“Stop Loading, Start Exploding”

I just returned from the IDEA Personal Training Institute in Alexandria, VA. IDEA is an organization that provides educational opportunities for Personal Trainers. The title of this blog is the title of one of the courses I took, taught by Cody Sipe of the Functional Aging Institute.

The central topic of the course was Power Training. I have blogged about this in the past; once in 2019 and once in 2020, but it is worth reviewing what it is all about. Power=force x velocity. Power training focuses on increasing the rate at which work (ie, lifting weight, pulling a cable, throwing a ball) is performed. Power training has been a part of the fitness world for a long time, but it was thought that this kind of exercise was not appropriate for older adults.

Research shows that as we age muscle strength declines, but power drops even more quickly; the reason is that velocity decreases. Older adults may not be able to move as quickly as they had when they were younger. Why does this matter? As we age, our interest generally changes from having a beach body to have a body that functions the way we need it to; we need to be able to walk, climb stairs, lift and carry objects, etc. Power training–not strength training–is most effective at improving function. If you think about it, it makes perfect sense. Unless we are participating in a weightlifting competetion, there is a limit as to how strong we need to be; if the heaviest thing we lift is a 50 lb. bag of mulch, do we need to be able to bench press 200 pounds? On the other hand, being able to move quickly and effectively is necessary to prevent falls and other injuries. We need to train our bodies to react without a lag time. This would all indicate that it is preferable to work with lower weights (stop loading) with reps that are performed with greater speed (start exploding).

The conference was valuable, but this course in particular will help me to better train my clients. For years, people have thought that we cannot push older adults to perform resistance exercises (or even cardio) too quickly. Now we know that increasing the speed has tangible benefits.

I look forward to seeing the results as I continue to integrate power training into the work that I do.

Meeting A Centenarian Athlete

This past week I had the opportunity to meet someone who is a local celebrity, Diane Friedman. She is 100-years-old and has gained notoriety as a multiple world-record holder in Track & Field. A story ran on our local Cleveland news about her this past Friday.

I have a client in his early 90s who I train at his apartment building’s fitness room. While we were there for his weekly session, Diane and her trainer, Bruce Sherman, were also in making use of the facility. I knew immediately who they were and was happy to make her acquaintance.

Diane sends an important message to older adults–even if she might be too modest to says so. Fitness is not just for the younger generations. We are all capable of living healthier lives, but it requires making a commitment to do so. That commitment does not necessarily mean competing in the Senior Olympics or breaking world records. We can have goals as simple as being able to go for a hike in a national or state park, keeping up with our grandchildren at the playground, or having the stamina and strength to keep working at jobs that we find enjoyable and fulfilling.

The decisions we make today about our health and fitness will affect what our tomorrows look like. I do not know all of Diane’s history but I can guess that her passion did not arise in just the last few years. Building life-long good habits can lead to all kinds of wonderful outcomes later on. Of course, there are no guarantees in life, but taking better care of ourselves can help us fight the challenges that may come our way.

It was an honor to meet Diane and I know I will be rooting for her in the future! Keep strong and keep on inspiring us “youngsters!”

Important Info for Older Adults about Organ Donation

As some of you may know, I just got my brand new “Donate Life” license plate–just in time for National Organ Donation Day, February 14. The plate reads: GV1KP1 (Give 1, Keep 1)–referring to my kidney donation this past May. I am pretty excited to have it on my car, as I hope it will encourage others to consider organ donation.

Those of you read my previous posts know that I was quite surprised that I was able to donate my kidney in the first place; this was because of my past and current medical history. Although I am in good shape, keep myself physically fit, and in a healthy weight range, I am by no means in perfect health. I was also approaching 58 years of age; the surgery took place the day after my birthday. If I am being honest, I was fairly certain that I would not qualify and was somewhat shocked when I did.

When people think organ donation, I believe they mostly consider organs donated when someone has died; this gets a fair amount of press–and rightly so–when something positive is able to come from something tragic. This is certainly a source for many of the organ donations that take place, but it is preferable to have a living donor for certain procedures; obviously, heart donations cannot come from a living donor (or at least one that will survive the operation!). For kidneys and livers, it is preferable to have the tissue come from a living donor.

Is there an age at which one is too old for a transplant? For recipients, the question is a complicated one. Age is a number and there are some 80-year-olds who could not tolerate such major surgery, whereas others might come through it with flying colors. Each hospital system’s transplant program has its own guidelines. When it comes to donating an organ, many of the same factors are taken into account. There are some people into their 70s and even 80s who have been qualified to donate–and the recipients have benefitted from their lifesaving gift.

As I wrote in another blog post, never assume that you cannot make a difference. Do not automatically believe that you are not going to qualify to do something that will save another person’s life or dramatically increase its quality. Age is just a number. The better we take care of ourselves, the more likely we are to live life to the fullest and be able to give to others in meaningful ways.

Interested in learning more about organ donation? Visit http://www.donatelife.net.

Lose Weight While You’re Sleeping?

It has been all over the news the last couple of days since a study was published in the journal JAMA Internal Medicine. Lose weight while sleeping! Well that certainly beats dieting and going to the gym, right?

Despite the click-bait headlines, there are some important findings. There are also some reasons to be wary of the advice.

In a nutshell, the study involved 80 participants between the ages of 21 and 40 who got less than 6.5 hours of sleep per night. Half of the participants kept their current sleep patterns while the other half were coached about how to increase their nightly sleep to 8.5 hours. After two weeks, lab tests showed that the group that got more sleep consumed on average 270 calories/day less than the control group. Over time, that can contribute to weight loss.

Some in the field of sleep study see this is a game changer. To me, it looks like simple math; the less time you are awake, the less time you have to eat. The logic is similar to that of intermittent fasting; limit the time you can eat and you will naturally consume less calories.

While getting adequate rest is extremely important, one should not presume that this is necessarily the best route for losing weight or maintaining a healthy weight. If one’s diet is unhealthy and/or one is sedentary most of the day, increasing sleep will only go so far.

It will be interesting to see if there is follow-up research on this topic. In the meantime, it seems as if this could be yet another reason to take seriously how much quality rest we get. Even if it does not lead to dramatic weight loss, it helps us to refresh and start the new day on the right note.

Revisiting: To Shovel or Not to Shovel

The past weekend saw record amounts of snowfall in some parts of the East Coast. The next few days call for possible records in parts of the Midwest.

A topic that comes up every now and again–and that I addressed in a blog two years ago–is how dangerous it might be to shovel snow from a health standpoint. We hear stories about people having heart attacks while shoveling, but what is the real story?

According the MetroHealth website (one of the hospital networks here in Cleveland): “Shoveling, even pushing a heavy snow blower, can cause sudden increase in blood pressure and heart rate, and the cold air can cause constriction of the blood vessel and decrease oxygen to the heart. All these work in concert to increase the work of the heart and trigger a potentially fatal heart attack.” What we have here is a kind of double-whammy. On the one hand, the physical exertion leads to elevated and respiratory rates, while on the other hand, the cold air may prevent the additional oxygen from reaching the heart where it is needed most.

For most folks in decent health, the risk still remains relatively low. In fact, according to an article from Harvard Medical School, only about 100 people die each year from shoveling snow. If, however, a person already has compromised heart or lung function or is elderly, there is definitely a risk factor here. See my last blog post on the likelihood of heart attacks from strenuos activity in general.

Each person knows their own body best. While there may be a low risk of a cardiac event, it is possible to develop issues with soreness of muscles or damage to tendons and ligaments as a result of shoveling. Perhaps most noteworthy is the danger of slipping on ice if such conditions exist. Younger adults may end up with only a bruise or a sprain, but older adults may have an increased risk of fractures, which can lead to further complications.

Weigh the pros and cons…and consider that paying the neighbor’s kid to shovel may not only help preserve your health, but also help a young entrepreneur on their way to self-sufficiency!

Is it the Big One?

Some of you may recall Redd Foxx’s famous line from Sanford and Son (while feigning a heart attack): “It’s the big one, I’m coming to join you Elizabeth!” While this groundbreaking show was one of the funniest in television history, it did distort the reality about heart attacks (also known as miocardial infarctions). It is extremely rare that they are brought on in the way portrayed in the show.

There is still a great deal of misinformation and misunderstanding about what causes a heart attack. It is caused by a blockage of blood flow to the heart; these blockages are caused by fat, cholesterol, and/or other substances that cause a build-up of plaque in arteries leading to the heart. Without blood, the tissue loses oxygen and can die. So it appears that there are other things at play aside from Sanford’s son, Lamont!

CNN Health recently featured a story that touches on another myth regarding heart attacks. Two television characters, Mr. Big from Sex and the City, and Mike “Wags” Wagner from Billions suffered heart attacks after using their Peloton bikes. These kinds of stories feed the misconception that exercising vigorously does not improve our health, but rather leads to our untimely demise. Dr. Andrew Freeman, of the American College of Cardiology notes that “…regular exercise is a wonderful way to stay healthy and well and reduce cardiovascular disease. In fact, I call exercise the ‘fountain of youth.'” This is certainly a very diffent characterization of the effects of physical activity. The fountain of youth is about as far away from untimely demise as one can imagine.

It is no secret to those who follow this blog that exercise–at any age–is beneficial. Do people have heart attacks at the gym or while running or bicycling? Yes, but at no greater rate than those who are engaged in other activities. A regular program of exercise is a great way to reduce risk of a cardiovascular event rather than cause it.

A few words of caution, however. Someone who is about to embark on a exercise program or a “fitness journey,” should consult with their primary care physician first to make sure that it is safe to do so. Certain exercises may be more advantageous/harmful than others given a person’s medical history. Another important point is that beginners should proverbially learn to crawl before walking…and certainly before running a marathon! It is vital to build up one’s strength and endurance in a responsible way; as always, a fitness professional can help with this.

Many people–especially older adults–have stayed away from exercise precisely because they fear the same fate as Mr. Big or Wags. Sadly, that fear may have prevented them from reaping the many health benefits of regular exercise. Chances are strongly in our favor that when we work out, it will not be the “big one” and we will not be coming to join Elizabeth any time soon. On the contrary, we might just encounter the fountain of youth!

I’m a Contributor

It’s official! The latest issue of Northeast Ohio Boomer & Beyond is out and I am proud to be an official “contributor” to this publication on matters of Fitness for Older Adults.

In speaking with the editors several months ago, they told me that they had felt that this topic was one that had been missing from the magazine. Luckily, someone in the advertising department was a client of mine at a gym where I worked previously and recommended me. I have been interviewed for radio programs and articles in the Cleveland Jewish News on older adults and fitness, but this is my first regular gig. Now I will appear in every forthcoming issue; the magazine is published six times per year. Additionally, some of my blog posts will be featured on their website.

I am honored to have been chosen to be a regular contributor. It is always satisfying to be recognized for one’s hard work and expertise.

If you are in NE Ohio, check it out or hit the link above to see the article.

Losing a Client

Most personal trainers worry at some point about losing clients. If they leave for another gym, another trainer, move out of town, or just decide to stop training it can be a hit–not only to our wallets but also to our egos. There are other circumstances, however, when none of that really matters.

Just a couple of weeks ago, one of my clients passed away. When I began specializing my personal training career to only working with older adults, I knew that the day would come when this would happen. This client had a number of health issues; in his younger years, though, he enjoyed athletic activity and overcame some serious injuries. His long-term outlook was not good. In the short-term, however, his family felt he would enjoy working with a trainer at the fitness center where he lived.

Each client comes with his/her own capabalities and limitations, and he was no different. I enjoyed the challenge of putting together different workouts each week for him. I understood that there might not be room for great improvement in his mobility; at the very least, we would be working to maintain the levels where he was. I was impressed by the effort he put in; I know the workouts were not easy, but athletes almost always love and are up for the challenge.

About a month ago, he called me and told me that he had tested positive for COVID-19 so we would have to skip the session that week. I checked back a week later and his wife said that things look bad. A few days later he was gone. I received a text from a family member with the news, and a thank you for having made a difference in the short time we worked together.

In the fitness world (as in most industries), we talk about the importance of results. With regard to our own health and fitness, we know that there is much we can do to influence our own personal situations. In the end, however, we all succumb to the impermanence of our physical state. Does that mean that the work I do with older adults is in vain…or worse a scam? On the contrary, if I can add independence, value, and fun to someone’s life, this means something. We all know what our end will be; what we do not know is what will happen between now and then. I am proud that I am able to help my clients remain more vibrant, capable, and independent so that they can get the most out of that “between now and then.”

The loss of this client was a humbling experience for me. It makes me realize how crucial it is for me to do my work well. It also taught me that the working with clients is about more than just results or the “business;” it is also about the relationships that can be built and the difference that can be made.

Rest in peace, friend. I imagine you are up there somewhere tossing a football around with friends, no longer limited by the toll that time has taken on your body. Thanks for the time and effort you put into our time together. May your memory be a blessing.

Do You Have a Dream?

As Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., Day comes to an end, I think about his legacy. He was to me the closest thing that the United States has had to a modern-day prophet. Like the prophets of the biblical tradition, he was not afraid to speak truth to power. Dr. King had powerful dreams and visions. He saw this nation the way it was and dreamed of what it could become–not just for people of color, but for all Americans.

Dr. King reminds me of the biblical character, Joseph. Joseph was a dreamer for sure, but he was more than that. He knew how to interpret dreams (both his and Pharaoh’s) and understood what to do next. He was not just a dreamer, Joseph was a man of action as well. This very well describes Dr. King too. He spoke about his dreams, but he also knew how to organize. He comprehended what it would take for change to come. I am sure that he must have also known that this change might not come in his lifetime, but that the work must be done nevertheless.

On this MLK Jr. Day, we should honor the legacy of this great man, and we should also be aware of just how much of his dreams is unfulfilled. There is a great deal more work to be done to ensure that the United States is a nation of freedom and justice. We must do more than just reflect; we are obliged to consider the ways that we can make his dreams a reality, and then plan our first steps, and the second, and so on.

If this sounds familiar to those of you who have been following my blog, it is because the idea of taking a dream/desire and making it a reality is also a part of our fitness journey. We cannot just dream about becoming more healthy. We must first assess the situation and understand the work that needs to be done. Only then can we set goals and establish a plan to begin the hard work.

May we honor Dr. King’s legacy, not just on this day, but throughout the year–doing our part to make his vision of a more perfect nation more than just a dream.

Take Care of those Joints

It is no secret to older adults that one of our trouble spots as we age is our joints (the ones inside our bodies!). According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), over 50% of those age 65 or older have osteoarthritis. Osteoarthritis is a degeneration of joint cartilage and the underlying bone; it causes pain and stiffness, especially in the hip, knee, and thumb joints. Is there anything that can be done to take better care of our joints?

A recent article on http://www.aarp.org, suggests 6 behaviors that are harmful for our joints.

Smoking. Nicotine narrows blood vessels thus prevent blood from reaching the cells that seek its nourishment; this includes the cells in our cartilage. Additionally, smoking can add to brittle bones which raises the likelihood of fractures by 30-40%.
A Physically Inactive Lifestyle. People who are sedentary are more likely to have difficulty maintaining a healthy weight; carrying around extra pounds puts stress and strain on the joints–especially the knees. Consult with a doctor or fitness professional about which exercises are best for joint health, since some movements can exacerbate joint problems.
Overdoing Exercise. This is all about maintaining the proper balance. Currently guidelines suggest 150 minutes (2.5 hours) of exercise each week. This need not be particularly strenuous (and in some cases should not be); as noted in #2, consult a doctor or fitness professional for how to best put together a program for your needs and condition. Avoid being a weekend warrior as well; do not stay inactive the whole week and cram 2.5 hours into the weekend. A mix of cardio and strength training is recommended.
Carrying Too Much. Literally, this could mean moving furniture, carrying a heavy backpack, etc. This should be avoided, but if it cannot, be certain to use proper posture and lifting techniques. Keep the load closer to your body for less stress on the joints.
Eating the Wrong Foods. There are many foods that are “pro-inflammatory.” These include: red meat, fried foods, and sugary foods and drinks. On the flipside, there are foods that are considered anti-inflammatory such as fishes with high levels of fatty acids (salmon and mackerel), leafy greens, as well as some tree nuts; work more of these foods into your diet.
Too much Texting. The more we text the more strain we put on the joints in our arms and hands. There are some ergonomic keyboards that can help, but make sure to take a break if your work/hobby requires a lot of typing. Most smartphones also have a voice to text option so that you can dictate rather than typing some of the type.

As we age, it is more and more important to keep moving. Of course, we rely on our joints to make that a reality. Treat your joints well and they will last longer, keeping older adults more independent.