Bring the benefits of strength training to seniors—regardless of their fitness levels—with Fitness Professional's Guide to Strength Training Older Adults, Second Edition. This resource contains the information and tools you need to educate, motivate, and assist older adults in committing to and benefiting from individualized strength training programs.
Baechle and Westcott, leading authorities in fitness and strength training, offer information and guidance based on their combined 50-plus years of experience as strength training athletes, coaches, instructors, and researchers. The authors’ summaries of current research will update your knowledge of the specific health benefits of strength training for senior populations, including those with chronic conditions. Guidelines for senior strength training provide a basis for your program design, and recommendations for program modifications will assist you in constructing strength training programs that meet each client’s needs, abilities, and limitations.
Chapter 1: Why Seniors Should Strength Train
Body Composition
Metabolic Rate
Diabetes
Gastrointestinal Transit
Cardiovascular Disease
Osteoporosis
Low-Back Pain
Arthritis
Fibromyalgia
Depression and Self-Confidence
Visual and Auditory Impairments
Strokes
General Fraility
Chapter 2: Training Principles and Teaching Strategies
Principle 1: Training Frequency
Principle 2: Number of Sets
Principle 3: Training Resistance or Loads
Principle 4: Number of Repetitions
Principle 5: Exercise Selection
Principle 6: Training Progression
Teaching Strategies
Chapter 3: Exercise Execution Procedures and Instruction
Full Range of Movement
Controlled Movement Speed
Breathing
Warm-Up and Cool-Down
Machine and Free Weight Exercise Instruction
Chapter 4: Basic Workout Programs
Recommended Load Assignments for Exercises
Weeks 1 and 2
Weeks 3 and 4
Weeks 5 and 6
Weeks 7 and 8
Weeks 9 and 10
Chapter 5: Intermediate and Advanced Workout Programs
Intermediate Training Considerations
Muscle Size
Muscle Strength
Muscle Endurance
Advanced Training Considerations
Chapter 6: Alternative Exercises and Programs
Planning Your Program
Guidelines for Reps, Sets, and Rest Periods
Bodyweight Exercises
Elastic Resistance Exercises
Chapter 7: Progress Assessment
Muscle Strength
Assessing Hip and Trunk Flexibility
Body Composition
Personal Perceptions
Chapter 8:Working With Special Populations
Obesity
Diabetes
Cardiovascular Disease
Osteoporosis
Low-Back Pain
Arthritis
Fibromyalgia
Depression and Self-Confidence
Visual and Auditory Impairments
Strokes
General Frailty
Chapter 9: Sport-Specific Strength Training
Runners
Cyclists
Swimmers
Skiers
Tennis Players
Golfers
Rock Climbers and Hikers
Triathletes
Rowers
Softball Players
Chapter 10: Nutrition for Senior Clients
The Basic Nutrients
Three Steps to Better Nutrition
Energy for Exercise and Protein for Muscle Building
Eating, Exercise, and Encouragement
Thomas R. Baechle, EdD, CSCS,*D; NSCA-CPT,*D, competed in Olympic-style weightlifting and powerlifting and was an instructor of weight training and a strength and conditioning coach for 20 years. Currently he is a professor and chair of the exercise science department at Creighton University, where he directed phase III cardiac rehabilitation for 16 years. He is a cofounder and past president of the National Strength and Conditioning Association (NSCA) and for 20 years was the executive director of the NSCA Certification Commission.
Wayne L. Westcott, PhD, CSCS, is fitness research director at Quincy College in Quincy, Massachusetts. As an athlete, coach, teacher, professor, researcher, author, and speaker, Westcott has more than 38 years of experience in strength training and is recognized as a leading authority on fitness.
For over 25 years, Westcott has focused on strength training instruction and research for adults 50 to 100 years of age. His landmark study at the John Knox Village Nursing Home increased awareness of the benefits of strength training for seniors with various health conditions and fitness levels and led to the implementation of strength training centers in more than 500 nursing homes.