much less!) will have to be used, especially at first.
o Pain: Side Lunges, even with light weight, have the potential to leave you with damn-near injury-like soreness, especially if you aren't used to doing them
o Ego, again: You'll never be able to slap on endless 45's on this exercise, so most people will just avoid the hit to their pride.

Lateral movements are key to building football game speed.

8. Dumbbell Incline - I'm hated for saying this, but I believe the Dumbbell Incline is a much better movement for athletes than the Bench. Obviously, the bench press is a great exercise, but when it comes to athletes, not Powerlifters, the Incline rules.

The DB Incline much more closely mimics the path taken by the arms in many athletic movements such as blocking, punching, and in many wrestling moves.

The incline is also much better at developing the all-important shoulder girdle. It's a nice compromise between the Overhead Press and the Bench, allowing an athlete to hammer the shoulders, pecs and triceps. Adding the Dumbbell Incline to your football strength program is an excellent idea, especially for lineman and Linebackers.

For those with shoulder problems, Incline can be a life-saver. When I had rotator cuff problems, benching even super light weights felt like I was being stabbed in the front delts! But, I was able to continue doing Inclines as heavy as I could handle. When I fixed my shoulder problems, I returned to the bench and lost very little progress.

The DB Incline is also incredibly versatile; you can use it for Timed Sets, High reps, moderate reps, or you can go super heavy and treat it as a Sub-Max movement. If you'd really like a challenge, try doing a 1-Arm DB Incline, now that's real "core" training!

9. Sandbags - Lifting and carrying sandbags are excellent ways to "bridge" the gap between the weightroom and the playing field. Sandbags are excellent strength and conditioning tools for wrestlers, football players, and fighters. They will also help with just about any other sport that requires strength, speed, and stamina.

Sandbags shift and fight you every inch of the way. They never relent. Picking up and carrying or shouldering a sandbag feels a lot like wrestling a live opponent. While all the work in the weightroom helps build max strength and speed, using sandbags will be an excellent compliment to your heavy training.

There's a lot of great resources on sandbag training, but I recommend you check out Josh Henkin's sandbag training course.

10. Prowler - The Prowler owns all when it comes to conditioning for football. It can be pushed and pulled for time, distance or speed. It can be loaded heavy or light. See where I'm going with this?

The Prowler is also great because you can use it laterally, which as I said earlier, most athletes neglect. So much of sports is played moving laterally, yet training that way is ignored.

Use the Prowler as a finisher or on a non-lifting day as a way to condition. Because of the lack of eccentric movement, the Prowler will not cause much soreness, which is a huge advantage for athletes. One of the biggest issues when designing a training program for an athlete is how to give strength, speed and conditioning their proper due without compromising any of the elements.

Using the Prowler is simple, go light for time for recovery and GPP work. Go a little heavier for sprints and go heavy for strength work.


To get Free Books, "7 Steps to Insane Game Speed," and "Sample Chapters of the Explosive Football Strength Program," please visit Football Strength Training Program and for more on how to get faster for football Get Faster For Football.

Steven Morris is a Personal Trainer and Strength Coach in the Philadelphia and South Jersey areas and owner of Explosive Football Training. He has been lifting weights for over 15 years and has been helping people achieve their fitness and strength goals for over a decade.

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Strength Training Tips for Senior Citizens

Many senior citizens wouldn't even consider lifting weights or performing strength training exercises, thinking that's something for much younger, fitter people to do.

A person is never too old to perform strength training exercises, though. In fact, frequent exercise is the best prescription for independent, active and healthy aging, according to the A.A.R.P., the National Institute on Aging and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Studies show that all adults, even seniors, can benefit from as little as 15 minutes a day of moderate cardio exercise. Thirty minutes a day of light to moderate cardio exercise is the optimum level, and the good news is the cardio exercises can be broken up into segments (ie: brisk walk in morning, afternoon swim).

Adults, including seniors, are also recommended to perform strength training exercises two-three times per week.

Although exercise programs for seniors (generally considered people age 50-60 and older) are modified considerably from what younger generations are doing in the gym, senior strength training can help people of any age increase muscle strength, strengthen bones, fight off and-or delay the effects of arthritis, and improve balance and mobility. Regular exercise is also important to help maintain strong heart function and a healthy weight.

Jim Androsik, a physical therapist for Wooster Commuinty Hospital's HealthPoint Health and Wellness Center in Ohio, has witnessed great benefits from the seniors he's worked with who have followed a strength and conditioning program.

"Generally, the senior citizens we work with are people 60 years-old and up who are referred to us by a physician," Androsik said. "Doctors give us some guidelines, such as the frequency and duration a person should exercise for and comments on their health in general.

"We then develop a program for them."

Exercise programs for seniors can obviously vary greatly depending on age and health, but typically there are basic guidelines Androsik has his seniors follow.

"We generally recommend that a senior perform strength training exercises two to three times a week," he said. "We look at their needs to determine exactly what exercises they'll do, such as if they're experiencing back pain, shoulder pain, arthritis, etc."

Here's a basic exercise program for seniors based on Androsik's advice and other research I've conducted. Again, these are general recommendations and seniors should consult with a physician before beginning an exercise program. It would also be highly beneficial for seniors to exercise as part of a group or class, to help with motivation, to make sure they're using the right techniques and, of course, to enjoy the social aspect of exercising):

Cardio exercise (3-4 times per week)

Tip: Perform low-impact exercises that are easy on your joints. Start very slowly before increasing duration and resistance. Start with 5 minute cardio workouts and slowly progress to 15 minutes or more if you can.

Pick from the following: Treadmill, walk on track, exercise bike, pool workout, yard work, etc.

Weight lifting/strength training (2-3 times per week) Tip: Androsik says it's important to do high repetitions on exercises with low resistance or weights. Do light stretches before performing strength training exercises. Here's a sample strength training program a senior might perform:

* Good mornings 1 x 15 (one set of 15 reps) tip: stand straight, slowly bend down to touch toes or reach down as far as comfortable, rise back up and repeat.

* Shoulder rotations 1 x 15 tip: stand straight with arms out parallel to side, rotate shoulders 15 times in each direction. Good warmup exercise.

* Sit Ups - 1 x 15

* Side Bends - 1 x 15

* Squats - 1 x 12-15 tip: Use barbell, machine or without weights. Keep back straight by looking straight ahead at spot on wall, go down as tolerated but no lower than parallel with knees.

* Lunge - 1 x 12-15 tip: hold dumbbells to make harder

* Calf Raise - 1 x 12-15 tip: hold dumbbells to make harder or use machine.

* One Arm Rows - 1 x 12 - 15 tip: balance one knee on bench, other leg on floor. Pull dumbbell up and down with arm on side of body planted on floor. Builds shoulder strength.

* Rotator cuff with band or machine - 1 x 12-15 internal rotation, 1 x 12-15 external rotation. tip: have a doctor or trainer show you how to do these, great for preventing shoulder pain.

* Dumbbell curl - 1 x 12 - 15 tip: do them seated or standing

* Dumbbell bench press - 1 x 12 - 15 tip: do them lying on a bench

* Dumbbell flyes - 1 x 12 - 15 tip: do them lying on a bench

* Triceps extension - 1 x 12 - 15 tip: use machine or dumbbell. This is just a general plan to give seniors some ideas, but it's best to work with a trainer. Tweak as needed. Remember to use light weights and do high reps.

"Exercise can provide lifelong benefits," Androsik said. "It can minimize or slow down arthritic changes."

Basically, exercise can delay the aging process to a large degree in many people and if seniors find a program they enjoy it can actually be fun. What are you waiting for seniors - get back into the gym!


Find exercise equipment stores Arizona and more with our fitness experts. At Home Fitness consultant Aaron Dorksen's blog deals with a variety of fitness topics, ranging from workout tips, motivational ideas and feature stories on how exercise impacts people's lives. Consult a doctor before making any significant changes in your exercise routine or diet. E-mail him with comments, questions or ideas for future blogs at aaron@athomefitness.com

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