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April 13, 2025

💪 Straightforward & Confident

Midlife Can Be Your Prime—Physically and Mentally

Ever feel like midlife and menopause are a bad word? Think again! Dr. Stacy Sims, a world-renowned exercise physiologist and expert in high-performance nutrition, is changing the conversation on how we approach aging and female performance. In her book Roar, she challenges the stigma around menopause, showing how it’s a natural phase that offers a second chance at rediscovering our potential.

One of the biggest takeaways? Forget the outdated view that getting older means slowing down. In fact, Dr. Sims argues that midlife can be a prime time to thrive—both physically and mentally. It’s all about changing how we think about aging and menopause. Many women fear this phase because society often writes them off, but that’s just not how it has to be. In some cultures, like in Japan, menopause is seen as a time of empowerment, wisdom, and freedom. Imagine embracing that mindset!

So, how do we apply this to our day-to-day lives? Dr. Sims has some science-backed tips that will help you crush your health and fitness goals at any age:

1. Lift Heavy Weights
Yes, you read that right. Lifting heavy is key to building muscle, improving bone density, and boosting metabolism—especially for women in their 40s and beyond. Don’t be afraid to push yourself! Start with weights that challenge you, and gradually increase as you get stronger.

2. Sprint Intervals
Think sprinting isn’t for you? Think again. Sprint intervals, whether on the track, treadmill, or even a rowing machine, can be game-changing for women in midlife. Short bursts of high-intensity exercise (we’re talking 30 seconds) with full recovery periods in between can help you build lean muscle and improve glucose regulation. It’s not about how fast you can go compared to others—it’s about pushing your limits and giving it your all.

3. Redefine Aging
Dr. Sims encourages women to see aging as a badge of experience, not a decline. As we age, we gain more knowledge, resilience, and confidence. We have the power to shift our mindset and start celebrating what our bodies are capable of at every stage.

Take Action
If you’re in midlife and feeling stuck, it’s time to rethink your approach to fitness and health. Start incorporating heavier weights into your routine, experiment with sprint intervals, and—most importantly—embrace this phase of life as one of strength, wisdom, and power.

Dr. Sims is here to remind us that aging is just another opportunity to keep leveling up!

lea4000@gmail.com No Comments , , , , , ,
December 4, 2021

Exercise is now prescribed for cancer patients

💢CANCER & EXERCISE💢, an essential combination. Really you say? Yes, I say, because COSA says so. (Clinical Oncology Society of Australia). – I AM SOOOOOO PASSIONATE ABOUT THIS!!💯

I received my treatment at Icon Cancer Care in Northlakes. The staff there are incredible. They turn a day of sitting in a chair, having a chemotherapy drug infused into your body all day, into an almost enjoyable experience.


☹️Nearly everyone is affected by cancer one way or another. You either have it or someone you know has been diagnosed with it. Please, if is you, or someone you love, share this information with them, and encourage them to keep active. 🏃


👉Myself, I have been living with Leukaemia for over 9 years now. And I have a beautiful client that is bravely dealing with the effects of her breast cancer every day. 👩‍🦰


🏋️‍♀️I never stopped exercising through my 6 months of chemo. I would train as hard as I could the morning of treatment & the day after. By the 2nd & 3rd day after I felt quite rat shit, so very little exercise, if any. But then back into it after that. And the cycle continued. When I say “as hard as I could”, that was no way near what I could do pre-chemo. I was nauseous a lot, and very short of breath, but I did what I could.


🧑‍🔬COSA’s Position Statement on Cancer Care is that:

🟣All people with cancer should AVOID INACTIVITY and return to normal daily activities as soon as possible following diagnosis (i.e. be as physically active as current abilities and conditions allow)

🟣 All people with cancer should progress towards and, once achieved, maintain participation in:

🟣at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity or 75 minutes of vigorous-intensity aerobic exercise (e.g. walking, jogging, cycling, swimming) each week; and

🟣two to three resistance exercise (i.e. lifting weights) sessions each week involving moderate to vigorous-intensity exercises targeting the major muscle groups

🟣Exercise recommendations should be tailored to the individual’s abilities noting that specific exercise programming adaptations may be required for people with cancer based on disease and treatment-related adverse effects, anticipated disease trajectory, and their health status.

Exercise Helps to Treat Cancers


An extensive review of research shows that exercise:


• reduces the side effects of chemotherapy treatments including nausea, fatigue, anxiety, and depression, and increases bone strength and muscle mass (Curr Treat Options Oncol, 2008;9:135-46)
• increases the percentage of people who are able to complete full-dose chemotherapy regimens (J Clin Oncol, 2007;25:4396-404)
• can increase tumor sensitivity to chemotherapy (Cancer Prev Res (Phila), 2013;6:925-37)
• reduces heart damage from chemotherapy (Circulation, 2011;124:642-50)
• markedly reduces arm swelling from extensive breast cancer surgery (N Engl J Med, 2009;361:664-73)
• is associated with a 50 percent increased survival rate in patients treated for breast cancer (JAMA, 2005;393:2479-86) and colon cancer (J Clin Oncol, 2006;24:3535-41)
• is associated with a 70 percent risk reduction of high-grade, advanced or fatal prostate cancers (Arch Intern Med, 2005;165:1005-10)

A regular exercise program reduced carcinogenic inflammation, strengthened the immune system, and improved mental processing by increasing apoptosis and by lowering cancer-inducing insulin-like growth factor 1, DNA damage, and gene mutations (Br J Cancer, 2011;105:S52-73). Exercise reduced cancer patients’ anxiety, depression, and fatigue, and exercise specifically can reduce the massive upper arm swelling and fluid retention common in women treated for breast cancer (Med Sci Sports Exerc, Nov 2019). Exercise also helped to prevent cancer patients’ inactivity that increases the risk for heart failure (Med Sci Sports Exerc, 2010;42:1409-1426).

Rules for Exercise for Cancer Patients
Cancer patients should check with their doctors prior to starting a new exercise program. If possible, most people with cancer should try to exercise at least three times per week, at a moderate intensity such as brisk walking, for at least 30 minutes, and if possible, they should also try to lift weights twice a week. I can recommend no specific exercise program for cancer patients because the amount of exercise a cancer patient can do is limited by the level of fitness, the extent of disease, treatment regimen, and other variables. In general, all exercisers – healthy or not – should follow these rules:

• Stop exercising when your muscles start to hurt, burn or feel tight. If you keep on exercising, your muscle fibers can start to tear and run out of their stored sugar supply. Your body always talks to you and tells you when this is happening. Failure to listen to your body is the most common cause of exercise injuries.

• Take the day off when your muscles feel tight or hurt after you have warmed up for five minutes or more. It is normal for muscles to feel sore when you first get up in the morning, but they should feel better after you have exercised for five to 10 minutes. Soreness after warming up means that your muscle fibers are damaged and are at increased risk for tearing if you exercise that day. Sometimes you can get away with exercising at reduced intensity on days when your muscles feel sore, but often it is best to just stop for the day.

• Stop exercising immediately if you feel increasing soreness in one spot, which can mean that a muscle is about to tear or go into a spasm. You can prevent many injuries just by stopping exercising when you feel pain in one spot and do not have pain in the same spot on the other side of your body.

#cancer #cancercouncil #canceraustralia #cancertreatment #cancersuck #leukemiawarrior #leukaemeia #leukaemiafoundationau

Lea Wagner No Comments , , , , ,
November 25, 2021

All Exercise is Good, and Vigorous Exercise is Better

 December 4, 2020 – article taken from Dr Mirkin’s website

A new study suggests that the more intensely you exercise, the less likely you are to suffer a heart attack. Researchers followed 403,681 U.S. adults for an average 10 years and found that those who spent a greater proportion of their exercise time exercising intensely had a significantly lower risk of death from heart attacks than those who exercised for the same amount of time but at lower intensity (JAMA Intern Med, Nov 23, 2020). Those who exercised more vigorously also had a lower risk of death from cancer and lower all-cause mortality during the study period.

Other studies show that people who exercise intensely are significantly less likely to die prematurely than casual exercisers (JAMA Intern Med, 2015;175(6):970-977), because vigorous exercise is more effective in:
• preventing weight gain (Prev Med, 2014;60:131-133),
• preventing heart disease (Am J Cardiol, 2006;97(1):141-147),
• preventing diabetes (Int J Epidemiol, 2012;41(4):1132-1140), and
• promoting fitness and the ability to process oxygen (Med Sci Sports Exerc, 2002;34(1):152-157).
The HUNT study from Norway found that the more fit people are, the less likely they were to develop a first heart attack (JAMA, April 19, 2019). The SUN study from Spain found lower heart attack rates in those who exercised intensely compared to those who exercised less vigorously (Am J of Cardio, Dec 1, 2018;122(11):1871–1878).

Any Level of Exercise is Healthful
A regular exercise program of any intensity is associated with reduced death rate (Int J Epidemiol, 2011;40(5):1382-1400), because a regular exercise program is associated with reduced rates of:
• cancer (JAMA Intern Med, 2016;176(6):816-825),
• diabetes (Endocrine, 2016;52(2):226-230), and
• heart disease (Br J Sports Med, 2019;53(22):1405-1411).
Spending long periods of time sitting or lying in bed increases risk for heart disease (Prevent Med, May 02, 2019).

Benefits of Intense Exercise
Intensity makes all muscles stronger, including your heart muscle. All people lose heart muscle as they age, which increases risk for frailty and heart failure. Strengthening your heart muscle helps you to live a more vigorous lifestyle and to protect you from heart failure. Intense exercise stabilizes plaques in arteries and widens heart arteries to help protect you from a heart attack. One study showed that men with the highest levels of VO2max (a test of oxygen use that is a measure of fitness) were least likely to have high blood pressure, high HBA1C (a test for diabetes), high fasting blood sugar levels, obesity, an abnormal treadmill exercise test, and a high 10-year risk for heart attacks (American J of Cardiology, March 2012;109(6):839-843).

Starting a New Exercise Program
I think everyone should have a regular exercise program, and it is never too late to start. First check with your doctor. If you are not a regular exerciser, you should spend your first few months exercising in your chosen activity at a very casual pace. Stop when you feel tired, your muscles feel heavy, or you feel any discomfort, even if you have only exercised for a few minutes. When you can exercise every day for about 30 minutes at a casual pace, you are ready to try exercising at a more intense level. See my article on How to Start an Exercise Program.

Increasing the Intensity of Your Current Exercise Program
All exercise training is done by stressing and recovering. To increase the intensity of your exercise program, start by taking a harder workout on one day and expect to feel sore the next morning. This is called delayed onset muscle soreness, or DOMS. Go slow and easy for as many days as it takes for your muscles to feel fresh again. You should not take your next hard workout until the muscle soreness is gone. You may need to take from one to five or more easy recovery days before you do your next intense workout.
• When you are training properly, your muscles may feel sore every morning. If they don’t feel better after a 10 minute warm-up, take the day off.
• If you feel pain in one spot that does not go away after you slow down, stop that workout immediately for that day. Otherwise you are likely to be headed for an injury.

Your Intense Workout Days
Always warm up your muscles before you exercise more intensely. Start out by going very slowly for the first 10 or more minutes of your workout. To make a muscle stronger, you have to exercise intensely enough to feel a burning or tightness in your muscles. For non-competitive athletes, you should slow down immediately when you feel this discomfort. Most people will start out by picking up the pace for only about 10 seconds. If you are a runner, cyclist or skater, pick up the pace for a few strides or pedal strokes. Then go slow and easy, and when your muscles feel fresh again, pick up the pace and then slow down. Repeat these alternating bursts of intense exercise (called “intervals”) until your muscles just start to feel heavy and tired, then slow down. When your muscles continue to feel heavy and tired after you slow down, you are through for that day. In the beginning, you may be able to do only a few intervals in a workout. However, with practice you will improve until you can do lots of intervals, perhaps 15-20 or more. Then you can extend the time that you stay in each hard interval, gradually going from a few seconds up to about 30 seconds. If you are not a competitive athlete, there is no reason to stay in an intense interval longer than 30 seconds. Most healthy exercisers will be able to work up eventually to 10-20 repeats of 20-30 second intervals. For non-competitive athletes, there is no need to do more than that.

Your Recovery Days
Expect your muscles to feel tired and sore when you get up the morning after an interval workout. You can try to exercise that day, but you should do so at a slow pace and stop when your muscles start to feel heavy and fatigued. If your muscles don’t feel better after a five-minute warmup, or if you feel pain in any area that does not go away when you slow down, you should stop your workout for that day. Do not take your next intense workout until your muscles feel fresh after you warm up for 5-10 minutes. Most people who exercise for fitness will follow each hard day with one or two recovery days. Competitive athletes are likely to take such intense workouts on their hard days that they may require up to five recovery days before their next hard day. See Recovery: the Key to Improvement in Your Sport

CAUTION: Intense exercise can cause a heart attack in a person who has blocked arteries or heart damage. Check with your doctor before you start a new exercise program or increase the intensity of your existing program.

Lea Wagner No Comments , , , ,
April 16, 2019

Prolong your life by increasing your muscle power

Lisbon, Portugal – 12 April 2019: Prolong your life by increasing your muscle power. That’s the main message of a study presented today at EuroPrevent 2019, a congress of the European Society of Cardiology.1

“Rising from a chair in old age and kicking a ball depend more on muscle power than muscle strength, yet most weight bearing exercise focuses on the latter,” said study author Professor Claudio Gil Araújo, director of research and education, Exercise Medicine Clinic – CLINIMEX, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. “Our study shows for the first time that people with more muscle power tend to live longer.”

Power depends on the ability to generate force and velocity, and to coordinate movement.2 In other words, it is the measure of the work performed per unit time (force times distance); more power is produced when the same amount of work is completed in a shorter period or when more work is performed during the same period.3 Climbing stairs requires power – the faster you climb, the more power you need. Holding or pushing a heavy object (for example a car with a dead battery) needs strength.

Professor Araújo said: “Power training is carried out by finding the best combination of speed and weight being lifted or moved. For strength training at the gym most people just think about the amount of weight being lifted and the number of repetitions without paying attention to the speed of execution. But for optimal power training results, you should go beyond typical strength training and add speed to your weight lifts.”

Muscle power gradually decreases after 40 years of age. “We now show that power is strongly related to all-cause mortality. But the good news is that you only need to be above the median for your sex to have the best survival, with no further benefit in becoming even more powerful,” said Professor Araújo.

The study enrolled 3,878 non-athletes aged 41-85 years who underwent a maximal muscle power test using the upright row exercise between 2001 and 2016 (see photo). The average age of participants was 59 years, 5% were over 80, and 68% were men. The highest value achieved after two or three attempts with increasing loads was considered the maximal muscle power and expressed relative to body weight (i.e. power per kg of body weight). Values were divided into quartiles for survival analysis and analysed separately by sex.

During a median 6.5-year follow-up, 247 men (10%) and 75 women (6%) died. Median power values were 2.5 watts/kg for men and 1.4 watts/kg for women. Participants with a maximal muscle power above the median for their sex (i.e. in quartiles three and four) had the best survival. Those in quartiles two and one had, respectively, a 4-5 and 10-13 times higher risk of dying as compared to those above the median in maximal muscle power.

Professor Araújo noted that this is the first time the prognostic value of muscle power has been assessed. Previous research has focused on muscle strength, primarily using the handgrip exercise. The upright row exercise was chosen for the study because it is a common action in daily life for picking up groceries, grandchildren, and so on. The researchers are currently examining the link between muscle power and specific causes of death including cardiovascular disease and cancer. He added: “Doctors should consider measuring muscle power in their patients and advise more power training.”

How to train to increase your muscle power:

  • Choose multiple exercises for the upper and lower body
  • Choose a weight with the load to achieve the maximal power (not so easy to lift and not so heavy that you can barely lift it)
  • Do one to three sets of six to eight repetitions moving the weight as fast as possible while you contract your muscles (slow or natural speed in returning to initial position)
  • Rest for 20 seconds between each set to sufficiently replenish the energy stores in your muscles to start the new set
  • Repeat the above for the other exercises (biceps curl, etc.).

How to progress:

  • Start with six repetitions in each set and when the exercise becomes easy, try to increase to eight
  • If it becomes easy again, increase the weight and go back to six repetitions
  • If you unable to complete the repetitions with the proper technique, avoid “cheating” and go back to less repetitions or less weight. This is important to prevent injuries.

Lea Wagner No Comments , , , , , ,
September 15, 2015

How does the supplement Creatine work?

Creatine supplements are used by athletes, bodybuilders, wrestlers, sprinters & other who just want to gain muscle mass.  The body produces some of the creatine it uses, other sources come from protein rich foods such as meat or fish.  

Creatine has the ability to increase muscle stores of PCr (phosphocreaine), potentially increasing the muscles ability to resynthesize the ATP from ADP to meet increased energy demands.  Did you just say “What the?”  

Confused???? If so watch this great video I recently found on Youtube How does Creatine work?

Extensive research has shown that oral creatine supplementation at a rate of 5 – 20 grams per day appears to be very safe & largely devoid of adverse side effects, while still being effective in improving the physiological response to resistance exercise, increasing the maximal force production of muscles.

A supplementation of creatine is not recommended for people with kidney or liver disease or diabetes.  Others who should avoid taking it are children under 18 and women who are pregnant or breastfeeding.  

 

Lea Wagner No Comments , , , ,
November 10, 2014

Kind of CrossFit

ComplexI won’t try to hide it, I am not a big fan of Cross Fit.  It is the injury issue and poor form I have witnessed that I have a problem with. People should be properly educated on form, acceptable rep numbers, and the warning signs of when to stop, this is the responsibility of the instructors.  There are plenty of Personal Trainers in my field of Strength and Conditioning out there too who aren’t strict on form either, shame on them.  

There are a few ideas I have taken from Cross Fit and incorporated them in my own gym as my clients can confirm over the years.  This week I will be incorporating some of the workouts specified in this article written by the awesome Christian Thibaudeau on T-Nation.  3-complexes-for-rapid-female-fat-loss.  I, and my clients are fortunate however, that training is one on one, so strict form will be always adhered to at all times. 

 The Modified Cosgrove Complex – 6 Reps of each

1. Deadlift
2. Straight-Leg Deadlift
3. Romanian Deadlift
4. Bent-Over Row
5. Front Squat
6. Push Press
7. Back Squat
8. Good Morning 

 

The Kettlebell Complex – 6 to 10 Reps of each

1. Overhead Squat
2. Squat
3. Swing
4. Bent-Over Row
5. Romanian Deadlift 

The Waterbury Dumbbell Complex

1. Reverse Lunge, 6 reps per leg
2. Romanian Deadlift, 12 reps
3. Good Morning, 12 reps
4. Front Squat, 6 reps
5. Military Press/Push Press, 6 reps
6. Bent-Over Row, 6 reps
7. Floor Press, 12 reps

Let the fun and games begin. 

Lea Wagner No Comments , , ,
October 22, 2014

The 7 Best Strength Exercises You’re Probably Not Doing

I saw this recent article in the HUFFINGTON POST on the 18th October 2014. ” The 7 Best Strength Exercises You’re Probably Not Doing”.  I thought mmmm, what could these be.   I am very happy to report, that we do all of these exercises in my gym and have done for many many years.  

Here is the article written by Eric Bach:

Every exercise in your strength program has a purpose — to help you build muscle, burn fat and improve your fitness. While there’s a time and a place for nearly any exercise under the right circumstance, some movements are simply more effective than others. And it should be no surprise that the ones that build a foundation for skills that you’ll use in real life will be the most beneficial for improving your fitness and quality of life.

So how does a lifter ensure they’re making all the right moves? If you’ve plateaued or just aren’t seeing the results you’re banking on, it’s time to get back to basics with these seven moves. From increased strength, better core stability, greater athleticism and improved overall health, these key exercises need to find their way into your routine.
1. Goblet Squat – Squats are an exercise many people struggle to perform safely and effectively. Luckily, the goblet squat is a great progression from a bodyweight squat before squatting with a bar. Because the load is held in front, the core works double-time to keep you tall, while your legs work to control your movement down and stand back up.

2. Pallof Press –  The Pallof press is one of those movements that looks confusing, but is actually incredibly simple and beneficial.  While you may not be hoisting heavy weight, the real challenge lies in resisting movement — in this case, rotation. That makes this an “anti-rotation” movement, forcing you to engage through your entire core: obliques, abs, lower back, glutes and more. 

3. Dumbbell Row – Developing a strong back is key to balancing things out, improving posture and avoiding injury. The dumbbell row can help achieve all that, in addition to building strong arms and a strong core. The main muscles being used are the lats, traps and rhomboids, which reinforce good posture by pulling your shoulders back and aiding the core in stabilizing your spine

4. Push Up –   The push up might appear basic, but it’s one of the best exercises you can do. The functional movement is great for training the upper-body pushing muscles — the anterior deltoids, triceps and chest. It also requires you to engage your core and allows full range of motion in your shoulder blades, unlike the bench press.

 5.   Split Squat – Traditional squats are great, but it’s important to incorporate single-leg movements to develop athleticism and minimize training imbalances. The split squat, a stationary lunge, does just that. The split stance requires you to balance with a narrow base of support, firing up stabilizing muscles of the hip and trunk while training your quads, glutes and hamstrings to perform the movement. In addition to building lower-body strength, the single-leg nature of the exercise helps improve balance and increase flexibility and stability in the hips.

6.  Lateral Squat – The lateral squat combines two movements: a lateral lunge and a squat. It requires you to move side-to-side, providing a great stretch on the groin and inner thighs while training the hips, thighs and trunk to work together. Life isn’t strictly moving forwards and backwards. It’s best that your training isn’t either.

7.  Hip Extensions (Glute Bridges/Hip Thrusts) – One of the most important muscle groups for any trainee — athlete, weekend warrior or newbie — is the glutes. Yet they are often neglected and underutilized from sitting for long periods each day. According to Campbell, “When we attempt movements from running to squatting without optimal hip movement we risk injury to our hips, knees and ankles. Getting glutes that not only switch on when they should but are strong is crucial, and that’s where this simple yet powerfully effective movement comes in.”

 With all these exercises, pay close attention to form and execution. Continue to add weight to each lift once you can complete two more reps than prescribed with your training weight. Keep it up and after a few workouts you’ll start to notice rapid gains in strength and overall fitness. Within a few weeks you’ll have these exercises mastered and be on your way to having a body that better serves you!

CLICK HERE FOR A LINK TO THE FULL ARTICLE 

 

Lea Wagner No Comments , ,
August 7, 2014

Why muscles make good medicine

If you still see exercise as an optional extra, not a health essential, science is finding more reasons to change your mind – including new research that suggests strong muscles are good medicine.

One of the most compelling findings of recent years is that muscles are actually a huge secretory organ and when we exercise them they release hormone-like chemicals that have a major influence on every system of the body, says Rob Newton, Foundation Professor of Exercise and Sports Science at Western Australia’s Edith Cowan University.

“Doing aerobic exercise and ignoring strength exercises is like remembering to change the oil in the car but ignoring the transmission fluid.”

The effects of these chemicals – called myokines – include reducing the low level inflammation in the body thought to contribute to heart disease, type 2 diabetes and Alzheimer’s – and possibly working as tumour suppressants.
“Some studies have found that extracting blood from exercising humans and adding it to cancer cells in test tubes slows the rate of cell reproduction,” he says. “In a study of mice, the growth of breast cancer cells was halted in mice that exercised, while the cancer continued developing in mice that were inactive.”
This may be one reason why exercise appears to help reduce the risk of some cancers and improve survival in people with cancer.
“Some types of exercise, including strength training, also produce a surge of the hormone testosterone which helps sharpen thinking and memory,” he adds.
Then there’s the effect of exercise on mitochondria, the little energy ‘factories’ in our cells – when you exercise your body makes more mitochondria – and the more you have the more you can do.
“But when you’re inactive, the numbers of mitochondria decline so it gets harder to do things,” Newton explains. “If you become ill when you already have fewer mitochondria it’s harder to recover.”
Examples like these show why an exercise habit is like a pill that boosts energy, strength and improves resistance to disease, he says – and if we want to reduce the risk of inactivity-driven diseases like heart disease, diabetes, cancer and Alzheimer’s, we need a regular dose all the way from childhood to old age.
Childhood and adolescence – fighting inactivity.
It’s not just grownups who’ve been forced into inactivity by 21st century lifestyles. When did you last see a toddler walking in a shopping centre? It’s more common to see toddlers and even older children sitting in strollers or shopping trolleys and it’s easy to see why – wheeling little kids around is more convenient than walking at their pace. Yet if you check Australia’s latest Physical Activity Guidelines, spending long periods in car seats and strollers isn’t on the to-do list – ‘all children (birth to 5 years) should not be sedentary, restrained, or kept inactive, for more than one hour at a time, with the exception of sleeping’ is the advice.
“Once I would have said that it’s in the teens when children leave school that physical activity declines, but kids are becoming less active at younger ages,” says Newton. “Screen time is up but there are also other factors including concerns about litigation or safety that lead to limits on what children are allowed to do – like banning monkey bars or even lunchtime sport in some schools.”
And although we hear a lot about kids needing calcium for strong bones, only physical activity will build bone, he adds.
Ironically, among the tips for bone and muscle building moves for 5 to 12 year olds from the Physical Activity Guidelines is … climbing or swinging on monkey bars and climbing frames. Other suggestions are games like tug o’ war (tugging is great for muscle) and hopscotch (jumping is good for bone), along with dance, gymnastics and martial arts.
Prime time for bone growth is childhood, adolescence and young adulthood – getting as much bone in the ‘bank’ between now and 30 is a hedge against the gradual bone loss that starts after 40.
20 to 50 – Exercise boosts performance.
Because these are peak years for building careers and families, time is often short – but being physically active helps mind and body work better, improving productivity, Newton says.
“If you say, ‘I’ve got kids – there’s no time to exercise’, it’s worth remembering that you won’t be much good for your kids if you have a heart attack.”
While aerobic exercise to prevent heart disease is important, we also need two to three sessions of strength training a week, he says.
“Doing aerobic exercise like walking, running or cycling and ignoring strength exercises is like remembering to change the oil in the car regularly but ignoring the transmission fluid.”
50 -65 Disease-proofing for better health
An exercise habit now will help stave off chronic diseases that can blight older age.
“If you’re planning to travel in retirement but get to 65 with problems like overweight, arthritis and muscle loss it won’t be so much fun,” says Newton, stressing that conserving muscle and bone with strength training helps head off frailty further down the track.
Walking is terrific for helping prevent cardiovascular disease but does nothing for building muscle or bone.
“Regular strength training also provides muscles with a built-in repair kit. It causes satellite cells attached to the outside of muscle cells to proliferate and donate nuclei to muscle tissue, allowing new cells to grow and repair – so even though you’re older, muscles are still strong and tuned for repair and growth.
“Exercising muscle also helps control blood glucose levels – if you have low muscle mass you can’t control blood sugar levels so well and this increases diabetes risk.”
60 plus – getting with the strength
You’d think that the generation most likely to pick up weights are 20 or 30-somethings doing CrossFit, but strength training now has considerable traction with the over-60s, says Newton. Many have joined Living Longer, Living Stronger – a program of strength training classes available in some states to reduce age-related decline and improve health.
“It doesn’t have to be strength training at the gym – it can be gardening if there’s lifting and digging involved. The number one reason people go into dependent care is frailty – this is the age group with the most to lose if muscle strength dwindles, but a lot to gain if they can slow muscle loss down.”

Written by Paula Goodyer is a Walkley award winning health writer – Published in the Sydney Morning Herald 7 April 2014

Lea Wagner No Comments , , , , , , , ,