What Older People May Be Missing in Their Exercise Workouts

Wall Street Journal columnist Glenn Ruffenach writes that strength or resistance training may be just as important as cardio workouts for older adults' health. He suggests that the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's "Growing Stronger: Strength Training for Older Adults" publication is a good introductory resource on strength training. Ruffenach also recommends the Exercise and Physical Activity page on the National Institute on Aging's (NIA) website. "The article '4 Types of Exercise' provides a good overview of the subject, and 'Exercise and Physical Activity Tracking Tools' can help you record your progress," he notes. Ruffenach further highlights the book "Weights for 50+" by Karl Knopf, as well as NIA's "Exercise & Physical Activity: Your Everyday Guide." To start a strength training regimen, Ruffenach says "lifting something as simple as bottled water or soup cans, according to the National Institute on Aging, can give you the exercise you need."