Older people who have never taken part in sustained exercise programs have the same ability to build muscle mass as highly trained master athletes of a similar age, according to new research at the University of Birmingham.
Published in Frontiers in Physiology, researchers in the University of Birmingham’s School of Sport and Exercise Science compared muscle-building ability in two groups of older men. The first group was classed as ‘master athletes’ — people in their 70s and 80s who are lifelong exercisers and still competing at top levels in their sport. In the second were healthy individuals of a similar age, who had never participated in structured exercise programs.
The researchers had expected that the master athletes would have an increased ability to build muscle due to their superior levels of fitness over a prolonged period of time. In fact, the results showed that both groups had an equal capacity to build muscle in response to exercise.
The study clearly showed that it doesn’t matter if you haven’t been a regular exerciser throughout your life, you can still derive benefit from exercise whenever you start.
More specific guidance on how individuals can improve their muscle strength can be provided by professionals who specialize in strength and conditioning programs for older adults. Also, I always teach my clients activities that they can perform at home to improve their strength endurance, balance, and core as an adjunct to their written training and fitness program which is designed to help them achieve the goals we set together.
https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2019/08/190830082621.htm