Muscle or Sarcopenia - Your Choice

Sarcopenia - chances are you've got it, and don't even know it. Your doctor, who probably has it too, hasn't even mentioned it to you. And there's a good chance it'll end up killing you, if something else doesn't get you first. (How's that for an upbeat opening?)

The "average" person loses about seven pounds of muscle per decade, though the average person also replaces and adds to this with at least seven pounds of fat per decade. It typically starts in their 30's, and by age 70 this average person's muscle mass and strength has decreased by 40%. This loss of muscle mass, called sarcopenia, is eventually met with "frailty", in which you're likely to be saying "Help, I've fallen and I can't get up".

The good news is that weight training will build muscle mass in anyone, at any age. This will also probably do more to optimize your health and longevity, and improve your quality of life in your later years, than anything else you can do. In addition to greater strength and coordination, those who choose to maintain their muscle mass will also:

• Have a better functioning metabolism. They'll burn off calories more efficiently, and have a lower percentage of fat on their body.
• Be more insulin sensitive. Insulin insensitivity is associated with high body fat and inactivity, and is the cause of Type II diabetes. It is also associated with accelerated aging and degenerative diseases of all sorts.
• Have a better hormone balance, resulting in less depression, higher libido, and lower risk of various cancers.
• Have a higher HDL (good) cholesterol level.
• Have lower blood pressure.
• Have a much lower risk of osteoporosis.
• Have a greater aerobic capacity, a measurement of the body's ability to use oxygen.
• Have a stronger immune system.

In fact, almost all of the major effects of aging will be diminished. A weight training program will give you a better functioning, better looking body no matter what your age.

If you don't already workout on a regular basis, here's what I recommend:

Divide your exercise week into a Leg Day, a Back-Chest Day, and an Arm-Shoulder day. Do 2 - 3 exercises for each body part. Do 4 sets of 12 reps for each exercise. Examples of exercises include:

Chest: bench presses using dumbbells or barbells, pushups
Back: rowing exercises using dumbbells or machines
Arms: work your biceps doing curls with barbells or dumbbells, and your triceps doing overhead Triceps: presses or kick-backs using dumbbells
Shoulders: overhead barbell presses or dumbbell "spreads"
Legs: squats, lunges, calf raises, and leg curls will work the major muscles of the leg

If you've never worked with weights, ask for some help. There are many excellent books available for beginning weight-lifters, including Body For Life, and The New Power Program: Protocols for Maximum Strength. Changing your routine every few weeks will prevent your muscles from getting too accustomed to your exercises, and keeping a record of your workouts will keep you disciplined and motivated. Your muscles burn 90% of your calories. If you want to stay optimally young and healthy, you must lift weights.

Go Long,

Wiley