As we get older it is widely accepted that we are no longer able to be as active as we once were.
While there are certain limitations when it comes to being active that are beyond our control, such as illness and injury, there are steps we can take to potentially prevent mobility issues.
One Harvard University doctor recommended a specific type of exercise to stop our bodies becoming weaker and “wasting away” as we age.
Speaking to Steven Bartlett on his podcast, The Diary of a CEO, Doctor Daniel Lieberman shared his advice for staying fit in later life.
The specialist in human evolutionary biology told Steven that he had preferred walking and running over the use of “weights”, but his research has now shown this to be the wrong approach.
Regular weight exercise should become a priority as we get older, he said in the podcast.
Dr Lieberman explained: “I’ve become more serious about doing some strength training.
“I’ve always loved walking and running and endurance activities and I’ve always hated doing weights, I just don’t like it – I’m not a very strong person.
“People tend to do what they like, you get reinforcement from it.
“The more I studied the importance of resistance training, the more I realised the importance of doing weights, especially as you age, I’ve started kicking myself for being lazy about that.”
The doctor said he now aims to complete two good strength workouts a week.
“Especially as you age, the loss of muscle mass can be really debilitating,” he said on the podcast, which is available to view on YouTube.
“As people get older they tend to lose muscle and as people do that they become frail and you lose functional capacity and that starts off a vicious cycle.
“Once that happens, you’re less likely to be physically active then your muscles waste away more, it’s very debilitating.
“Ageing is just a clock ticking on, nothing we can do about age, but senescence is the way the body degrades as we get old.
“What physical activity does, is that it slows senescence, especially for certain organs.
“The most important myth is that as you get older it’s normal to be less active and that is just not true.”
He warned that a lack of exercise could also leave you vulnerable to various diseases.
According to the NHS there are a number of strength training workouts you can do at home if you don’t have access to a gym.
These include:
- Carrying heavy shopping bags
- Yoga
- Pilates
- Tai chi
- Lifting weights
- Working with resistance bands
- Doing exercises that use your own body weight, such as push-ups and sit-ups
- Heavy gardening, such as digging and shovelling.
The health body also recommends strength training twice a week if you are aged 65 and over.
However, it adds: “Speak to a GP first if you have not exercised for some time, or if you have medical conditions or concerns.
“Make sure your activity and its intensity are appropriate for your fitness.”
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