Presented By: Cheryl Stover & Jordana Naftzinger

Exercise guru Margaret Richard is on a passionate quest to get bodies moving! Richard’s own 60-something–year-young physique appears to defy gravity—it’s counterintuitive to all the notions about the inevitability of aging muscle to simply fall apart.

That’s a myth, says Richard. “Yes, you do have to put in some hard work to get and stay healthy and strong.  If you don’t want to become a frail 80-year-old, you have to start now to build a better, stronger body.”

Richard, host of the popular PBS TV series “Body Electric,” has been getting people off their couches and onto their feet for more than 20 years. She’s become a well-known advocate for one of the four essential exercises recommended for keeping aging at bay: muscle strengthening.

“Growing older isn’t a disease,” Richard says. “And it shouldn’t dictate our strength.” She believes that we can easily combine strength conditioning with the three other critical forms of physical exercise to get the well-rounded activity we need to keep fit: endurance exercise for your heart and lungs, stretching to keep limber, and movement to improve balance and prevent falls.

These four essential exercises are characterized as age fighters by the U.S. National Institute on Aging.  It says, regular physical exercise will reduce risk for disease, improve mental sharpness and mood, increase energy, and prevent injury. “It’s a win-win for your whole life,” Richard says.

“I think it all begins with building muscle tone. As people age and become sedentary, we lose muscle mass rapidly. But it isn’t inevitable.” We can fight this by doing exercise that makes our muscles work harder than they do normally, such as using hand weights to create resistance. “You can tone every muscle in your body with dumbbells, using a chair, and a kitchen timer,” she says.

“During this type of movement, you contract the muscle through a full range of motion and bring it back to its resting length,” Richard explains. “Use correct form in a controlled way and you will see how quickly your muscles respond. You become stronger and can advance to heavier weights, without compromising correct form.  That’s how you build power.”

To get a well-rounded routine, Richard offers these tips:
Work your upper body one day, and then work your lower body on the next.

Always stretch warm muscles after you work them—never stretch
cold muscles.

Take a brisk walk most days to increase blood flow to your heart and lungs.  Or, go swimming, ride a bike, or rake leaves.

Make sure your muscle-strengthening routine includes exercises that strengthen the ankle, knee, and hip muscles—these improve balance and prevent falls.

Be sure your walking route includes changes in surfaces and elevation to help improve your balance. Or do yoga or tai chi—these routines are great for muscle stretching and balance, too.

Never exercise if you are in serious pain. Respect an injury and return to your routine, when you are able. Muscles have memory and will recall what you’ve taught them once you
are healed.

Begin moderately—that’s 30 minutes of exercise a day, five days a week.

Visit www.nia.nih.gov/HealthInformation/Publications/ExerciseGuide/ for a free guide of all the exercises seniors need to stay fit. Article brought to you by Heritage at Milford Assisted Living, Genesis HealthCare.  For more information on Heritage at Milford call 302-422-8700 or visit www.genesishcc.com

To learn more, go to www.womenheart.org or www.whcenter.org.  Article brought to you by Heritage at Milford Assisted Living, and Heritage at Dover Assisted Living .  Genesis HealthCare.

For more information on Heritage at Milford call 302-422-8700 or Heritage at Dover call 302-735-8800 visit www.genesishcc.com.
© 2010 Genesis HealthCare Corporation.

Heritage Assisted Living cares for the members in their community and strives to encourage the independence of seniors, but also encourage them to partake in daily activities. They are dedicated to meeting the needs of their seniors. Their mission is to improve the life of each and every single member that is within their community by delivering excellent healthcare and the compassion of their staff. Heritage’s educated and well-trained nurses have become the core of the community. Through dedication and passion, Heritage will continue to improve the daily lives of their senior citizens.

Heritage at Dover is a Genesis Health Care Facility, one of the nation’s largest long-term care and rehabilitation therapy providers. Genesis Health Care employs over 36,000 people, each one dedicated to the delivery of quality health care to the residents and patients of their centers. More than 200 skilled nursing centers and assisted living communities are located in 13 eastern states, with healthcare providers in 23 states and the District of Columbia. Genesis Healthcare is headquartered in downtown Kennett Square, Pennsylvania – a historic borough located southwest of Philadelphia and about 20 minutes northwest of Wilmington, Delaware.