Name: Violet | Female | Age: 58 | Height 66″ | Weight: 140 lb | Body Fat %: 21%
Violet is a vibrant, young 58-year-old woman. She has led a healthy, active lifestyle since her early 30’s. She has noticed a gradual increase in body weight in the last few years, which does not please her. She has also noticed a small decrease in strength, especially upper body strength. Describe in detail a training program that will improve Violet’s general fitness level and allow her to remain a strong, independent woman. In your answer include the number of days per week you will train this client, the types of exercises she will be performing, the number of sets & repetitions you deem appropriate, and any other programming recommendations you feel will benefit her. Include citations of the research you based your recommendations on and explain why you feel this will be the best course of action to take with this client.
Expert Solution Preview
Introduction: This question pertains to designing a training program for a 58-year-old woman with a gradual increase in weight and a small decrease in upper body strength. The objective is to improve her general fitness level and ensure that she remains a strong, independent woman. The answer will provide a detailed training program, including the number of weekly training days, exercises, sets & repetitions, and other programming recommendations, based on research citations, to enable her to achieve her goal.
Answer: For Violet, a 3-day per week resistance training program coupled with cardiovascular exercise would be ideal to improve her fitness level and strength. The program should begin with a warm-up routine that includes 5-10 minutes of light jogging or cycling followed by dynamic stretching. The warm-up is essential to reduce the risk of injury and prepare the body for the workout.
For the resistance training program, exercises that target major muscle groups such as the chest, back, shoulders, legs, and arms should be included. A combination of Compound exercises – Which include squat, bench press, deadlift, military press, bent-over rows, dumbbell curls, and triceps dips should be introduced. 3-4 sets of each exercise should be performed, in the range of 8-15 repetitions, with progressive load increments over time. Violet should be advised to rest for 30-60 seconds between each set of exercises.
For cardiovascular exercise, she can choose the physical activity she enjoys, such as walking, jogging, swimming, or cycling, for at least three days a week. These exercises will help her burn calories, improve cardiovascular health, and help her towards her weight loss goal.
To ensure Violet’s motivation remains high and to facilitate progress, regular assessments of her strength, flexibility, and cardiovascular performance should be taken, and adjustments made based on her progress. A combination of resistance exercise and cardio workouts can provide significant improvement in health outcomes and body composition for older adults.
Several studies have shown that resistance training for older women can lead to improved muscle strength, bone density, and body composition. Regular physical activity has also been shown to reduce the risk of chronic diseases such as heart disease, stroke, and diabetes. Therefore, this training program is based on research-backed evidence that supports general health improvements primarily.
In conclusion, for Violet, a 3-day per week resistance training program, coupled with cardiovascular exercise, will improve her general fitness level and enable her to become a stronger, independent woman. The exercises mentioned in this training program have been selected based on their efficacy in preserving a healthy lifestyle for older adults like Violet.
