Tips for staying fit after 50

By Silversurfers

Fitness, it’s often assumed, is a young person’s game.

But staying fit isn’t just something you can do when you’re over 50 – it’s something you absolutely have to do. As you enter middle-age, you have an increased risk of contracting particular illnesses and conditions, from high blood pressure and high cholesterol to back and muscle pains, and even certain types of cancer.

Maintaining a healthy body and mind could help you stave off the effects of some of these age-related afflictions. And staying fit is much easier than you think, if you discover the exercise regime that works for you.

Finding the right exercise for you

There’s no one way to exercise: just as your body is different from another person’s, the fitness routine that suits you will vary too. Your friend, for instance, may swear by her regular workouts on the treadmill at her gym – but that doesn’t mean that approach is right for you as well.

Start by considering your likes and dislikes. Perhaps you don’t enjoy the thought of running or jogging: think instead about sports that incorporate running, like football, squash and tennis. Look for a local five-a-side league with a high percentage of older players, or inquire about squash courts in your local leisure centre. This way, you’ll receive the benefits of running while participating in another activity.

But team sports aren’t your only option. Creative workouts like Zumba – which combines Colombian dance rhythms with aerobic exercise – are especially popular with older women because they’re fun and can be easily enjoyed with friends.

Weight training is also important when you’re over 50. This helps maintain your muscle mass, which you lose as you get older. You may need to consult a fitness trainer when you start weight training, to ensure that you don’t start with weights that are too heavy and accidentally injure yourself. If you’re joining a gym for the first time, many offer a few hours with a personal trainer as standard for new members.

Maintaining a healthy body and mind

When crafting your fitness routine, you need to think about activating your mind as well as your body. Disciplines like Yoga and Pilates engage both mind and body, teaching principles of core stability, coordination and helping to de-clutter your thoughts. Practicing even 10 minutes of Yoga or Pilates every day, in fact, can have a rejuvenating and energising effect. Another way to stimulate your brain is to vary your exercise routine – don’t stick to the same workout every day, and experiment with different sports and pastimes. This will make sure your mind stays engaged, and helps ensure that you don’t get bored.

If you’re having trouble motivating yourself, try looking for like-minded over-50s that want to stay fit too. Charity Silverfit, for instance, was created specifically to motivate over-50s to become active so it could be a great place to start.

You’ll also find plenty of resources online to get your fitness regime off on the right foot. Boots Web MD, for instance, has a range of nutrition advice and exercise tips for women over 50, while the NHS’s online Health and Fitness guide is handily divided by both gender and age range.

Orignal Source: http://www.silversurfers.com/best-of-the-web/tips-for-staying-fit-after-50/

Are Kettlebells Or Dumbbells Superior For Gym Based Strength Gains?

By Russ Howe

It's a war which has raged on for the best part of ten years but, thanks to recent scientific research, today you will get a definite answer to the question: Kettlebells vs dumbbells - which method will give you the best results?

Before we do that, it is important to point out that using both approaches is always going to be far superior to limiting yourself to just one style. You will often hear people swearing by the use of just one protocol, all this does is limit your ability on the gym floor as each style comes with it's own plus points and negatives, therefore a combination of the two styles alongside other forms of training, such as yoga, interval training and body weight movements, would be optimal for achieving the goals set by most individuals.

However, a recent study pitted the kettlebell against free weights in a study to determine which method would return the greatest strength gains overall. The results were quite profound.

In the study, researchers ordered their first group of subjects to perform a six week course of swings, goblet squats and accelerated swings using a 35 pound weight. Improvements of squat ability, vertical leap and power clean strength were documented.

The free weights group performed a six week program of barbell squat, power clean and high pull using around 80% of their one rep max on each exercise.

At the end of the six week study, the results of the two groups were compiled and compared. The overwhelming winner was the second group - the free weight group. These individuals boasted improvements of a 15% higher squat compared to group A's 5% increase. They also noticed a 10% power clean and 4% vertical leap boost.

Their kettlebell counterparts, on the other hand, could only manage a 4% increase to their power clean and added just 1% to their vertical leap. Those results were quite surprising, given the explosive nature of kettlebell training in general.

If you want to base your training program purely on the scientific findings, then free weights clearly return the greatest strength gains.

However, the optimal method for building a better body through effective fat loss and lean muscle building should include a variety of techniques. Although this particular study from California State University, Fullerton returned results heavily in favor of resistance training, this does not mean you should eliminate every other type of exercise from your program.

While free weights have now been shown to trump other equipment in the strength category, that doesn't mean they are the only method you should use. For instance, there are a number of exercises which can be performed using a kettlebell which are simply more functional than using conventional dumbbells and barbells. The swing is a perfect example of that.

The battle between kettlebells vs dumbbells will be one that undoubtedly cuts most gyms down the middle depending upon personal choice. However, the latest scientific research clearly documents one winner.

Original Source: http://weight-loss012.blogspot.co.uk/2013/08/are-kettlebells-or-dumbbells-superior.html