Strength Training Articles

With the Baby Boomer population aging, movement professionals have to become more prepared to meet the needs of older adults. And while it may be tempting to think seniors need less when it comes to program development, clients of advanced age actually need more. It’s not enough to modify the intensity or safety of their fitness programs. It’s also essential to understand how the mindset that older clients bring to a session—in this case a fear of falling—can influence their exercise needs.

Suspension exercise (SE) is a popular way to get fit for many people, and it’s no secret as to why. This method of exercise, where an apparatus attached to a single overhead anchor point supports the hands or feet, offers numerous benefits. Due to its popularity and the results people see from performing SE, programming has evolved to a point where fitness professionals are introducing it to their older-adult clients in the 65–80 and older age range.

The term arthritis describes two distinctly separate medical conditions: rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and osteoarthritis (OA). RA is an autoimmune disease that results in swollen, painful joints, which are a contraindication to exercise. If a client has this symptom, ask him or her to wait until it has diminished before exercising.

We have good exercise guidance for fit older adults, but the advice for seniors just starting a fitness program has been less clear.

Exercise for older adults is one of the hottest specialties in fitness today. How do you assess function levels and develop safe, challenging programs? We asked instructors to tell us about their strategies for senior clients.newsletter_teaser: Exercise for older adults is one of the hottest specialties in fitness today. How do you assess function levels and develop safe, challenging programs? We asked instructors to tell us about their strategies for senior clients.

newsletter_teaser: Check out this great article from the IDEA Online Library, for eight practical keys to understanding and training connective tissue.

In today’s society, people struggle to find enough time to complete work-related projects, enjoy their loved ones and also take good care of themselves. A personal fitness trainer (PFT) who can demonstrate to clients that they can spend quality time with their sweetie or friends while helping each other stay healthy and fit will be in high demand! Partner training is more economical f...

While the psoas major muscle affects many fitness activities, there is widespread confusion about its actual role in the body. What does this muscle do, and why is it shortened in so many people? Anatomy of the Psoasnewsletter_teaser: While the psoas major muscle affects many fitness activities, there is widespread confusion about its actual role in the body. What does this muscle do?

Here’s another great benefit to including strength training in your clients’ fitness programs. A study in the Archives of Internal Medicine (doi: 10.1001/archinternmed.2012.3138) has reported that men who regularly lift weights may reduce their risk of developing type 2 diabetes.

Remember when you were in high school and your physical education (PE) teachers made you do push-ups, chin-ups and sit-ups? What about those long-forgotten Presidential Physical Fitness Tests, which required you to run different distances for time? Whatever happened to thos...