People over 50 begin losing muscle as they age which results in a slowing of the metabolism and increases the risk of falls.

Women over 50 have key health concerns such as heart disease and the loss of bone density. Weight training helps to strengthen bones, adding muscle and therefore burning fat.

Of course, men also benefit. A study by Harvard School of Public Health showed that healthy men who worked out with weights for 20 minutes daily experienced less of an increase in age-related belly fat compared with men who spent the same amount of time doing aerobic activities.

Determining the amount of weight you should lift depends on the number of repetitions you can do properly, according to the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) guidelines. In general, you want to work with a weight you can lift properly for eight to 15 reps, says Irv Rubenstein, PhD, exercise physiologist and founder of S.T.E.P.S., a science-based fitness facility in Nashville, Tenn.

Source: https://www.nextavenue.org/weight-training-after-50-what-you-need-know/

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