Heavy Lifting!

Contributed by: Kelley Rast, Physical Therapist and Hive Overland Park member

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READY, SET, LIFT FOR A BETTER YOU!

Resistance training does more than help us build strong muscles. It is good for bone density, joint mobility, mood, cardiovascular health and metabolism too. When our middle-stage bodies are healthy and strong, we feel better.

As we age, our hormones and muscle composition start to decline (as soon as 35 years old). Women naturally have less muscle mass to begin with, but as our hormone production slows, so does our ability to maintain muscle mass and a strong metabolism.

So what do we do?

We focus on building strong, resilient muscles, and we do this with some heavy lifting!

Here are a few of my favorite exercises:

Completing 3 sets of 10 reps (45-60 second rest between sets), 3 times a week is a good starting point. As we are trying to create change in the muscle, choose a heavy enough weight so that you reach complete muscle fatigue (shaking, exhausted muscles) on your last two reps. Proper body mechanics and form is also a must to get the full benefit and decrease any risk of injuries.

(Weight loss bonus: adding just 2 pounds of muscle to your body will burn an additional 700 calories per week just sitting around.)

Heel Elevated Goblet Squat

Start with heels raised on 2 flat sided dumbbells. Feet about hip width apart with toes turned slightly out. Roll shoulders down and back, squeezing your shoulder blades together. Hold your dumbbell in a goblet position under you chin. Engage your core and keep your back flat as you send your hips back and lower into squat position making sure to push your knees outward over your middle toe. Push through the balls of your feet as you return to standing. You should feel this in your quadricep muscles (front of your thighs). *Performing squats correctly will strengthen muscles around the knee joint, taking stress off the joint and protecting the joint itself. 

Romanian Deadlift (RDL)

Feet hip width apart and toes forward. Tuck chin slightly and roll shoulders down and back, engaging shoulder blades and lats (squeeze arms into your armpits). Hold 2 heavy (I have 2  45#) dumbbells keeping them very close to your legs. Keep a slight bend to your knees. Push hips backwards as you hinge at hips, maintaining a flat back. Push through your heels as you return to upright position squeezing your glutes (butt). Be careful not to arch your low back or hyper extend your hips when you return to upright position. Keep core engaged. You should feel this in your hamstrings and glutes (backside of thighs and butt). With this exercise you tend to feel it a bit more the next day than when performing.

Squat Thrusters

Feet hip width apart and toes pointed forward. A heavy dumbbell in each hand keeping them close to your legs. Squat down low keeping back flat, chest lifted, and knees out over middle toe. Push through the floor back to standing as you thrust the weights over your head. You can use your legs to assist in thrusting your arms up in a controlled way. Keep your core engaged.

Side Lateral Arm Raises

This will target your lateral deltoids (shoulders). Start with feet about hip width apart. Core engaged with shoulders rolled down and back. Dumbbells in front of you positioned end to end with soft elbows. Think of pushing (not lifting) arms away with your elbows leading and pinky side up (soft grip). Stop at chest level and then lower with control. Keep body still (no rocking or thrusting). Modification: staggered stance to support your low back.

Push Ups

Hands placed directly under your shoulders, elbows slightly flared out, and up on your toes keeping a flat back. Squeeze your glutes and core. Keep neck in line with your spine. Lower entire body to floor so chest is just off floor and then push through the floor with hands back into your starting position. Modification: starting position on your knees. Push ups are a total body exercise and if you do them consistently, your progress and results will be exponential!

Single Arm Chest Press in a Bridge

Lay on the floor and push hips way up into a bridge position, pushing through your heels and squeezing your glutes. One arm out to side and elbow bent at 90 degrees, holding a dumbbell. Push dumbbell straight up over your eyes and return to just above the floor in controlled movement. This exercise targets your chest muscles (pecs), core, glutes and hamstrings. Repeat on other arm.

*As with all new health and fitness initiatives, it is best to consult  trained professionals for guidance and assistance. And remember have fun as you “get” to do this!! Enjoy!