This form of exercise is highly effective for improving cardiovascular health! It's something both you and your elderly relatives should take seriously.
This form of exercise is resistance training (also known as strength training, which involves contracting muscles against external resistance).
What's more, today's article is particularly well-suited for sharing in family chat groups. Whilst young people should 'lift weights' to build muscle, resistance training is also especially important for older adults, as it is highly beneficial for improving their quality of life in later years.
Multiple Ways to Reduce the Risk of Cardiovascular Disease
It is widely recognised that resistance training helps us increase or maintain muscle mass and strength.
There is now growing evidence to support the use of resistance training in the prevention and management of cardiovascular disease.
Resistance training has a positive impact on both traditional (such as blood pressure, blood glucose, blood lipids and body weight) and non-traditional (such as atherosclerosis, chronic inflammation, physical function and mood) risk factors for cardiovascular disease.
The evidence on which this update is based comes from randomised controlled trials with intervention periods of 2–6 months; most trials involved resistance training 2–3 times a week at moderate to high intensity (40–80 per cent of one's maximum load).
In summary, compared with adults who do not participate in resistance training, those who do have a 15 per cent lower all-cause mortality rate and a 17 per cent lower risk of cardiovascular disease.
Do not neglect aerobic exercise either
Combined training, which combines aerobic exercise with resistance training, can further reduce certain cardiovascular risk factors, including obesity, diabetes and hypercholesterolaemia.
Compared with sedentary adults, those who undertake combined training have a 40–46 per cent lower risk of all-cause mortality and cardiovascular disease mortality, whereas those who undertake only aerobic exercise or resistance training have a risk reduction of just 18–29 per cent for both all-cause mortality and cardiovascular disease mortality.
How should resistance training be carried out?
What should you do to reap the health benefits?
The statement also provides a 'resistance training prescription'.
Healthy adults are advised to undertake resistance training 2–3 times per week, targeting 8–10 different major muscle groups. For each muscle group, perform 1–3 sets of moderate-intensity exercises, with 8–12 repetitions per set, until subjective fatigue is reached.
Observational studies have also found that the greatest reduction in risk and the greatest health benefits are achieved with 30–60 minutes of resistance training per week.
Furthermore, do not forget to schedule rest days between training sessions to allow the neuromuscular system adequate time to rest and adapt.
For high-risk individuals with chronic diseases or other medical conditions, reducing the intensity and increasing the number of repetitions can help minimise risk whilst still reaping the corresponding health benefits.
Reminder
Certain illnesses or health conditions do indeed make exercise unsuitable; it is best to consult your GP first to determine whether you are fit to exercise.
For example, patients in the stable phase of heart failure can undertake resistance training under supervision, whereas those with unstable heart failure should avoid exercise during this period.
Ensure Adequate Protein Intake
Finally, please note that to fully realise the health benefits of resistance training, you must ensure an adequate intake of protein.
Consuming sufficient protein before and after resistance training stimulates muscle protein synthesis, thereby helping to build and maintain muscle mass.
Do not overlook the protein found in staple foods. Rice generally contains 7 per cent protein; eating 200–300g of cooked rice per day provides 14–20g of protein, and if you opt for whole grains, the protein content will be even higher.
A combined daily intake of approximately 150g of poultry, meat and seafood can also provide close to 30g of protein.
30g of dried soya beans (yellow beans) or an equivalent amount of soya products contains over 10g of protein, whilst 10g of nuts provides nearly 2g of protein.
Resistance training can reduce the risk of falls among older adults and the injuries caused by falls (such as fractures). It is essential to emphasise the importance of resistance training to the older members of your family.
As I have emphasised repeatedly in my previous articles, falls are now the leading cause of injury-related deaths among people aged 65 and over in China.
However, falls among older people are preventable.
Apart from age-friendly home adaptations and diet, resistance training that incorporates balance exercises is likely the most effective method for preventing falls in older people. Resistance training can mitigate age-related declines in physical fitness, prolong physical independence, and is highly beneficial for improving quality of life.
It is beneficial for older family members to start resistance training now, but for you, as a middle-aged or young adult, it is also important to begin resistance training as early as possible. This is because, in order to combat muscle loss, you should 'build up' muscle reserves whilst you are still young.
