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Article Summary: The aging process occurs at a
rate that is related to your fitness choices. Learn how to minimize the loss of
essential muscle fibers when you apply the proper knowledge. Inspiring
individuals of all ages retained their youthful movements because they avoided
injury and participated in activities that reduced muscle fiber loss. By simply
adding these activities you can retain and improve your youthful movements. The Movers and Shakers are Losing
Ground by Rob Tworek, PT From age 20 on you can lose
up to 10 percent of fast twitch muscle fibers for each decade of life. This
means by age 50 you can lose 30% of the brisk muscles used to get you in and out
of a car, up out of a chair, allow faster walking speeds, loading groceries and
lifting and carrying smaller children. The change occurs so gradually you don’t
get a chance to put your finger on it until the fiber loss is significant
enough to affect your quality of life. Many of my clients were alarmed by this
noticeable decline in their health by age 50. Muscles are made up of fibers
that come in three main groups: Slow twitch, fast twitch and intermediates. Slow twitch muscles allow you
to perform sustained exercise and activities for long periods of time. These activities
are usually performed with low intensity. The quantity of slow twitch fibers does
not decline much with age. I recently worked with an 80
year old client who had not been very active. It appeared that he had lost the
majority of his fast twitch muscle fibers. It took approx 20 seconds to move
from a standing to seated position. He did not report any discomfort from this
movement. When his muscles became overloaded from a change in body mechanics,
muscle weakness followed and he plopped into his chair. Fast twitch fibers, on the
other hand are used to give you instantaneous, brisk movement. They reduce in
number as you age and affect how quickly you are able to perform activities. The third group of muscle
fibers is an amazing group. They consist of intermediate fibers that can be
trained to mimic either fast or slow twitch fibers. The recruitment of these
fibers gives you the edge in endurance or speed, depending on which way they
are trained. They are recruited into the type of exercise activities you
participate in the most. They also provide replacement fibers for those fast
twitch fibers lost in the aging process. People usually train for one
of two types of fitness activities. Endurance activities include marathon
training and bicycle racing. Sprint activities such as swimming, basketball,
soccer, ice hockey use stop and go, rapid powerful movements, all-out
exercises. People who train for either speed or endurance can have as much as
80% of all their muscle fibers dedicated to that specific area. Many of my clients are
involved in a diverse range of recreational activities. I have personally
treated clients such as an 80 year old lap swimmer, a 70 year old tennis
player, a 60 year old body builder, a 50 year old racquetball player, a 40 year
old marathoner and a 30 year old karate enthusiast. All have been given
compliments about how well they are holding up for their age. You too can improve your
staying power so that you feel less drained at the end of the day. The
activities you perform each day at work or home can be enhanced by improving your
endurance level. To retain the maximum number
of muscle fibers you currently have you should devote a portion of your fitness
program to activities that challenge your fast twitch muscle fibers. These
include the use of a jump rope, medicine ball and re-bounder trampoline, body
blade, and sporting activities that require brisk movements. This will reduce
the rate at which the fast twitch muscle fibers are lost. They will improve your
reaction time and add a youthful energy to the way you move. It’s never too late. Adding
some intensity training to a part of your exercise program will reduce your
muscle’s aging process, improve muscle tone and improve the quality of your
movements. This is accomplished by placing a demand on the remaining fast
twitch fibers and by getting intermediate fibers involved in the intensity portion
of the activity. Try to keep yourself busy in activity. Friends and family will
notice the youthful change in your movements and you will be surprised that
you’ll be able to do things with a greater ease once your muscles are trained. Please do not end up like a recent
client who mentioned, “If I had known I was going to live this long, I would
have taken better care on myself.” Consult your doctor before
starting a new exercise program so you can get the most benefit from activities
while in good health, and take proper precautions for medical issues that can
limit fitness progress. Keywords: fitness, exercise, aging, neck shoulder
pain, chronic neck pain, neck back pain, neck pain relief, neck pain. About the Author: Rob
Tworek, PT is a Physical Therapist (Physiotherapist) specializing in the
prevention and care of neck and low back pain. He has successfully assisted
numerous clients enabling them to return to their office positions. They
returned with
resolved neck and low back pain, little or no
manageable symptoms and renewed hope of maintaining a quality of work and life
that they could enjoy. email: rob@officecoachplus.com
http://www.officecoachplus.com
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