Men and women well past retirement age reap benefits - both physically and psychologically - as a result of resistance training, said Bruce Craig, a member of the university's Human Performance Laboratory.

"They like feeling better and looking better," he said. "Men like to see their upper bodies expanding and revert back to their competitive days. Women enjoy the ability to move with more assurance and be able to take better care of themselves."

Recent studies by the Human Performance Laboratory found older adults may even use the same workout routines as people decades younger.

While the workouts should be done at a slower pace to compensate for an aging body's ability to recover, the routines should be intense, Craig said.

"The key is continually working hard and adding more weight and repetitions," he said. "The workouts don't have to be overly taxing, but the person should work hard. That is when you'll see results."

Craig recommends free weights as the best way to build strength and stamina for people of all ages.

"Machines work, but not as well as dumb bells and bar bells," he said. "Free weights force the person to work a little harder while machines take the extra effort out of the equation."

Besides a mental boost, older adults participating in regular exercise programs may suffer fewer major injuries due to nasty spills.

In the United States, one of every three adults 65 years old or older falls each year. Falls are the leading cause of injury-related deaths for this age group.

Weight training increases bone density and reaction time, both important factors in reducing injuries, Craig said.

"When people age, they lose the ability to react," he said. "Exercise counters that, allowing more time for people to brace themselves."

By Marc Ransford, Media Relations Manager

(NOTE TO EDITORS: For more information, contact Craig at bcraig@bsu.edu or (765) 285-1141.)