Skip to content

Functional Aging/Older Adults

category Article Categories

Special Populations

Personal trainer Tim Minnick and client Rocky E
Aging Into Fitness

Rocky E. had never set foot inside a gym, but at age 60, he was ready to try something new and reached out to personal trainer Tim Minnick.

Exercise for age related decline
Solutions for Age-Related Decline

Slowing typically begins after age 62 with a decrease in walking speed. The good news is that the right kind of exercise can help slow these declines.

Exercise and Longevity for Women
Exercise and Longevity for Women

A new study further supports the benefits of maintaining cardiovascular fitness during middle-age and beyond. In a study presented at the European Society of Cardiology’s EuroEcho 2019 meeting in Vienna, high cardiovascular fitness was linked with significantly lower death risks from heart disease, cancer and other causes for middle-aged and older women.

Training women over 40
Training Loads for Women Over 40

Personal trainers often have female clients over the age of 40 who have similar complaints about losing muscle mass and gaining body fat. Although these changes aren’t unexpected and can be a normal part of the aging process, they are not inevitable. In fact, the right resistance-training program can positively affect body composition by reducing fat, maintaining and building muscle, and increasing strength in this population.

Student and teacher in a tai chi class.
Personalized Tai Chi

Are customized routines really better than a standard protocol? One recent study posed this question in reference to tai chi: Is it better to offer a standard tai chi sequence or to individualize moves to a person’s needs?

Hip fractures
Hip Fracture Risks and Postmenopausal Women

Hip fractures have serious consequences, including an increased risk of death within the first year following the accident. Findings from a recent study offer good news on the benefits of physical activity for postmenopausal women.

Noting that 1 in 5 Americans will be over 65 by 2030 and that skeletal mass, strength and functional loss represent health risks, the National Strength and Conditioning Association hasOlder-adult resistance training
NSCA Releases Older-Adult Resistance Training Position Statement

Noting that 1 in 5 Americans will be over 65 by 2030 and that skeletal mass, strength and functional loss represent health risks, the National Strength and Conditioning Association has released its first position stand on older-adult resistance training.

Older adults building muscle mass
Building Muscle Mass at Any Age

Here’s motivating news for older adults and those who train them. New research shows that older men, even in their 80s, can build muscle mass regardless of training background.

Sample Class: Seated Exercises for Older Adults

Older adults are more susceptible to deficits in cardiovascular fitness, muscle mass, strength and power, which may ultimately lead to losses in physical function. The following chair-based format focuses on improving outcomes for older participants, especially those who may need the support of a chair during exercise. Ready, Set, Sit! offers the variety of three 15-minute training segments (cardiovascular, high intensity and strength/power), while targeting important components that boost overall function.