Articles
The Journal on Active Aging brings articles of value to professionals dedicated to older-adult quality of life. Content sweeps across the active-aging landscape to focus on education and practice. Find articles of interest by searching the article archives in three ways: Enter a keyword in the articles search bar; click on search by topic; or type a keyword or phrase in the general search bar at the top of the page.
Topic- Aquatics
Cultivating a water exercise program using an evaluation approach, part one: core values, resources, needs and the environment by Mary E. Sanders, PhD, FACSM
During a recent visit to the University of Nevada, Reno, George L. Blackburn, MD, PhD, associate professor of surgery at Harvard Medical School, was asked: What is the best way to design a physical activity program for people who want to adopt an active lifestyle? That was not an easy question to answer, Blackburn indicated. The most important factor to consider, he said, was that the program must be gradually progressive and individualized to address the needs of participants.
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Spa power: power-full moves designed for the spa by Mary Sanders, PhD, FACSM
Getting up from a chair, walking briskly, stopping abruptly, grabbing a handrail, recovering from a stumble or even braking quickly in a car are important functional skills. Muscle power is partially responsible for the speed at which a person can respond to such events. Power ability also contributes to maintaining balance and preventing falls.
Waneen Spirduso, EdD, professor of movement science at the University of Texas at Austin, and colleagues describe power as the speed at which a weight is lifted or force exerted—a concept expressed as force times velocity. As people age, they lose about 6–8% in relative power based on body mass or size. Clients can minimize these losses if they continue to train for power as they age, with an estimated 7.6% relative power loss for competitive athletes. Power declines greater than strength over time, with power loss accelerating between ages 60 and 89 years. The good news is, activity can help.
Aquatics
Burnin' the fat in deep water by Mary E. Sanders, PhD, FACSM
Among water’s greatest benefits for exercisers is that its natural resistance can stimulate both cardiorespiratory and muscular endurance conditioning. Training studies conducted in shallow water indicate significant body fat loss, and significant muscular strength/endurance gains (D’Acquisto et al., 2001; Nagle et al., 2003; Sanders, 2006; Pöyhönen et al., 2002; Takeshima et al., 2002). Documented benefits of exercising in deep water for older adults are less clear. However, the practical benefits include zero impact, for a low-joint-stress, high-intensity cardio workout with some crossover muscular conditioning.
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Listening to the body, part 2: muscular conditioning by Mary E. Sanders, PhD
Teaching participants how to tune into the body during exercise provides them with valuable feedback they can use to determine their individual normal responses. By developing these listening skills, individuals are better prepared to find the threshold where the effort required for health gains balances with personal comfort, encouraging long-term exercise adherence. Those who understand the right feel of the work can take charge of their exercise intensity and individualize movements as needed.
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Listening to the body, part 1: cardio training & stretching by Mary E. Sanders, PhD
Fitness and wellness instructors often suggest that clients listen to their bodies. This approach helps individuals focus on how they feel during exercise and encourages them to adjust intensity as needed to target their personal goals. However, although frequent exercisers probably recognize feelings of exertion during training, many participants who are older, recovering from an injury or new to exercise may not know how they should feel as activity levels increase. As a result, they could underestimate or overestimate intensity, leading to few health gains (undertraining) and/or low adherence due to discomfort or injury.
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Take A.C.T.I.O.N. for wellness by Mary E. Sanders, PhD
Today’s older adults will not accept situations that aren’t working, and “they will take action to keep attention focused on their key issues,” says healthy aging advocate Colin Milner. One key issue for this population is wellness and functional health. Milner, who leads the International Council on Active Aging (ICAA), identifies physical activity as a low-cost medicine that helps adults ages 50 and older reduce their discomfort and dependence on pharmaceuticals and maintain their independence.
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