Preserving Muscle Mass as We Age

Do you ever wonder why people look more frail as they get older, or why their clothes seem to hang off their body? 

This often catches people off guard, and for many of us, losing muscle mass happens before we even realize it. Preserving muscle mass is crucial as we age. By the end of a typical lifespan, most individuals have lost about 30% of their muscle strength. No amount of cardio (running, cycling) can combat the natural decline. Both men and women need to engage in strength training along with cardiovascular exercise.

Starting as early as age 30, we begin to lose 3% to 5% of our muscle mass each decade. That doesn’t sound like much, but the effect is cumulative and as the graph shows below, it accelerates at an alarming rate around the age of 60.  Its even more important for females than males as hormonal changes, such as menopause, can exacerbate muscle loss.

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One key area for strength training is the legs.  Falls are a leading cause of mortality for people over 75. Resistance training enhances lower body strength, crucial for activities like climbing stairs or simply standing up from a chair

Here are some simple exercises to start training the legs, especially if you don’t have extensive equipment:

1. Wall sits - target the quadriceps, but also engage the glutes, hamstrings, and calves, improving lower body strength and endurance.
   

2. Bodyweight Squats: Stand with feet shoulder-width apart, lower your hips back and down as if sitting in a chair, then return to standing.
   

3. Lunges: Step forward with one leg and lower your hips until both knees are bent at about a 90-degree angle. Return to standing and switch legs.
   

4. Bulgarian Split Squats: Stand a few feet in front of a bench or chair, place one foot on the bench behind you, and lower your body into a squat on the standing leg.

Its never too late to start.  I always say 21 days makes a habit.

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