Take a load off. There's no denying physical functions decline with age. Seniors up to 79 years may benefit from a turn with a set of light barbells, for instance.
Older people tend to suffer falls as they lose muscle strength and balance.
A report in the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society now suggests that resistance training can help reduce the risk of falls and bone fractures - even when it's just once a week. The study backs findings by other U.S. scientists, who warned that physical inactivity can hasten age-related decline. Couch potatos rapidly lose muscle, flexibility, balance and endurance. Researchers at the University of Texas argue that older people can slow the aging process through regular exercise. As evidence, they cite a 12-week scheme using weights that helped women 64 and above to double their leg strength and a walking program that reversed decades of declining lung function in a group in their seventies.