Summary:

By 2035, there will be more adults over the age of 65 than there will be kids under the age of 18. By any objective measure our population is aging. This is a testament to modern medicine’s ability to help us lead longer lives. While modern medicine does allow for leading longer lives, it can’t ensure we lead better lives as we age. What can, however, is the lifestyle intervention of strength and power training.

Gone are the days of the research suggesting the aging adult should do chair-based exercise with a resistance band. Nearly all the current research supports the notion that aging adults require moderate to high intensity strength training to prevent age-related declines in muscle mass, strength, and power. When properly prescribed, with an appropriate starting point, and subsequent progression, aging adults can see significant improvements in their muscular fitness and functional capacity.

This webinar will explore the underlying physiological and anatomical decrements that occur with aging and how appropriately prescribed strength and power training can mitigate these decrements. The discussion will focus on research highlighting the importance of higher load and higher velocity for aging adults. Importantly, we’ll discuss how exercise and medical professionals can approach program development in a progressive, periodized, fashion to ensure optimal outcomes and enhanced safety. Lastly, we’ll unpack the business opportunity that exists working with the aging adult population and how organizations and individuals can effectively monetize this type of service in their business model.

Learning Objectives:

1. Identify the underlying physiological and anatomical decrements that occur with aging and how appropriately prescribed strength and power training can mitigate these decrements.
2. Explore a prescriptive framework of periodization for strength and power training in the aging adult population.
3. Understand the business and public health opportunities that exists working with aging adults

Speaker:

Michael Stack, CEO of Applied Fitness Solutions & Clinical Professor at the University of Michigan
I am a clinical professor at University of Michigan and Eastern Michigan University. I am also the founder and CEO of Applied Fitness Solutions (see CV for details). I am an ACSM-EIM Level II practitioner as well as having my CSCS and CDC DPP Lifestyle Coach certification. I am on the board of directors for the Michigan Fitness Club Association.

This webinar is sponsored by MFA Industry Partner, Active Linxx.