Resilience: the process and the outcome of successfully adapting too difficult or challenging life experiences, and having the physical, mental, and behavioral flexibility and ability to adjust to both internal and external demands.

Building Resilience

Resilience requires a skill set that you can work on and grow over time. The focus of this article is physical resilience.  Physical resilience is required for daily activities, such as getting out of a chair, carrying groceries into the house, lifting the bag of pet food, or doing yard work.  Muscle strength is required for all these activities.  It is important to note that there is a progressive loss of muscle mass as we age.  Muscle loss usually starts in the 30’s or following injury, illness, or inactivity.  The main tool to fend off the loss of muscle mass/strength is regular, resistance training.  Research shows that the benefits of regular strength training can occur over the entire life span. That means it is never to late to start.

Resistance training can be effective for improving most domains of quality of life, muscle strength, and depression.

Consistent Strength Program

2-3x per week every week for the rest of your life…. 

Does this sound insurmountable?  

Take small steps…

1. Schedule strength days on specific days and times
2. Get your workout clothes together in bag
3. Just do one thing… It will usually lead to your entire workout
4. Focus on functional movements (ie: squats, deadlifts, overhead press or pull)
5. Visit your local Physiotherapist to tailor a specific program for your needs which will include upper and lower body strengthening, gradual progression of loading and a plan for changing program 1-3x per year.
6. You need to pick up weights or push against resistance bands for your body to adapt to loading.  
7. You do not have to get big to make gains.

You Need to be stronger than what you do every day to recover and/or rebound from illness or injury

Sample workout “The Michele”:

Friday:

1. 10-15 min cardio warmup (brisk walk, run, stepping in place, ski erg, elliptical, bike, etc…)
2. 1×10 body weight squats/full depth with thigh parallel to floor, 2×8 15# goblet squat (holding wt in front of body close to your stomach)
3. Elevated dead lifts: 1×10 body weight, 4×6 10-15# on a small 12-14” lift/bench
4. Hamstring curls with resisted band, lay on back 2×15 each side
5. Overhead press/landmine press: single arm dumb bell 3×8 5#
6. Prone (on stomach) shoulder lifts: arms by sides lift towards ceiling, arms at shoulder height with elbows bend as if rowing and arms overhead with palms towards the floor.  Start with light weights ie: 2# or body weight perform 3×8 in each position
7. Pushups: partial or full, start with arms wide initially as this is a little easier to perform 3×6

Tuesday:

1. 10-15 min cardio warmup
2. Squats 1×10 Body weight, 5×5 20#
3. Elevated dead lifts: 1×10 Body weight 5×5 20#
4. Hamstring curls 4×10
5. Overhead press 5×5 10#
6. Prone shoulder lifts 2×10 each
7. Pushups: 2×8-10