Exercise that builds muscle endurance, or resistance training, can help older adults to preserve their independence and quality of life. It can overcome the loss of muscle mass and strength, build resilience, ease the management of chronic conditions, and reduce physical vulnerability.
There has been a great deal of research done over the years on the perceived benefits of resistance training. These studies have overwhelmingly shown the benefit to even the frailest members of society and nonagenarians. One particular study found an improvement in strength of 174% in their recruits, leading to an improvement in functional activities and quality of life. The researchers concluded that high-resistance weight training leads to significant gains in muscle strength, size, and functional mobility among frail residents of nursing homes up to 96 years of age.( Maria A. Fiatarone, MD; Elizabeth C. Marks, MS; Nancy D. Ryan, DT; et al JAMA. 1990;263(22):3029-3034.)
