Resistance exercise for seniors 'should be progressive'

Older adults could benefit from progressive resistance exercise.

This is the view of Steve Halsall, celebrity trainer and fitness entrepreneur, who warned that beginners must exercise caution when undertaking such exercise.

He explained that the resistance must be progressive in order to maintain and build up muscle mass.

Leg presses instead of squats, lateral pull downs and a chest press were among the measures he suggested.

"A lot is made of functional exercise these days and again, once basic techniques are mastered then integrating Swiss balls, Bosus and more cables to increase core strength is the way to go," noted the expert.

These comments follow a study conducted at the University of Alabama at Birmingham, which concluded that all adults should include progressive resistance exercise in their weekly activities.

Authors warned that the cessation of such training could lead to significant strength reduction after just a few weeks if not undertaken properly.

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