Benefits of Weight Training  for Female Baby Boomers

By Tracy L. Darmstadt

"I'm an inch shorter than I used to be, and no diet canget me back to the weight I was just a few years ago. What can I do?"

"I've noticed that my posture is getting worse, and my lower back hurts more than it used to."

Fitness professionals may hear these comments from women who are noticing changes in their bodies as they reach their 50s and beyond. Some are former (and current) runners, tennis players, walkers and athletes. Others have never seen the inside of a health club. But all are experiencing changes in their body shape, size and overall energy level due to the onset or conclusion of menopause. Women may not be able to avoid menopause, but with the right exercise program, they can avoid some of thephysical changes that go along with it. Following are some ways that fitness professionals can help.

It may interest many of your female clients that regular weight training can help them take off some excess body fat. Also, as they increase muscle mass, they can increase their metabolic rate. This means that they will burn calories at a faster rate.

Fighting bone loss is another great reason to start lifting weights. The National Osteoporosis Foundation estimates that between 13 and 18 percent (4 to 6 million) of postmenopausal white women in the U.S. have osteoporosis, and that one out of two white women will experience an osteoporosis-related fracture at some point in their lives. Stronger muscles and improved flexibility can also increase balance and reduce the risk of bone fractures due to falls and osteoporosis.

Other benefits of weight training include improved cholesterol and blood glucose levels, and improved resting blood pressure. Weight-bearing exercises can also reduce lower-back pain.

Getting started

During the pre-exercise screening process, your instructors should ask these women if they have ever worked with weights or performed strength-training exercises before. Some may have used weights in group exercise classes, but many still feel intimidated by strength equipment, and simply donot know where to start. Strength training can be scary for someone who has never lifted a dumbbell before. Your job is to make sure that your clients and members know how to use both free weights and strength machines, and that they perform the exercises properly.

Recommend one or two sessions with a personal trainer to get your members started with a safe and personalized program. A trainer can help them determine what amount of weight to use, which exercises are the most effective and which exercises to stay away from due to specific injuries.

The right strength program

It is important to teach women who are new to exercise how to performa strength-training program that includes all of the major muscle groups. For the upper body this includes the back,chest, biceps,triceps and shoulders. For the lower body this includes thequads,hamstrings, calves,shins andgluteus maximus. Anddon't forget the abdominal and lower-back muscles, whichcan improve posture, help relieve lower-back pain and assist in everyday movements.

For your members who need tostart slow, they should work outtwo to three times per week. They should perform each exercise for two sets of10 to12 repetitions. Make sure they rest for 30 to45 seconds in between each set.

Tell your clients to be patient with themselves. If they are just starting out, have them use lower weights. If they can't performeightreps, then lower the amount of weight they are using. Conversely, if theycan lift for12 repsand feel like they are not being challenged, bump the weight up.

If your clients are not yet comfortableusing weight machines or free weights, elastic bands are a great way to start them on astrength-training program. These bands are inexpensive, come in various resistance levels and can be easily transported duringtravels. Body weight can alsooffer enough resistance for some exercises (stomach crunches, push-ups, pull-ups, etc.).

Make sure to include stretching in your clients' strength programs. As muscles strengthen, they contract and become tight. It is important that your members take at least five minutes before and after their workouts to stretch each muscle group.

Molly, who has sore knees and a bad back, is 50 years old and is going through menopause. She walks her dog for about 20 minutes every day, and also rides a stationary bike at home for 25 minutes twice a week. She has never lifted weights before. She wants to feel stronger and is willing to start a strength-training program, but is afraid of hurting herself.

Following is what a strength program forher might look like. After her trainer determines the amount of weight for each exercise, Molly would performtwo sets of 10 to12 reps of the following exercises: biceps curl, tricepsextension, chest press, low row (for the upper back), overhead press (for the shoulders), leg extensions (for the quads), leg curls (for the hamstrings), calf raises and extensions, squats and/or lunges (for the glutes and lower body), and sit-ups/crunches.

Many women find that the most difficult part about strengthtraining is taking the first step. A trainer can make that step easier, and make sure it's taken in the right direction.

Remember to insist that new exercisers start slowly. If they are in pain, makesure thatthey stop and adjust, or avoid those movements. Most of all, remember to make the process fun! FM

Tracy Darmstadt has a master's of science degree in exercise physiology from Georgia State University, and is a certifiedhealth and fitness instructor with the American College of Sports Medicine. She has worked forIHRSAand as a program coordinator, health and fitness consultant, and health educator for the Coca-Cola Co. and Children's Healthcare of Atlanta. She is a member of IDEA and is now the owner of eXert Fitness Training, specializing in health and fitness, weight loss and lifestyle wellness. Shecan be reached at 404 378-3788.