Two groups of men and women strength trained for six months. One group was older and the other younger. At the start of the study the older group was 59% weaker than the younger group. After six months the older adults were only 38% weaker than younger adults. Both groups improved, but the older group improved much more.

From this study Resistance Exercise Reverses Aging in Human Skeletal Muscle

“We conclude that healthy older adults show evidence of mitochondrial impairment and muscle weakness, but that this can be partially reversed at the phenotypic level, and substantially reversed at the transcriptome level, following six months of resistance exercise training”.

Mitochondria, found in most cells, is where energy production takes place. Six months of strength training partially reversed mitochondria impairments to a level consistent with a younger stage in life. In another study older older participants saw a 69% increase in their mitochondrial capacity. It is like drinking from the fountain of youth.

Both young and old benefit from strength training, but those who are older will show larger relative improvements. At our Austin Personal Training facility we use MedX equipment with its special medical rehab features. We can accommodate those with limiting conditions and can work with people of any age. Our oldest client was 95; one of our trainers has four clients in their 80s. It is never too late to start a strength training program. It can add years of vitality to your life.

Pictured is Stella, an old dog, in a field of icy grass. She was a fixture at the our training facility.

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Vasodilators are medications that open (dilate) blood vessels. They prevent the muscles in the walls of arteries and veins from tightening and narrowing. As a result, blood flows more easily through the vessels.1 These medications often have side-effects.

Your body naturally produces its own vasodilators in the form of nitric oxide gas molecules. Endothelial cells line the interior surface of blood vessels and lymphatic vessels. It is there that nitric oxide is synthesized from the interaction of an amino acid and an enzyme and then released throughout the body. Nitric oxide gas diffuses through the cell walls to transmit signals to the cardiovascular, nervous, and immune systems. Nitric oxide signals the body to2:

· Reduce blood pressure.

· Expand and relax blood vessels so that more blood, nutrients, oxygen flow to all parts of your body.

· Enhance blood flow necessary for male sexual performance.

· Kill infectious bacteria.

· Make energy supplying mitochondria more effective.

· Make muscles more efficient; requiring less oxygen to work out at higher intensities i.e. it's easier for you to push yourself harder.

Nitric oxide levels decline as we age, but we can forestall that. Eat beets and spinach, and get plenty of sunlight and exercise. What type of exercise is best?

According to these studies (study 1 and study 2) “It has been shown high intensity interval training (at 85% to 90% of VO2 max) is more effective in improving endothelial function and nitric oxide availability than continuous moderate aerobic exercise. These studies were done in humans and rats with metabolic syndrome and found that high intensity interval training reversed more risk factors of metabolic syndrome than did continuous moderate aerobic exercise”3.

There is a positive cycle. Exercise increases nitric oxide availability resulting in blood flow increases. This leads to an increase in the capacity for more exercise further facilitating even more nitric oxide availability.

When you push your body to do more than it is used to handling, as self-protection, your body makes a long list of positive cardiovascular adaptations; improved nitric oxide availability is just one of those adaptations.

Our goal at Austin Personal Training is to safely “dose” clients with the right amount of high intensity training to effectively make those positive changes. People of any age or fitness level can do this and it does not require hours in the gym each week. Do a little bit more each week; you’ll improve a little each week, and over time your health and well-being will improve dramatically. Do nothing, a negative cycle begins, and you know how that ends.

Request a complimentary first session at Kelly Personal Training

Click here to schedule a session to try it yourself

Complimentary first workout

*Before you stop by please call us. We operate by appointment.

1 https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/high-blood-pressure/in-depth/high-blood-pressure-medication/art-20048154

2 https://www.shape.com/fitness/tips/how-boost-your-nitric-oxide-levels-without-supplements

3 https://livelongstayyoung.com/boosting-nitric-oxide-with-exercise/