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I just turned 65, and I keep seeing articles that say I need to strength train to keep muscle. I’ve seen a lot about functional strength training, and the importance of doing full-body, multi-joint movement. Does that mean that I should stop using the machines at my club?
Absolutely not! It is true that as we age, we lose muscle mass. In order to continue to do the things we want and need to do, the best thing is to adopt a program that we enjoy that can help maintain (or gain) muscle, as well as increase balance and stability. Functional training helps to train the body for activities that we complete in daily life. Functional training style workouts can be completed without the use of specialized equipment and incorporate full body, multi-joint exercises. Incorporating machines can allow you to isolate individual muscle groups and can also help with guidance on proper form. Using machines can also be beneficial in helping to strengthen particularly weak areas and provide additional flexibility in your workout routine. After all, you want to continually challenge the body by changing up your program on a regular basis. Bottom line – the ideal workout program is one that you will enjoy and continue to do.
If you have a question you would like the experts at Anytime Fitness in Washington to answer, email washingtonpa@anytimefitness.com.