Strength for Women through the Stages of Life

As strength training continues to grow in popularity, especially among women, it is important to note that particular subgroups require special care and consideration when developing strength-training programs. The older woman, the adolescent woman, the pregnant woman and the postpartum woman need some adjustment in their strength program to ensure both safety and effectiveness. While information on the impact of strength training for "special" groups of women is lacking, a limited number of guidelines and recommendations have been developed that are appropriate.

Older women

Exercise scientists and gerontologists now recognize and emphasize the importance of muscular fitness for older individuals. Impaired muscular functioning is linked to many problems observed in older adults, especially women. For instance, the typical 75-year-old woman often does not have sufficient lower extremity muscular strength to rise effectively and efficiency from a seated position, to move from place to place or to maintain her balance. Such deficiencies can make independent living an unrealistic option.

A properly prescribed strength-training regimen can dramatically improve the overall functional abilities and well-being of older women. Participation in strength-training programs aimed at enhancing lower extremity muscular fitness can lead to significant improvements in both balance and gait mechanics, and reduce a woman's potential for falling.

In addition, many experts believe that strength training can help women effectively manage osteoarthritis. A woman's ability to live with osteoarthritis is largely dependent upon how the stresses occurring around the joints are shared by the surrounding muscles and the unaffected joint structures. Generally speaking, stronger muscles are able to absorb a greater amount of stress on a joint.

Osteoporosis, the age-related disorder that is characterized by a decreased bone mineral content, is also influenced by strength training. A growing body of evidence suggests that resistance exercise retards bone loss and can even increase bone density. When muscle-movement stress is applied to a bone, the pressure produces an adaptive response by the bone (the piezoelectric effect). Furthermore, training-induced improvements in muscle strength and balance can prevent the falls that cause fractures in elderly osteoporotic women.

Strength training can also help preserve muscle tissue as women age. Muscle tissue is more metabolically active than fat tissue (i.e., it will burn more calories). By maintaining a higher amount of muscle tissue, women will maintain higher metabolic rates and maintain their optimal body weights.

Perhaps the most important benefit of strength training for older women is its impact on factors related to daily living. Most activities of daily living require some measurable involvement of muscular fitness. By engaging in a sound program of strength training, an older woman will be more likely to maintain an appropriate level of muscular fitness and, therefore, a higher level of functioning. As a consequence, the likelihood that she will be able to maintain an independent lifestyle will be enhanced.

Available research suggests that strength training will also enhance self-confidence and self-worth. While the thought of "pumping iron" might seem strange to many older women, it is a fact that an appropriate level of muscular fitness is integral to ensuring that women are able to spend their later years in a self-functioning, dignified manner. The key to attaining such a level of muscular fitness lies in adhering to a sound strength-training program.

Adolescent women

Not very long ago, the prevailing attitude among most of the members of the medical community was that adolescents, both boys and girls, should not participate in strength-training programs. Concerns regarded safety and three basic issues: whether strength gains were actually possible, whether young people benefited from participation in strength-training programs, and how strength-training programs for adolescents should be designed. Fortunately, these questions stimulated research that led two major organizations (the American Academy of Pediatrics and the National Strength Coaches Association) to develop position papers providing strength-training recommendations for adolescents (for females, adolescents are defined as young women between the ages of 11 and 13). The efforts of these professional groups have prompted further research on the subject.

To date, research has shown that strength training, when properly performed, can be extremely productive for adolescents (i.e., the benefits far outweigh the risks). Young women can derive numerous benefits from participating in a sound, supervised strength-training program. Some of the more desirable consequences are improved muscle strength, better local muscular endurance, stronger connective tissue resulting in increased resistance to injury, enhanced motor performance in certain sport activities, and a greater appreciation of the value of fitness.

Despite its numerous benefits, strength training for adolescent women is not without risks. Of greatest concern is the potential for damage to the developing skeleton and supportive tissues. It is imperative that certain precautions be taken to guarantee the safety of a young woman's developing musculoskeletal system. Perhaps the two most important factors are quality supervision and adherence to minimum effective dosage (MED). That is, design the training program so that it employs only the MED of resistance required to produce a training effect.

The guidelines and principles in Table 2 should be followed when developing a strength-training program for adolescent women. In many instances, these guidelines are similar to those recommended for the elderly because the need for adhering to safe and effective practices while exercising transcends age.

Pregnant women

Many women would like to continue strength training during pregnancy, but are hesitant due to the seemingly inconsistent and diverse opinions on the subject. In recent years, however, a growing number of professionals from the medical and exercise science communities have tendered specific advice for pregnant women interested in strength training. Most experts agree that, based upon the limited data available, proper strength training poses little risk to the mother or the developing fetus. In fact, it may be very beneficial for a pregnant woman. For example, proper strength training can provide the enhanced muscular fitness necessary to compensate for the postural adjustments that typically occur during pregnancy. Accordingly, improved posture should help lessen a pregnant woman's likelihood of experiencing low-back pain. The performance of activities of daily living should also be easier for a pregnant woman with an improved level of muscular fitness.

Authorities on the subject, however, are quick to point out that strength training is not advisable for all pregnant women. Available research suggests that the recommendations outlined in Table 3 are appropriate. Until more data are available, each pregnant woman should consult her physician for advice. In addition, training prescriptions for pregnant women who choose to strength train should be individualized. As a general rule, pregnant women should always be conservative in their approach to manipulating the various strength-training variables.

Postpartum women

Not too long ago, women were instructed to stay in bed for up to two weeks following an uncomplicated delivery. Fortunately, medical professionals now know better. It is generally accepted that the sooner a woman gets moving, the better off she is. Exercise, particularly strength activities, can help tone the abdominal region, improve posture and help a woman regain her pre-pregnancy shape.

Several significant physical changes occur in a woman's body shortly after giving birth. Hormonal levels change in an effort to help the uterus, cervix and birth canal contract and prepare her body for lactation. A woman's body also undergoes certain metabolic adjustments to meet the demands of pregnancy and birth.

Certain exercises should be started soon after delivery. Most physicians will instruct their patients to perform Kegel exercises almost immediately after the birth. Kegel exercises, named after the physician who devised them, help to keep the vagina elastic and to prevent a woman from developing bladder control problems. To perform Kegel exercises, a woman should simply pretend that she is stopping and starting her urine flow. In addition to the significant role that Kegel exercises play in helping to control bladder function, they are also important because they support the contents of the abdomen.

The day after an uncomplicated delivery, the attending physician may also recommend the postpartum woman perform pelvic tilts so that she may begin to strengthen and tone her abdominal muscles. During the course of a woman's pregnancy, these muscles can become greatly stretched to accommodate the growing fetus. Pelvic tilts will also help combat the low-back strain often associated with carrying a baby. To properly perform a pelvic tilt, a woman should engage in the following actions:

* Lie on her back with her knees bent and her hands relaxed by the side of her head.

* Tighten the muscles in the lower region of her abdomen by tilting her pelvis rearward and flattening her lower back against the floor.

* Hold this position for five to 10 seconds, relax, and repeat eight to 12 times.

A woman should consult her physician before engaging in more vigorous strength-training activities during the postpartum period. As a rule, a woman's body will take several weeks to heal following labor and delivery. Episiotomies and vaginal tears take time to heal. The point of attachment between the placenta and the uterus also requires healing time. Recovery rates differ from woman to woman, birth to birth, and typically range between six weeks to three months. A woman's physician is the best judge of when she can safely resume vigorous exercise

An "iron" supplement for all

The rise in the popularity of strength training has led to a point where it is now becoming an integral part of a well-balanced fitness program for healthy women. Research has also shown that a sound strength-training regimen can be useful in a wide variety of ways for women with special needs. Fortunately, the existing body of knowledge on the application of strength training to women will continue to grow. Given the emerging recognition of the value of strength training, it seems quite evident that all types of women will greatly benefit from taking regular "iron" supplements.