Anatomy of Exercise for 50+: A Trainer's Guide to Staying Fit Over Fifty

Anatomy of Exercise for 50+: A Trainer's Guide to Staying Fit Over Fifty

A new addition to the best-selling series, for the burgeoning over 50 population. Studies abound confirming what we all know: use it or lose it. Exercise of any kind has a profound positive effect on health, longevity, disease prevention and a sense of well-being. The exercises in Anatomy of Exercise for 50+ will support good health at any age, but for those over fifty they can help in the prevention of age-related problems like joint mobility, balance and fatigue, as well as medical conditions like heart disease, colon cancer, diabetes, osteoporosis, arthritis and Alzheimer's. Anatomy of Exercise for 50+ follows the successful format of the "Anatomy of" books-- Anatomy of Exercise , Anatomy of Muscle Building , Anatomy of Yoga --which have together sold more than 100,000 copies. Their revolutionary approach is the combination of photographs and lifelike anatomical drawings that reveal in colorful detail exactly which muscles are engaged and benefitting from each exercise. The book's organization allows the user to approach the exercise according to his or her needs or by the type of exercise. The contents are: Introduction: Staying Fit at Any Age - Full-Body Anatomy - Warm-Ups - Stretches - Upper-Body Exercises - Core Strengthening Exercises - Core Stabilizing Exercises - Healthy Back Exercises - Lower-Body Exercises - Yoga-Based Exercises - Swiss Ball Exercises. Those who want to take control of their health (at whatever age), fitness trainers, physiotherapists, and activity managers in community care facilities, retirement homes and nursing homes will find Anatomy of Exercise for 50+ an instructive and practical resource. At age 19, Hollis Liebman was crowned the Teenage National Heavyweight Bodybuilding Champion after a single year of competition. He has since served as editor for Exercise for Men , Men's Exercise and Natural Bodybuilding and Fitness . His clients include Hugh Jackman ("Wolverine"), Jane Lynch (Glee), Chris Jericho (WWE Superstar), Sonny (lead singer POD), Pussycat Dolls (Melody and Karmit), Giovanni Ribisi (Avatar), Jasmin St. Claire (Metal's Darkside) and Kristoffer Cusick (Wicked) among many others. Introduction : Working Out Smarter These days, it's a safe bet that the weight machine at the gym, the fast lane at the pool, and the hardest class at the yoga studio are populated by exercisers 50 and older. More than ever before, 50-plusers are achieving unprecedented levels of physical fitness--sometimes even getting into the best shape of their lives. Studies show that regular exercise really does help you to live longer and more healthily, no matter when you start doing it. Whatever your age, beginning a sound fitness program and consistently following it can help you look and feel fantastic. There's a real upside to turning 50 (and beyond): Just as you know what's important as far as your career, families, and friends go, chances are you are also aware of your strengths and weaknesses. Armed with sound understanding of who you are, you also know what you want from a workout. Should you strive to improve your balance? Are you hoping to alleviate that tightness in your shoulders, while also whittling your waist? Do you love your legs, and want to keep them looking great? Drawing on mature self-knowledge, you can make better-informed choices about how, when, where, and why you exercise. And in turn, you discover smarter, more effective ways to achieve well-being. Consider this book your guide to working out smarter. A smart workout involves a big-picture approach, letting you hone a range of different aspects of fitness. A smart workout also addresses small problems before they become bigger ones. And even if none of your muscles, tendons, ligaments, and joints are feeling strained, sore, or inflexible, exercise can do much to keep them that way. The following pages will give you a comprehensive exercise program, devised with attention to your whole-body anatomy. The first group of exercises focus on flexibility, while the next ones improve your endurance. You'll also find exercises focused on posture and alignment, others that target your range of motion, some that strengthen your core to prevent injury, and others that tone. Performed together, these exercises will improve not only the aesthetics of your body (how it looks), but also its functionality (how it performs). Alongside each major exercise, you will see an illustration showing the muscles challenged. As you work out, visualize the muscles that are being engaged as your body becomes stronger, tighter, and leaner. Your Fitness Tools Some of these exercises incorporate equipment--all reasonably small tools that add variety and challenge to the at home workout. Several of the toning exercises call for small hand weights or adjustable dumbbells. You can start with very light, five-pound weights (or even lighter substitutes, such as unopened food cans or water bottles), and then work your w