Strength training helps more than muscles

Cardiac workouts aren’t all we need to stay healthy. Exercises that develop our physical strength can have far-reaching results.

A 16-week Tufts University study of older adults showed that strength training decreased pain by 43 percent. That alone is enough to send some of us to the gym. And a New Zealand study of women over age 80 showed that strength and balance training resulted in a 40 percent reduction in falls. And what about weight control? Strength training builds muscle, which burns fat, and can mean a 15 percent increase in metabolic rate.

Are you ready to start working out yet?

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has a book that’s worthy of our attention. “Growing Stronger — Strength Training for Older Adults” is about just that: workouts for seniors. The program in the book was developed by Tufts University, along with the CDC, and covers everything we need to know to get started and keep going. There’s a short test to determine if you need your doctor’s OK before starting, and information on motivation, preparation, intensity and progression, plus dozens of exercises.

The best news of all: You can get a FREE copy of “Growing Stronger “from the CDC. You can either download it online (112 pages) and print it, or you can call the CDC, and have a copy of the book sent to you. I called twice to verify this. Call 1-800-232-4636, and at the menu, press 4 for publications. Or go online to www.cdc.gov and put “Growing Stronger” in the search box.

If you have any doubts about whether it’s OK for you to exercise, take the book to your doctor. Have him mark exercises that are OK for you to do. You might be able to do all of the exercises if you start slowly and build up, or perhaps some can be modified if you’ve had hip or knee surgery.