Month #2 Week #5 - January

Month #2 Week #5

Our Monthly Attribute for January is: Strength

It should be first noted that I only include the attributes of Strength, Flexibility and Cardio-respiratory Endurance as monthly attributes at the beginning of our two year cycle. These attributes are particularly important and are in one form or another included in every workout we do. These initial metrics are extremely valuable and will be regularly utilized throughout the course of the program.

Now that we've spent the last month working on our mobility, I believe we're better prepped to tackle what I believe is, without question, the most important attribute in regards to senior fitness: Strength. It is estimated that we lose 1% to 2% of our muscle mass per year after the age of 50. Frailty is the primary enemy when it comes to longevity and to put it simply:...

The stronger you are, the better equipped you'll be to handle diversity when it comes (and it most certainly will come over time). There is always a direct correlation between our chances of survival as we age and our overall strength in general. It can also be mentioned here that our other critical attributes of Stamina & Power are directly and intimately related to this foundation of Strength we'll be developing. 

For metrics regarding strength, it is important that safety be considered above all else. While 1 Rep Max tests (or calculated 1 RM) are the gold standard, the majority of the 50+ aged population have neither the mobility or neuromuscular conditioning to safely perform them. I also care less about absolute metrics for strength and aim to focus on more general metrics that are most valuable to measure progress over time. For newer members I start with the Senior Fitness Test "30 Second Arm Curl Test" and "30 Second Chair Stand Test" as a starting point to see how they perform. If applicable and as individuals prove their capability, I'll use Push Ups, Sit Ups, Planks, The Barbell Overhead Press, Bench Press, Machine Leg Press, 5 Rep Barbell Curls, Assisted Pull Ups and carefully modified variations of the Deadlift (among others). For those members that have proven themselves I find a combined 1RM (or calculated 1RM) total of Bench Press + Deadlift + Back Squat + Military Press to be an exceptionally valuable way to track progress and/or decline over time.

During the month of January (or Weeks 5 through 8 for new sessions), we will work on developing an individualized strength routine for every participant. We will be using Resistance Bands, Kettle Bells, Barbells, Dumbbells, Body Weight exercises and whatever resistance machines are available. We will generally aim for a repetition range that is suitable for increased hypertrophy (muscle growth) in order to offset the age related loss of muscle mass. We'll be starting light and looking for proper form through 7 repetitions over two or three sets. On second or third sets, we'll reduce the weight if we can't perform 7 good repetitions with our starting weight (called drop sets). We will then progress over time, with proper form, until we can complete a total of 12 repetitions for that particular exercise with that particular weight. We can then add 5 or 10 lbs which will again reduce our repetition count to 7 or 8 repetitions.

As the program progresses however, we will be switching things up on a quarterly basis where we'll alternate quarters between:

• Above mentioned, basic muscle building load/rep scheme.
• Simple 5x5 program (using weights that can be challenging to finish, with acceptable form, five sets of five repetitions)

Each session from here on out will include 20 minutes to focus on our strength. 

Monday (day 1) will include two exercises for a total of four to six sets focused on our Legs.

Wednesday (day 2) will include two exercises for a total of four to six sets focused on Chest & Back

Friday (day 3) will include two exercises for a total of four to six sets focused on our Arms & Shoulders

Our Weekly Attribute for Week #5 is: Stamina

The official definition of Stamina is "The ability to sustain prolonged physical or mental effort." In class, we'll focus on longer workouts requiring us to push past both muscle fatigue and mental barriers. You can expect workouts that are comprised of a relatively long list of activities to be completed, one after another (often referred to as "Chippers" where we chip away at a major task to be completed). I'll definitely talk more about this attribute of Stamina in April where it is our monthly attribute with it's own metrics & training approach (It's as much mental challenge as it is physical!). 

Your "Lifestyle Application" of Stamina

There are few recreational applications for our older members that rely on the attribute of Stamina. In fact, the whole experience surrounding this attribute is usually an unpleasant one. Some notable exceptions would be Hiking, Distance Running (5k to Marathon+), Distance Swimming (U.S. Masters Have 400m to 1 mile competitions) and Triathlon (Sprint, Olympic, Half Ironman, Ironman). Therefore, our greatest opportunities to engage in lifestyle activities that require Stamina will generally be relegated to the realm of work. While many of us could hire someone to do these tasks or to neglect them altogether, I'd recommend these tasks be performed by ourselves (Only, of course if they can be SAFELY accomplished by ourselves). Some simple suggestions would include:

• Yard Work (Raking Leaves, Mowing, Landscaping)
• Gardening
• Painting
• Light Snow Shoveling (again, Safety first!) 
• Shopping

These are just a few of the many ways we can utilize the attribute of Stamina. I'm sure there are many more and I'd LOVE to hear your additional recommendations.

Our Three Daily Attributes This Week

On Monday (day 1), we are going to focus on our Metric Monday attribute of Strength. We'll cover the basics of strength training, determine our training levels and take some initial tests to record our starting metrics.

On Wednesday (day 2), we will make sure to include some timed challenges to touch on the attribute of Speed. I'll include some team challenges where a race to the finish should prove to be interesting!

On Friday (day 3) we will definitely pull out the agility ladder to challenge our Coordination. We'll also try some work with some tennis balls (or basketballs) to see what kind of tricks we can pick up.