The German magazine "Freundin" pointed out that as people age, it becomes difficult to increase and maintain muscle mass. Therefore, the magazine advised starting early with exercise to preserve muscle mass. Experts attribute the decline in the body's muscle mass with aging to a decrease in growth hormones such as testosterone and insulin-like growth factor (IGF-1), which results in reduced metabolism and energy consumption, leading to decreased physical strength and an increased risk of age-related diseases like osteoporosis.
German experts recommend beginning muscle building and maintenance early to sustain vitality and overall health for a long time. This contributes to increased bone density, strengthened joints, improved balance, and better mental and psychological health.
To counteract the decline in muscle mass, experts recommend a specific training method called contrast training; this involves performing muscle-strengthening exercises with high resistance immediately followed by exercises using the same muscle group, but with little or no resistance.
Examples of this include performing five to ten squats followed by five to ten squat jumps. During the weighted exercise, the nervous system is stimulated in a way that makes it feel stronger after exercising without weight. This type of contrast training strengthens muscles and improves endurance over the long term.
Given that contrast training places a lot of stress on the body, there should be at least one rest day between training sessions.
