Tuesday, February 22, 2011

Seniors Can Still Bulk Up On Muscle By Pressing Iron (NPR)

by PATTI NEIGHMOND
Palais started weight training to build bone mass. But she built muscle mass as well.
"You have to do what we call resistance exercise," Heber says. This can take a lot of different forms. "It could be lifting weights, it could be stretchy bands, but the key is you have to stretch a muscle."

When you stretch a muscle to the point of straining it, as is the goal during weight lifting, you set in motion the body's natural muscle-building response. The muscle has to adapt to the damage and build itself up to be prepared for the next weightlifting assault. In this way, muscles build fiber and actually increase in size.

Success Story

Take the success story of 73-year-old Sandy Palais of Tempe, Ariz., who does resistance training six days a week for about an hour each day. ... (click here to read entire article on NPR)

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