Living a long, healthy life is what most of us want. A study has now determined which training times per week bring us closer to this goal and what type of fitness is best for this.
Staying healthy and fit into old age is the goal of many people. And science is showing more and more often that we can actually still be full of vigor and vigor in old age. In addition to nutrition, the right amount of exercise is an important parameter.
A new US study shows that regular strength and endurance training can prolong life in people over the age of 65. Integrating the right amount into everyday life is the key to the goal.
To provide a guideline for the right dose, the researchers studied nearly 115,500 people, mostly women, between the ages of 65 and 74. Almost 44,800 of them died over the course of almost eight years, and the scientists compared four different activity levels – each for strength and endurance training:
When it comes to strength training, the researchers compared the following training units:
In endurance training, the researchers compared the following units of time:
According to the authors of the study, the subjects performed either strength or endurance training, but did not combine both types of training. In terms of reducing mortality, muscle-strengthening exercise was thought to have the greatest impact. With regard to mortality, 2 to 6 units of strength training per week are optimal. Nevertheless, moderate endurance training also has advantages.
Study participants who trained according to the so-called Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans for people over 65 years of age – and thus combined strength and endurance units – were able to reduce their risk of death the most at 34 percent.
Specifically, the guideline suggests two to three units of strength training and 150 to 300 minutes of endurance training per week. Strength training consists of balance training and muscle-strengthening activities. Endurance training involves moderate to intense aerobic activity.
150 minutes of moderate activity – such as brisk walking, easy jogging or moderate cycling – or 75 minutes of vigorous activity per week are considered ideal. Moderate training means training at around 65 to 75 percent of your maximum heart rate. This can be checked with a heart rate monitor, for example.
Keep your body fit, stay mentally fresh, enjoy old age
Regular exercise not only keeps the older generation fit, but is of elementary importance for everyone in order to be able to lead a long and healthy life with as few health problems as possible.
The Health Knowledge Foundation recommends the following amounts of endurance training per week:
The endurance units should be combined at least twice a week with muscle-strengthening ones.
