active older adult fitness trademarked program for fitness professionals
Learn how to create your own classes within the ToughAgers® framework
The body will do what it is trained to do. So let's train active, older adults so their bodies will functional optimally."
Deborah Rothschild, M.S.
What does the research on Older adult fitness teach us?
This study found “…a high intensity protocol and functional exercises can improve functional mobility and muscle endurance in those over 65 years of age.”
Demonstrating the numerous benefits of resistance training, this systematic review analyzed the effects of resistance training on the functional mobility of older adults.
This study randomly separated adults ages 70-92, who had chronic disease and were recently discharged from a hospital, into high-intensity and home-based exercise.
This study included the following training protocol:
- a warm up phase consisting of slow, dynamic movements of the entire body
- an active phase consisting of consecutive, full body movements that increase in degree of challenge
- both upper and lower body resistance exercises in all planes of motion
- a recovery phase focusing on balance, core, and stretching exercises
Todde, F., Melis, F., Mura, R., Pau, M., Fois, F., Magnani, S., Ibba, G., Crisafulli, A., & Tocco, F. (2016). A 12-Week Vigorous Exercise Protocol in a Healthy Group of Persons over 65: Study of Physical Function by means of the Senior Fitness Test. BioMed research international, 2016, 7639842. https://doi.org/10.1155/2016/7639842
This study randomly separated adults ages 70-92, who had chronic disease and were recently discharged from a hospital, into high-intensity and home-based exercise.
Demonstrating the numerous benefits of resistance training, this systematic review analyzed the effects of resistance training on the functional mobility of older adults.
This study randomly separated adults ages 70-92, who had chronic disease and were recently discharged from a hospital, into high-intensity and home-based exercise.
- high-intensity group participated in aerobic intervals of endurance, strength, and balance exercises
- home-based exercise group participated in low-intensity home exercises and received follow-up phone calls from a physical therapist.
- While both groups showed improvements in their health-related quality of life and physical activity, “High-intensity aerobic interval exercise participants significantly improved their physical fitness.”
Brovold T., Skelton D., and Bergland A. (2013). Older Adults Recently Discharged from the Hospital: Effect of Aerobic Interval Exercise on Health-Related Quality of Life, Physical Fitness, and Physical Activity. Journal of the American Geriatrics Society, 61(9), 1580-1585. https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/jgs.12400
Demonstrating the numerous benefits of resistance training, this systematic review analyzed the effects of resistance training on the functional mobility of older adults.
Demonstrating the numerous benefits of resistance training, this systematic review analyzed the effects of resistance training on the functional mobility of older adults.
Demonstrating the numerous benefits of resistance training, this systematic review analyzed the effects of resistance training on the functional mobility of older adults.
“Resistance training offers numerous benefits beyond improvements in muscle strength alone for older individuals. Several reports have demonstrated improvements in balance, functional mobility, stability limits, and fall prevention. Resistance training can attenuate age-related changes in muscle function and improve activities of daily living such as walking endurance, gait speed, and stair climbing. Our research demonstrates that a significant increase in functional performance can be achieved even at an elderly age (>90 years old)”.
Papa, E. V., Dong, X., & Hassan, M. (2017). Resistance training for activity limitations in older adults with skeletal muscle function deficits: a systematic review. Clinical interventions in aging, 12, 955–961. https://doi.org/10.2147/CIA.S104674
I loved this training! I'm fairly inexperienced when it comes to training people over 70 and I really think this program is fantastic! The program encompasses all of the functional fitness elements for active aging and Deborah found a way to make the group classes fun!!!! I learned so much from this
Reva, NASM CPT
