En 2005, Stephen Ball, a professor at the University of Missouri, led a team that launched the Stay Strong Stay Healthy program, an 8-week strength-training program designed for individuals aged 60 and above to safely perform exercises such as bicep curls and lunges in a comfortable and friendly group environment. This intervention is based on the team’s motto:
“A little is better than nothing, more is better than a little, and too much is sometimes unattainable.”
“As the population ages, we can make a difference by helping older adults remain independent and by explaining that it is not necessary to subscribe to an expensive fitness center with a personal trainer to stay healthy and active. It is possible to implement community programs that allow seniors to exercise in a social and fun setting.”
Physical exercise and social skills: the results speak for themselves. The analysis reveals:
– Systematic improvement in strength and physical fitness, as well as self-confidence;
– Improvement in muscle strength, balance, flexibility, and sleep quality;
– Reduced risk of falls, a major factor in the loss of independence and death in older adults.
“Another advantage is the social enjoyment that participants experience in spending time with other older adults and sometimes even with their instructors.”
For your information, this program starts with “Level 1” sessions, which last for 8 weeks before advancing to “Level 2,” a more challenging program that also lasts for 8 weeks. A recent analysis of data from 400 participants confirmed the effectiveness of the Level 2 sessions, which provided many additional improvements on all the criteria already optimized at Level 1.
There are also benefits for the “organizer”:
“It is very rewarding to work with older adults because we see their progress over time, and they quickly see all the health benefits.”
“I feel like I learned as much from the participants as they learned from me,” concluded one of the authors.
In summary, physical fitness has no age limit.