‘DeFeeting’ the Fear of Falling

Falling forwardIn one of my recent posts ‘Tips for Staying Topside’, I wrote that falling is right at the top of a ‘Worry List’ for older adults. Adding to this worry are the unwelcome and, often, all to visible signs of the consequences of falling, such as bruising, pain and other soft tissue injury.
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Give Yourself a Lift

Brawny Brains?
As you have probably noticed in this blog, I particularly like to talk and write about the benefits of strength training as we age. Well here’s yet another – probably unexpected – benefit!

Small Brain

Strength training is good for your brain! You can get brawny and brainy – all at the same time!

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More ‘Can Do’ conversations

Couple Working on machinesThis is the second post relating my recent conversations about ‘Usual’ vs ‘Successful’ Aging with a group of older adults. I was comparing what ‘usually’ happens with strength to what can happen … and what actually does happen with persons in their ‘second fifty years’ who regularly participate in a strength training program. As I said in my previous post, I spent some time talking to members of the audience after the talk, and we discussed a number of important points relating to active, healthy aging.  I wanted to share the rest of these with you in this second post.
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‘Can Do’ conversations

Lady RowI was talking the other day about some interesting statistics relating to strength and aging, during a presentation I was giving on ‘Usual’ vs ‘Successful’ Aging.  The focus of my talk was to compare what ‘usually’ happens with strength to what can happen. More importantly, I wanted to talk about what actually does happen with persons who intentionally set out to increase their strength through a regular program of strength training. After the talk, I spent some time with members of the audience and we discussed a number of important points relating to active, healthy aging.  I wanted to share these with you over the next two posts.
You CAN read on now!
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Strengthen your Health!

Strength Training is no longer ‘just for jocks’, ‘just for young people’ ‘just for men’, or even ‘just for strength’!

The research I have conducted for more than 3 decades has convinced me that strength is the foundation of independence, vitality and quality of life for older adults. While one of the obvious benefits of strength training is, of course, increased strength, there are many more benefits to be gained from a regular program of moderate to high intensity strength training. This includes reducing both the risk and occurrence of a variety of disabling diseases and health conditions. Continue reading “Strengthen your Health!”

Being Responsible, Jointly

‘Dem Bones’
The hip bone’s connected to the back bone,
The back bone’s connected to the neck bone,
The neck bone’s connected to the head bone,
Now shake dem skeleton bones!

Spinal Column HorizontalI heard this song on the radio a lot when I was just a young boy in the UK. Even if I didn’t get all the words correct, the song – actually a spiritual whose lyrics were taken from a chapter in the Bible (Ezekiel 37) – perfectly describes the function of joints. Whatever and wherever their type or location, joints all do the same thing – they connect and help to move ‘Dem Bones’ Continue reading “Being Responsible, Jointly”