This week has been a pivotal moment in my life. I am now eligible for a seniors’ discount at a well-known drugstore. Having worked in the fitness and health field for a few decades and continuing my studies, it is of great interest to me the way our physiology progresses as we age.

Our life history we carry in our bodies, and as we progress we will occasionally have setbacks in our level of health and well-being. Sometimes these incidents impact how we continue forward. If you have ever had acute pain you may be more guarded about the area of injury and may have moments of apprehension (2). Take a look at some older adults who have suffered an injury or a fall. Their stance becomes wider, their strides shorter, and their gaze moves downward to the immediate area in front of them (1). This change can have consequences on the muscle balance and posture, which in turn can affect daily activities and the ability to exercise. Chronic pain can also become a symptom that can alter the body’s ability to function well.

We know through reports, articles, and news, the importance of resistance training to maintain healthy muscles and bones, and cardiovascular fitness to maintain a high quality of life as we age. But, there are some other factors that benefit from activities that are extremely important as well. Balance, range of motion, and reaction times are some of the things that we tend to overlook and underestimate, but are key to reducing the incidence of injuries and falls (3)(4).

Balance

Balance is our ability to transfer weight from one body part to another with an awareness of where our bodies are in the space of our environment. As we age, we may find ourselves altering our stance, use external equipment to assist us, or stop participating in activities that challenge us. Balance training does not need to include things like stability balls or Bosu equipment. The ability to stand on one leg or to walk an imaginary tightrope are balance exercises. Moving forwards, backwards, side to side, and on a diagonal all need balance and a sense of where you are in space. Having strong core muscles assist in our ability to balance.

Balance can be challenged sitting, standing, kneeling, lunging, squatting, reducing our base of support, bending over, etc. Our balance can be tested by closing our eyes as we move. It is important when training balance that the area is safe and free of obstacles. Training balance also gives you a better awareness of your body and how your body parts move (5). These movements are a great transition for many activities such as Tai Chi, dancing, hiking, or water skiing.

Range of Motion

Use it or lose it! Active range of motion is extremely important to maintain healthy joints and muscles (6). The ability to reach for an object or step over an obstacle seem like simple tasks but if we do not use these movements efficiently, we can find ourselves thwarted in reaching our goal (7).

When getting ready to do physical activity or before a workout you may want to do some dynamic movements to prepare the joints and muscles for the task. These are not extreme motions but a gentle way to move your body. Leg or arm swings, torso rotations, and chest openings are a few of the actions you can take. At the end of the activity you can do your gentle static stretching, holding a position for 15 to 30 seconds. It is not recommended to do so before your workout as this can reduce the power output of your muscles (8). Stretching exercises to maintain range of motion should be done three to five times a week. To increase range of motion, you should do stretching exercises daily!

Reaction Time

Reaction time is another fitness component that can deteriorate as we age. The ability to make quick changes in movement or to catch a falling object (or yourself!) can truly impact activities and health status (9).

Reaction time can be challenged “zooming in” or “zooming out” from a specific area of your body to your body as a whole. For example, some card games or video games are a great way to start. Taking the challenge further out you can play ping-pong, badminton, pickle ball, take up dancing or sports that requires changes of direction. As with balance, it is important to be aware of your surroundings to be able to train safely.

These components of fitness and well-being are important and can be fun to train. As with any type of activity you start focusing on, keep it interesting and stay positive. We may slow down as we age, but the best news is that we can do something about the rate at which this happens (10). I will take that seniors’ discount, but I will be striding long with head held high to get it!

References

1. Kerrigan DC, Lee LW, Collins JJ, Riley PO, Lipsitz LA. Reduced hip extension during walking: healthy elderly and fallers versus young adults. Arch Phys Med Rehabil. 2001;82:26–30.
2. MasudT., Morris R.O. Epidemiology of falls. Age and ageing 2001; 30 Suppl 4:3-7
3. Cunningham DA, Paterson DH, Himann JE, Rechnitzer PA. Determinants of independence in the elderly. Canadian Journal of Applied Physiology. 1993;18(3):243–254.
4. Piercy KL, Troiano RP. Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans From the US Department of Health and Human Services. Circulation Cardiovascular quality and outcomes 2018; 11(11): e005263
5. In-Hee Lee, PT, PhD and Sang-young Park, PT, PhD Balance Improvement by Strength Training for the Elderly. J Phys Ther Sci 2013 Dec; 25(12): 1591-1593
6. Frekany C, Leslie D: Effects of an exercise program on selected flexibility measurements of senior citizens. Gerontologist 15: 182-1 83, 1975
7. Morini S, Bassi A, Cerulli C, Marinozzi A, Ripani M. Hip and knee joints flexibility in young and elderly people: effect of physical activity in the elderly. Biology of Sport. 2004;21(1):25–37
8. Yamaguchi T, Ishii K, Yamanaka M, Yasuda K Acute effect of static stretching on power output during concentric dynamic constant external resistance leg extension. J Strength Cond Res. 2006 Nov;20(4):804-10
9. Rudisill ME, Toole T The effects of a physical activity program on reaction time and movement time for the older adult. Journal of Human Movement Studies, 22 (1992), pp. 205-212
10. Lord SR, Caplan G, Ward JA Balance, reaction time and muscle strength in exercising and non-exercising women: A pilot study Archives of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation,74 (1993), pp. 837-840

Gillian began her fitness journey over twenty years ago in Europe as a fitness instructor where she combined her love of music and movement. Passionate about health and wellness, her studies have included certifications in Pilates, Muscle Activation Techniques, athletic therapy and rehabilitation, allowing her to help her clients in finding their own path towards leading healthy lifestyles.

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Have you ever seen pictures of Arnold Schwarzenegger, Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson or Kamal Shah and wonder how their arms got so big? Do you want to fill up the sleeves of your T-shirt and have massive pipes hanging off of your torso? Everybody wants bigger arms, and if you follow my evidence based arm training program listed below, this dream will be a reality.

When training any part of your arms, it is important to remember a couple of things:

1) To get bigger arms or any muscle in general, you must train that body part 3 times a week for maximum growth.

2) Do the challenging lifts at the beginning of your workout. Do not do tricep extensions before you perform close grip bench press.

3) Try to complete all multi-joint exercises first because they target more muscles per repetition. The body puts in more work to perform these exercises when compared with single joint movements. 

4) If you want to maximize your time in the gym consider combining exercises together.

5) Once you have completed a set of biceps, perform a set of triceps immediately after. These are opposing muscles, so when the biceps are recovering we can hit triceps or vice versa.

6) The muscle is at rest when fully contracted at the top or bottom. Avoid locking out at the bottom or top of each exercise as they are the easiest portions of the exercise.

7) Try to find a lifting tempo, this can usually be determined by finding a lift, lowering and pause phase. A typical tempo used in the gym is 1/3/0 (lift/lowering/pause), we want to limit the amount of time spent in the pause phase

Biceps 

The word biceps translates to two heads, “bi” meaning two and “ceps” meaning heads. This can be further classified as the short head and long head whose origin and insertion I have listed below. The long head is located on lateral side of the humerus (outside edge) which puts the short head on the medial side (closer to the torso).

Keep in mind when using an ez bar or olympic bar while doing any of the lifts listed below, a wider grip will put more strain on the short head of the bicep. A narrow grip will target the outer head. The weight is on the elbow and no longer on the bicep when it is fully contracted at the top, so try to avoid locking out at the top.

To really develop bicep peak, remember to supinate the wrist ( have the palms facing upwards) at the top of each rep to target the long head of the bicep. Another way to target the long head is to place the elbows behind the body and perform an incline db curl, it allows the long head to maximally stretch.

Short Head Origin: coracoid process of scapula  Insertion: radial tuberosity

Long Head Origin: supraglenoid tubercle of scapula  Insertion: radial tuberosity

Function: flexion of the forearm at the elbow joint

• External rotation of the forearm (turning a key)
• Flexion at the shoulder joint (minorly)

Bicep Exercises

• Straight arm curl
• Dumbbell curl
• Incline dumbbell curl
• Ez bar curl
• Hammer curl
• Straight bar Cable curl
• Concentration curls
• Reverse curl
• Bicep curl with twist
• Cross body curl (pinwheel curl)
• Preacher curls
• Standing dumbbell curl
• Seated dumbbell curl

Brachialis 

The brachialis is located underneath the biceps. Most individuals forget about this muscle when they train their arms. This muscle is responsible for giving the bicep additional girth and has a large cross-sectional region, making it the largest flexor at the elbow. It is worked most when the hand is in a pronated (palms facing down) position or in a slightly supinated (i.e. palms facing each other) position. This puts the bicep brachii muscle at a mechanical disadvantage.

Origin: lower anterior portion of humerus Insertion: coronoid process and tuberosity of ulna

Function: flexion of the forearm at elbow

Brachialis Exercises

• Reverse dumbbell curl
• Reverse barbell curl

Tricep

Similar to the bicep muscle, the tricep can be translated to “three heads” The long head and lateral head of the tricep is responsible for giving the “horseshoe” shape on the posterior side of the arms. Most individuals consider the tricep a secondary muscle when building bigger arms. The tricep makes up a greater portion of the arm compared to the bicep muscles. The triceps main function is to extend the forearm at the elbow joint. The long head however, originates at the glenoid cavity of the scapula therefore it is responsible for adduction (bringing the arm from a T shape back to neutral) and extension (bringing the arms back from in front back to neutral) of the humerus.

Lateral Head Origin: outside posterior surface of humerus  Insertion: olecranon process

Long Head Origin: glenoid cavity of scapula  Insertion: olecranon process

Medial Head Origin: inside posterior surface of humerus Insertion: olecranon process

Function: Extension of forearm at the elbow joint

• Adduction of the arm (long head)
• Extension of the humerus at the shoulder joint (long head)

Tricep Exercises

• Tricep pressdown (rope or straight bar)
• Tricep dips
• Close grip bench press
• Skull crushers (db, ez bar, straight bar)
• Bench dip
• Close grip push up
• Overhead tricep press

Forearms – Brachioradialis

The brachioradialis is located on the forearm, and is the most prominent muscle in the lower arm. When you place your forearm on a desk with your palms facing down, the brachioradialis is the muscle running up and down the thumb side of the lower arm. It is the smallest of 3 main flexor muscles at the elbow joint, after the bicep brachii and brachialis muscle. The brachioradialis is responsible for flexion as well as supination and pronation of the forearm (enables you to rotate your palms up and down). Any exercise in a pronated (palms down) position or semi-supinated position (palms facing each other) will target this muscle.

Origin: lateral supercondylar ridge of the humerus Insertion: styloid process of radius

Function: flexion of the forearm at the elbow joint

• Pronation and supination

Brachioradialis Exercises

• Any pronated grip curl
• Bench wrist curls supinated and pronated
• Farmers walks
• Standing barbell behind back wrist curls

Training Methods

All of the exercises listed above can be performed using these training methods. In a subsequent blog, we will describe each training method in greater detail. Although there are many different ways of defining these training methods, I will list the most common version.

• Drop sets
  • Drop the weight by 15-25% each drop
    
• Eccentrics or negatives
  
  • Most people forget about the negative portion and think the concentric phase is where muscles are built.
    
  • The eccentric phase is stronger than the concentric phase therefore more muscle fibre tear occurs
  • 3-5 second rep count
    
• Pause reps
  
  • Pausing mid rep
• Cheat reps
  
  • Forced reps after initial set is complete
• Supersets
  • Combining two exercises back to back
• Shifting hand positions
  • On the dumbbell or barbell
  • Forces biceps to adapt and maintain dumbbell balance
• Concentration 
  • Single arm movements
• Time under tension (TuT)
  
  • Increases muscle fibre breakdown with increased TuT
    
  • Should typically last between 30-40 second per set

Nutrition 

You can perform all of these exercises but at the end of the day, nutrition is the determining factor for arm growth. In order to gain mass and get bigger arms you need to eat at a caloric surplus. Download a food tracking app on your phone such as myfitnesspal to ensure you are eating enough. Try to avoid foods high in trans/saturated fats and consume high protein meals 5-6 times throughout the day.

Kevin Kwok – Client Care Manager

Kevin enrolled in numerous sports program as a child, which exposed him to an active lifestyle early in life. He played ultimate frisbee competitively at the junior level while in high school. Kevin now focuses his training exclusively on dragon boating. He has been paddling for the past 2 years and hopes to make the Canadian National Team in 2019. He hopes he can motivate others to accomplish their short and long term fitness goals.

The post How to Get Massive Arms (AKA Pipes) first appeared on Le Physique | Vancouver Personal Training.

As we age, our bones become increasingly fragile, and are more prone to injury. People often have the mindset that they can no longer do activities they once could and resort to staying indoors and living a sedentary lifestyle. Osteoporosis or the deterioration of bone tissue is natural to the aging process and shouldn’t prevent us from performing exercise. It is estimated that roughly 200 million people around the world are affected by this disease. Below are 3 types of exercises that you can perform to strengthen and maintain your bone health.

Low Impact exercise

Low impact exercise should be completed 3-5 times per week. These exercises result in the least amount of stress on your bones and enable you to increase your heart rate. Moderate to vigorous low impact activity can be completed in 15-60 minute sessions. They typically involve smooth fluid motions which limit damage to bones and joints.

• Swimming
• Walking
• Dancing
• Water Aerobics
• Tai Chi
• Dragon boating
• Cycling
• Kayaking

Mid-high impact exercise  

Mid-high impact activities should be limited to no more than 2 times per week. These activities can lead to an increased chance of injury. Please consult a medical professional and seek clearance before beginning a mid-high impact training program. When performed in an effective manner, mid-high impact training can increase bone mineral density and return you to doing activities you once did.  

• Basketball
• Running
• Karate
• Football
• Gymnastics
• Jumping rope
• Skiing
• Plyometrics

Resistance training

Resistance or strength training can be completed 2-3 times per week. It is recommended to do a full body workout using resistance bands or weights during each of these sessions. In addition, one day of rest should be taken in between sessions to allow for adequate recovery. For each exercise you should aim to perform 3 sets with 12-15 repetitions in each. 

• Dumbbells
• Barbells
• Resistance bands
• Body weight exercises
• Resistance training machines

Although exercise can play a vital role in maintaining strong bones,  it must be supplemented with a healthy diet consisting of calcium and vitamin D. Similar to muscles, bones strengthen when they undergo stress. By performing a regular exercise routine, we are able to build bone mass and enjoy activities of daily life without worry.

Kevin Kwok – Client Care Manager

Kevin enrolled in numerous sports program as a child, which exposed him to an active lifestyle early in life. He played ultimate frisbee competitively at the junior level while in high school. Kevin now focuses his training exclusively on dragon boating. He has been paddling for the past 2 years and hopes to make the Canadian National Team in 2019. He hopes he can motivate others to accomplish their short and long term fitness goals.

The post Can You Exercise With Osteoporosis? first appeared on Le Physique | Vancouver Personal Training.