Strength Training After Fifty

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Title: Strength Training After Fifty

Word Count: 351

Author: Lynn VanDyke

Email: ArticlesByLynn@...

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Strength Training After Fifty

Copyright 2005 strength-training-woman.com

Strength training after fifty is no longer for those people

who are having some sort of mid-life crisis. In fact,

doctors are literally writing prescriptions to get this

generation up and moving. They are taking out the pen and

prescription pad, writing something barely legible, ripping

it off the pad and handing it to more and more of their

patients. So what's the result? Well the result is lots

of people strength training after fifty years of age. It's

magical. A doctor writes a prescription to strength train!

No pharmacy necessary.

Unfortunately, strength training still conjures up images

of young guys with bulging peck muscles and barely there

tank tops. More and more fitness centers across the United

States are seeing more and more fifty+ members. And that's

a great movement.

So where should you begin if you happen to be one of the

many strength training after fifty people? Let's start

with the basics- measurements. And I'm not talking about

weight only here. I am talking about body fat percentage

and resting heart rate. These two elements are critical

when determining a starting point for your strength

training program.

Armed with that data, we proceed to talk about goals. What

do you hope to accomplish? A drop in blood pressure? A

decrease in clothing size? An increase in health?

Whatever your goals may be, your trainer should be properly

prepared to walk with you along your journey. Remember that

safety is always a top concern. Go with a trainer that you

feel comfortable with.

A typical beginning routine for those strength training

after fifty may look a bit like this-

* Warm-up for 5-10 minutes

* Begin with isolated (one-joint) strength training

exercises such a bicep curl or chest fly

* After completing 3 sets of 12 reps for each major muscle

group, move onto cardio

* Cardio can be anything that gets your heart pumping to

approximately 60-70% of your maximum heart rate

Depending on your goals and health, the weight you lift and

the amount of cardio performed will vary. Train well.

About the Author:

Lynn VanDyke is owner of

http://www.strength-training-woman.com. She is certified

in personal training, nutrition and yoga. Be sure to check

out the No Limits ezine. It's a must-read for all things

strength training.